Ayra Starr Secures Coachella 2027 Spot Amid Global Ascendancy

Nigerian Afrobeats star Ayra Starr, fresh from her third album ‘Starr Girl’, will headline both weekends of Coachella 2027, following a string of historic festival appearances and a new world tour.

Early life, modelling and the first steps into music

Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe was born on 14 June 2002 in Benin and grew up in Cotonou before moving to Lagos, Nigeria. Both of her parents come from Kwara State, giving her a Yoruba heritage that she combines with fluency in French, English and Nigerian Pidgin. She is the second of five children and spent her childhood making music with her older brother Damilola, while her mother, a former singer, encouraged her artistic ambitions. After completing a BA in international relations and political science at Les Cours Sonou University, she turned her focus toward a music career.

Starr first entered the public eye by finishing second on the Nigerian talent show Maltina Dance All as a child. In August 2018 she signed with Quove Models, a Lagos‑based modelling agency, and in 2019 began posting cover versions of songs by artists such as Andra Day and 2Face Idibia on social media. The stage name “Ayra Starr” – of Arabic origin meaning “someone highly respected” – was adopted during this period. An original track titled “Damage” appeared on her Instagram in December 2019, prompting Mavin Records founder Don Jazzy to reach out and invite her to record at Mavin Studios. Throughout 2020 she worked with producers Louddaaa, Don Jazzy and Dayogrey, laying the groundwork for her first official releases.

Breakthrough releases and early international recognition (2021‑2023)

In January 2021 Ayra Starr released a self‑titled EP on Mavin Records, led by the single “Away”. The EP quickly rose to number one on Nigeria’s iTunes and Apple Music charts, while “Away” peaked at number four on the TurnTable Top 50 and reached number 17 on Billboard’s Top Triller Global chart. The track earned a spot on OkayAfrica’s list of the best Nigerian songs of January 2021 and was featured on MTV Base’s Official Naija Top 10. Later that year, on 6 August, she issued her debut studio album 19 & Dangerous, which introduced guest appearances from Fousheé and CKay and produced the hit “Bloody Samaritan”. That single became the first solo female track to claim the No 1 position on Nigeria’s Top 50 chart and helped her secure the No 3 spot on Billboard’s Next Big Sound in August 2021.

September 2022 saw the release of “Rush” as part of the deluxe edition of 19 & Dangerous. The song charted in Switzerland, Ireland and the United Kingdom and earned Starr a nomination for Best African Music Performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. In November 2022 she featured on Wizkid’s “2 Sugar”, which topped Billboard’s Hot Trending chart and entered the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart at number 5. Early 2023 she contributed “Ogogoro” to the Creed III soundtrack and, in July, announced her first headlining world tour – 21: The World Tour – covering North America, Europe, Africa and Australia. The same year she released “Rhythm & Blues”, a lead single that explored romance and vulnerability, and appeared on David Guetta’s “Big FU” alongside Lil Durk, which charted in the United States and New Zealand.

International expansion and historic milestones (2024‑2025)

Starr’s 2024 campaign began with the February release of “Commas” and continued with the April collaboration “Santa” alongside Jamaican producer Rvssian and reggaeton star Rauw Alejandro. The partnership made her the first Nigerian female artist to reach 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Her second studio album, The Year I Turned 21, arrived on 31 May 2024, featuring guests such as Coco Jones, Giveon, Asake, Anitta and Rauw Alejandro. The record debuted at No 1 on the Nigerian Albums Chart and entered the Billboard 200 at No 195, marking the first time a Nigerian female artist had charted there. Pitchfork praised the album as “a bold and reflective work that redefines modern Afropop”, while Billboard highlighted its universal themes of growth and ambition.

Following the album’s release, Starr opened for Chris Brown’s 11:11 Tour across 26 North American cities from June to August 2024. In June she became the first African female artist to perform on Glastonbury Festival’s Pyramid Stage, and in August she headlined Afro Nation Detroit. A collaboration with Coldplay on “Good Feelings” appeared on the band’s Moon Music album, and she supported Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour in Australia and New Zealand. 2025 brought further accolades: she won Best African Music Act at the MOBO Awards in February, secured a BET Award for Best International Act in June, and signed an international management deal with Roc Nation in July while remaining with Mavin Records for releases. Her summer tour kicked off at Summerjam Festival in New Jersey, and she headlined the Tidal Rave Festival in Accra, becoming the first non‑Ghanaian artist to do so.

2026: Starr Girl era, chart‑topping singles and global performances

In early 2026 Ayra Starr contributed the track “Brought the Family” to the GOAT animated film soundtrack, collaborating with Jon Bellion. She was featured in Spotify’s “Our Frequency” zine (Issue 033) where she confirmed work on her third studio album. February saw her added to the BRED Abu Dhabi lineup at Yas Marina Circuit, and she provided a verse for the remix of French artist RnBoi’s “Mon Bébé”. March brought the single “Where Do We Go”, which debuted at number 4 on Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart and number 10 on Nigeria’s Official Top 100, becoming her 19th top‑ten entry and the most by any female artist on that chart. The song also peaked at number 3 on the UK Afrobeats Singles Chart and later received a remix with DJ Peggy Gou. On 26 March she won Best International Act at the MOBO Awards, becoming the first African artist to claim the category in consecutive years, and on 27 March she appeared on Angélique Kidjo’s single “Aye Kan (Are You Coming Back)”.

April 2026 marked the official announcement of her third album, Starr Girl, initially slated for July and later set for 14 August 2026, with cover art unveiled via Roc Nation’s channels. The lead single “Tornado”, featuring Fola, arrived in June and reached number 5 on the UK Afrobeats Singles Chart, number 7 on Nigeria’s TurnTable Top 100 and number 6 on Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart. Starr promoted the track through performances on The Jennifer Hudson Show, an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, and a Boiler Room London set. That month she also performed at Seychelles’ 50th independence celebrations, visited the President’s State House, and headlined the Coca‑Cola Stage at the Calgary Stampede. In October she became the first African artist to perform at an NFL International Games halftime show in London, delivering a set that included material from Starr Girl alongside earlier hits.

Coachella 2027: dual‑weekend headline slot and future trajectory

Bellanaija reported in November 2026 that Ayra Starr will appear on both Sundays of Coachella 2027 – 11 April and 18 April – at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. She shares the Sunday bill with headliner SZA and will perform alongside Victoria Monét, Jorja Smith, Becky G and Don Toliver. The broader festival runs from 9‑11 April and 16‑18 April, featuring headliners Dua Lipa, Tame Impala and a special appearance by Madonna in the dance tent. The Coachella announcement follows her historic halftime performance at the NFL International Games in London, where she became the first African artist to headline that show.

Starr’s Coachella set is expected to draw heavily from her freshly released Starr Girl album, with songs such as “Tornado”, “Midnight in New York” and the Wizkid‑featured “Gimme Dat” slated for the performance. Fan favourites like “Rush”, “Commas” and “Heaven Baby” will likely round out the set, offering a mix of her early Afropop hits and newer R&B‑infused material. The festival appearance coincides with the launch of her 20‑city Starr Girl World Tour, which will take her across Europe and North America in early 2027 before she returns to the California desert. The dual‑weekend slot underscores her growing stature within the global festival circuit and reflects the strategic support of Roc Nation, whose partnership aims to expand her reach in the United States and Europe. Industry observers anticipate that her Coachella presence will further elevate Afrobeats on the world stage, positioning Ayra Starr as one of the genre’s most visible ambassadors.