SPEAKING in an interview with Arise TV, Nigerian singer, Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, revealed the idea behind her stage name Ayra Starr.
The Mavin Records artist revealed in the interview that the name “Ayra Starr” was partly her record label boss, Don Jazzy’s idea.
She explained that she wanted to be called ‘Ira’ in Yoruba but she wanted people to pronounce the name as "Ayra" before Don Jazzy added Starr to it.
“There is this Yoruba name called Ira, I wanted people to pronounce it as ‘Aira.’ And I was like, the only way they can pronounce it is by spelling it ‘A Y R A.’
“So, I was thinking about it and something just told me to go ‘A Y R A.’ And when I did, everything just came together: The meaning of the name, it felt like God was speaking to me.
“And ‘Starr’ was Don Jazzy’s idea. Ayra means ‘woke and open-minded.’ And that’s what I want. I want to be honoured and respected,” she said.
The singer recently became the first Nigerian female lead artist and the youngest Nigerian artist to be nominated for the Grammys after her hit single 'Rush' was nominated for the Best African Song Performance.
