Ayra Starr Announces Her New Album, The Year I Turned 21
Nigerian singer and songwriter Ayra Starr took to Instagram to reveal that her sophomore album, The Year I Turned 21, will drop on May 31.
The Year I Turned 21 follows her debut studio album, 19 & Dangerous, which came out three years ago. The album featured her song “Rush” which was a smash hit. Moreover, this song was also one of the first songs to be nominated in the Best African Music Performance category at the Grammys this year. Starr also has another hit titled “Bloody Samaritan,” which later got a remix from Kelly Rowland. The singer has recieved cosigns from Tems, Tyla, Rema, and other artists in the Afrobeats genre for her unique tone and intricate vocals.
In a Billboard interview, Starr states, “The Ayra Starr I want to introduce is excellent, sonically amazing. This album is unique, because I’ve been evolving sonically.” The Nigerian singer released a teaser for her album on X.
MY SOPHOMORE ALBUM OUT IN MAY pic.twitter.com/S4Fn0DF3KM
— Celestial being (@ayrastarr) April 30, 2024
Starr has already released two singles from the album which were “Commas” (February 2) and “Bad Vibes” featuring Seyi Vibez (May 10). According to the singer, she wanted “Commas” to feel transcendent and make people feel good. From the two singles, we can tell that the “No Love” singer is going into a more mature sound while still sticking to her roots in her fusion of Afrobeats, Pop, and R&B. Her music is very versatile because she makes people want to dance and cry, all at the same time. Her talent and mass appeal are probably why she has been known for ushering Afrobeats for the next generation.
The cover for the upcoming album has also been released. It shows the “Commas” singer sticking out of a red car with her hair pushed back by the wind, wearing a bejeweled rose dress. Additionally, the second cover reveals the tracklist containing 14 songs. Starr will have collaborations with artists, such as Anitta & Coco Jones (“Woman Commando,”) Asake (“Goodbye (Warm Up),”) Giveon (“Last Heartbreak Song,”) Seyi Vibez (“Bad Vibes,”) and her brother Millar (“1942”).
The Year I Turned 21
— Celestial being (@ayrastarr) May 1, 2024
—05/31—
Pre add https://t.co/P2w7dgObFv pic.twitter.com/HdhKSphmN8
If you want to check out Starr’s new album, you can pre-save through her official The Year I Turned 21 link here. In the meantime, 19 & Dangerous can be steamed on all music streaming platforms.
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