Ayra Starr lights up global citizen festival stage

GRAMMY-nominated global Afrobeats superstar Ayra Starr lit up the Global Citizen Festival stage, live from New York City last night.

Bringing her world-renowned stage presence to the purposeful event, the 23-year-old was every inch the commanding voice of African Gen Z as she delivered an electrifying set with wall-to-wall empowering anthems.

Ayra Starr kicked off the set with her unapologetic hit ‘Bloody Samaritan’ and kept up the confident vibes with ‘Woman Commando’ – a fan-favourite from her sophomore album “The Year I Turned 21”. Tantalising Afro-fusion selections like ‘Gimme Dat’, ‘Goodbye (Warm Up)’ and her latest hit ‘Hot Body’ followed before she ramped up the energy again with her stadium-ready anthem ‘Sability’ and GRAMMY-nominated smash ‘Rush’. She closes with a tender dedication, mashing up her single ‘All The Love’ with Coldplay’s ‘Strawberry Swing’.

For a special surprise performance later in the evening flexing the unstoppable force of Afrobeats, Ayra Starr brings out Rema as a special guest to perform ‘Rush’, ‘Calm Down’ and ‘Baby (Is It A Crime)’ before asking the audience to hold up their camera torches in the darkened Great Lawn of Central Park to shine a light on the issues around access to power in Africa. 

Photo Credit: Getty Images