Tag: Ayra Starr

Check Out Our Updated Songs of Summer Predictions (Complete With Five New Wild Card Picks)

Last month, Spotify’s annual Songs of Summer predictions made their return, and fans have rallied around the anthems they can’t get enough of. Some have been working late (…’cuz they’re a singer), while plenty have been feeling so Julia. Meanwhile, others have been looking for someone to match their freak

Now, for the first time ever, we’re giving you a midsummer update that reveals the top 15 songs from our original list, along with five new “wild card” songs. These updated predictions reflect our final contenders for the Song of Summer as we approach the end of the season.

Backed by Spotify data and cultural buzz, and hand-picked by our global team of editors, our wild cards were either released after we made our initial predictions, or they’ve experienced a recent spike in global streams. Wild card track “360” by Charli xcx, for example, has experienced an 80% increase in U.S. streams in the past month, while streams of “HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan have spiked 110% globally on Spotify. 

Spotify’s updated Songs of Summer list 

(Listed alphabetically by artist first name; wild card picks in italics

Over the last year, we’ve seen increased popularity of dance and Afro house globally, and summer is the perfect time for these songs to cross over into the mainstream.

“‘Move’ has been an undeniable hit this summer and an obvious choice for our editors as one of our wild card additions,” said Luisa Kristen, Senior Editor, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland at Spotify. “The song features the perfect recipe of beautiful Afro house production, earwormy melody, and pop lyricism—sounds that tend to thrive with listeners in warmer weather globally.”

Luisa also noted that in the last few weeks, the song has charted all around the world across many parts of Europe, the U.K., and the U.S. It drove record streams for the German group globally on its release day and was recently added to Today’s Top Hits—a monumental achievement for German artists and the Afro house genre overall. 

“Stumblin’ In,” which was released in November 2023, is also a strong example of how a song can have an extensive lifespan, cross borders, and experience a cultural resurgence during different moments of the year. It highlights the power of Spotify—our editors have tested it in various playlists, and since its release, it has grown and reached new listeners around the world. 

Tinashe’s “Nasty” also surged during the first two weeks of the Songs of Summer predictions reveal, both globally and in the U.S. Since then, the song has seen over a 110% increase in streams globally and in the U.S.

Celebrating 2024’s Songs of Summer

To continue the summer fun, we hosted our 2024 Songs of Summer event in Brooklyn this week, featuring electric performances from two of our contenders, Tinashe and Tommy Richman.

Discover the Latest Afrobeats News, Interviews, and Trends on Our Dedicated Site

a green and orange background with black and white artist portraits. Afro Beats text is in the center.

With over 13 billion streams on Spotify in 2022, Afrobeats remains one of the globe’s hottest sounds. While countries like the U.S., U.K., and Nigeria remain the biggest consumers of Afrobeats, the genre’s popularity has grown rapidly in countries like France, the Netherlands, and Mexico as fans can’t get enough of artists like Rema, Ayra Starr, and Burna Boy

That’s why we’re launching Afrobeats: Journey of a Billion Streams, a dedicated website that will act as a repository of the latest news and developments in Afrobeats.  

Whether looking at the genre’s origins in Ghana, its rise and evolution in Nigeria, or its fusion with other genres, we’re spotlighting how Afrobeats became one of Africa’s biggest cultural exports and are tracking its underreported narratives.

Afrobeats: Journey of a Billion Streams will consist of five key pillars:

  • Origins explores the genres that acted as precursors of Afrobeats as we know it. 
  • Evolution dives deeper into which industry players contributed to the current Afrobeats sound that the whole world can’t seem to get enough of.  
  • Fusion looks at how Afrobeats has emerged by melding itself with other genres, such as reggaeton, amapiano, and other hybrids. 
  • Cultural exportation documents the influence of Afrobeats in music, food, language, and fashion lenses, especially in countries outside Africa.
  • The Women of Afrobeats sheds light on some of the key women in the industry whose contributions propelled the genre to its current status as a global sensation.

The site features regular interviews with leading experts, videos, quizzes, and the latest Spotify data and trends around Afrobeats listening.

“There is no doubt that Afrobeats as a genre is here to stay and will only continue to shatter more ceilings,” says Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Managing Director for Spotify in sub-Saharan Africa. “In 2023 alone, the genre has been played for more than 223 million hours, with streams exceeding 7.1 billion on Spotify. We created this site for both new and longtime fans of the genre who want to better understand how and where this explosive sound came to be.”

Over the next eight weeks, the site will be updated regularly and will continue to remain active with the latest happenings from the global Afrobeats community.

Once you’ve caught up with the latest Afrobeats news, check out the hottest hits on our playlist, African Heat

RADAR Global Artist Ayra Starr Is Ready To Bring Her Fierce Yet Soothing Brand of Afrosoul to the World

Since its launch in 2020, RADAR has served as Spotify’s program to showcase emerging artists from all around the world, supporting them and taking their talents to the global musical stage. Now RADAR Global has returned with our latest featured artist, Afrosoul sensation Ayra Starr.

Born in Benin, in West Africa, Ayra was raised between its beach city, Cotonou, and the cultural hub of Lagos, Nigeria. The self-proclaimed celestial being says it’s this mix of cultures that inspires her global approach to music, art, and life. It also helped that she grew up with a music-loving family and began cowriting music with her brother Dami at the age of 10.

Ayra announced herself to the world in 2021 with her self-titled five-track EP, Ayra Starr, which featured the breakout single “Away.” Soon after, her critically acclaimed debut studio album 19 & Dangerous was released. Its lead single, “Bloody Samaritan,” has been streamed more than 30 million times on Spotify to date. 

But the success didn’t stop there. This year, the young artist has reached international audiences by collaborating with Skip Marley on his single “Jane,” as well as Manny Norté, Stalk Ashley, and Tiana Major9 on “Worth My While.”

And for all her hard work, Ayra is now enjoying the recognition that follows: She’s the second-most-nominated artist at the Headies Awards, Africa’s premier music awards, and has a 2022 BET Award nomination for Best New International Act under her belt.

For the Record sat down with Ayra to talk about music, her family, and more.

What are you looking forward to most as Spotify’s latest RADAR artist?

I am really looking forward to being discovered by new people who will find different meanings in my songs. You know, different people need different things at different times of their life, and that’s what music does—it helps fans connect on a deeper level. As an artist, it’s such a surreal feeling to know that there are people out there discovering my music and relating to my lyrics. It’s so beautiful. With RADAR, I am excited for my music to reach new audiences and to be shared on a global platform.

For new fans, how would you describe your sound?

I’d describe it as soothing but fierce yet soulful.

Who have been some of your biggest musical inspirations?

Rihanna, Lijadu Sisters, 2Baba, Nicki Minaj, and a host of others.

You have a pretty musically inclined family. How have they influenced your career?

Oh, in almost every aspect. Having a family with a musical background gave me the confidence to soar and discover my love for the art of music. They encouraged me to pursue my dreams and helped me to navigate my career early on.

Growing up between Benin and Nigeria must have brought with it some vastly different experiences from a cultural and personal standpoint. How has that played a role in your music?

There’s nothing better than having a broad perspective when making music. Coming from a family that’s deeply rooted in different cultures gave me the opportunity to view the world through more than one lens and contributed to my sound.

What message do you want listeners to take away from your music?

I think my music conveys the fact that I am not scared to spread my wings wide, and I would love for listeners to feel like that too. Bet on yourself and never back down. Keep going.

Do you have any advice for other emerging artists?

Know who you are, know your worth, and do you respectfully but unapologetically.

Check out Ayra Starr along with other emerging international talent on the RADAR Global playlist.