Spotify celebrates Ayra Starr, the newest artiste to join the Equal Music Programme as the Equal Africa artiste of November.

Spotify EQUAL aims to foster gender equality in music and provide a platform to highlight influential female creators.

A statement by Spotify’s Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu, said Spotify welcomed Ayra as she joined the list of fierce African women making waves in music.

Okumu said the 19-year-old singer was a burgeoning Nigerian Afro-Pop and R&B singer whose charismatic music style was daring, undaunted, impacting and empowering people, especially those who needed encouragement.

She said this announcement came off the back of Ayra’s popularity and fame since her smash hit, Bloody Samaritan, from her debut studio album “19 and Dangerous.”

According to her, the album featured the chart-topping singles that had catapulted the musician to the global stage.

Okumu said the super-talented and vibrant fashion killer was one of Nigeria’s most promising new voices and exuded confidence in her songs, joining Gen-Z artists who are pioneering the kind of sound that younger audiences were leaning towards.

“Our aim with the EQUAL programme is to create a space on the platform that allows us to solely amplify the work of female creators. Ayra represents the rise of new-age female artistes whose creativity and determination breaks barriers between genres,” she explained. “She possesses the boldness and swagger that we are used to seeing from pop artistes but has an edge that feels symbolic of the listening habits of Gen-Zers. We aim to amplify more confident female voices like hers through EQUAL.”

Ayra welcomed the acknowledgment given gender dynamics in the music industry.

“It feels good to be a part of the generation that is changing the narrative and being appreciated for our contribution to society, irrespective of the sector and age,” said Ayta. “I am grateful to Spotify EQUAL for this feature that shines a light on women in a male-dominated industry, it makes me feel seen, and I am sure it is done so for everyone who has been featured before me.”

As the latest artiste to join the EQUAL Music Programme, Ayra will also feature on Spotify’s Times Square billboard in New York, and her breakout hit Bloody Samaritan will lead the Equal Africa playlist and feature on the Equal Global playlist.

(NAN)