Nigerian singer Ayra Starr has reached new heights with her sophomore album, The Year I Turned 21. The album has sold 2.2 million units worldwide, making it the 12th best-selling female album of 2024. It also stands as the first and only female Nigerian album to surpass 2 million global units, a groundbreaking moment for the artist and her country’s music scene.
Starr’s second release of 2025, “Gimme dat,” has also made waves. It is the first female Afrobeat release of the year to exceed 30 million streams across major platforms. The song’s streaming totals include Spotify: 17.9 million streams, YouTube Music: 6.9 million streams, Audiomack: 2.9 million streams and Boomplay: 2.7 million streams.
This milestone highlights Starr’s ability to draw listeners across different platforms.
Read also: Ayra Starr becomes Nigeria’s first female artist to gross 1 billion YouTube views
In May, Starr achieved another first by becoming the first Nigerian female artist to hit 1 billion views on YouTube. Her popular tracks ‘Rush’ and ‘Commas’ accounted for over 500 million of those views, driving her to this record-breaking total.
These accomplishments show Starr’s growing presence in the global music industry. Her success with The Year I Turned 21 and “Gimme dat” proves she can connect with fans worldwide.
Starr’s achievements carry extra weight in Nigeria, where she is breaking barriers for female artists. Her work also reflects the rising popularity of Afrobeat music on the world stage.
