Ayra Starr's Rise to Fame: Notes from the Documentary, 'Dare to Dream'

'Dare to Dream', a 23 minute documentary which premiered on Youtube on August 1, 2024, chronicles Ayra Starr's journey to international stardom. The film follows her from Lagos, where her music career began, to her sold-out shows around the world. It also captures her experience attending the 2024 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, where she received her first nomination for Best African Music Performance for her 2022 hit single, 'Rush.'

Credit: Premium Times

Here are five key takeaways from the documentary:

1. She was born in Cotonou, Benin Republic: Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe professionally called Ayra Starr is a Beninese-Nigerian woman. She was born in Cotonou, Benin Republic, a coastal city right on the water. Growing up around water made her love peace and calmness. She especially loved sharing her childhood moments with her family. Despite living in Lagos, she looks back fondly at her childhood days in Contonou.

“This is the life I envisioned for myself. The life I dreamt of. Still, Cotonou is my home but I’m no longer used to how calm it used to be. I need some chaos. That’s what happens when you become a Lagosian, it’s like you get baptised,” she said in the documentary.

2. Her father didn’t support her musical dreams: While her mum only wished she’d do gospel music, her dad never wanted her to do music. “My dad didn’t want me to do music. My mum was like, the only way I could do music was if I was doing it in church. My dad didn’t see it as a good profession,” she said. She emphasised that the disapproval from her father spurred her, even more, to go into music. “Getting pushback from my dad made me want to do it more. I told myself ‘This would make a good story.’ I always wanted to be the black Hannah Montanna. I’ll get into trouble in school and I’ll tell them when I’m a star,” she said.

3. Experience working without Don Jazzy: Don Jazzy discovered Ayra Starr in 2019 and was soon signed her to his record label. Ayra Starr refers to her working experience with Jazzy as easy saying that she was allowed to make her kind of music while she discovered her sound. “They gave me a studio and only helped me understand my sound. They never said ‘Oh, make this kind of music that will make you trend or blow. They only gave me pointers,” she said.

4. She expresses her girl boss persona: Ayra Starr revealed that she can be bossy especially as she is the first daughter in an African home. “I can be a bit bossy when it comes to my siblings. When you’re the oldest daughter in an African household, you are in charge.” Her mum on the other hand commended her for always taking on a lot of responsibilities and putting the home in order in her absence. Her brother (?) called her “motherly.”

Credit: Cool FM

5. She once worked as a tailor and a makeup artist: Speaking to Amazon Music, Rima Tahini, the director of A&R at Mavin Records, emphasised Ayra Starr’s doggedness and resilience. “I saw her as a little girl with no experience but the more I spoke to her, I knew why she was here. I knew she was a star with a hustling spirit. I mean she has been a tailor, a makeup artist, I mean a true hustler. She is a star. She hasn’t even scratched the surface.”

Edward Ekunwe, an A&R Manager at Mavin Records also remarked on her audaciousness. “At first, she seemed shy and quiet but I know better now. She makes protocol, she’s audacious. She always wants to break protocol but in a good way,” he said.

In addition to the documentary, Ayra Starr is also the first Afrobeats artist to be named Amazon Music’s Breakthrough Artist, a recognition that comes with a programme that supports emerging talent through playlist features, social media campaigns, and other promotional opportunities.

“Ayra Starr was an obvious choice for our latest Breakthrough artist. A one-of-a-kind talent leading the exhilarating world of Afrobeats. Her early successes have already been thrilling,” said Alexis Cueva, who manages artist relations for Amazon Music. “With Ayra joining the Breakthrough family, we’re excited to support her as she continues to garner worldwide acclaim and represent Nigeria’s music scene on the global stage.”