Nigerian music sensation Oyinkansola Aderigbigbe, popularly known as Ayra Starr, continues her meteoric rise on the global stage, securing four nominations at the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards (MTV EMAs).
The Mavin Records star is nominated in the categories of ‘Best African Act,’ ‘Best Push,’ ‘Best Afrobeats,’ and ‘Best New Artist,’ reinforcing her growing influence in the international music industry.
The 30th edition of the MTV EMAs is scheduled to take place on Sunday, November 10, 2024, at Manchester’s Co-op Live in the United Kingdom. Ayra Starr’s nominations highlight her rapid ascent to fame and her contribution to the global recognition of Afrobeats music.
Since her debut in 2021, Ayra Starr has consistently garnered attention with hits like “Away” from her debut EP, which held a top-four spot for two consecutive weeks on Nigeria’s Turntable Top 50 chart and peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Top Thriller Global chart. Her 2021 album, 19 & Dangerous, solidified her as a top-tier artist, with the track “Bloody Samaritan” becoming the first solo song by a female artist to top Nigeria’s Top 50 chart.
Ayra Starr’s international breakthrough came in 2022 with the release of the single “Rush,” which earned her a Grammy nomination for ‘Best African Music Performance’ and boosted her global profile.
In October 2024, she reached a new milestone, surpassing two billion streams on Spotify, becoming one of a select few Nigerian artists to achieve this feat.
Fellow Nigerian artists Burna Boy, Tems, Rema, and newcomer Asake have also received nominations for the 2024 MTV EMAs, with all competing in the ‘Best Afrobeats’ category. Asake has additionally been nominated for ‘Best African Act.’ South African artist Tyla joins Ayra Starr with four nominations, making them standout figures among this year’s nominees.
The 2024 MTV EMAs will showcase African talent on a grand scale, marking another pivotal moment for Afrobeats and African music as they continue to make waves globally.
