Ayra Starr on Success of ‘Rush,’ Her First Grammy Nomination & More | Billboard News

Ayra Starr talks about the international success of her song “Rush,” becoming the youngest African female artist to surpass 100 million views on YouTube, getting her first Grammy nomination, her aspiration to be a teenage pop star, the growth of popularity of the Afrobeats genre and where she sees the future of the genre going and more!

Ayra Starr
I wasn’t here two years ago, now I’m doing an interview with Billboard.

Rania Aniftos
Fresh off the Grammys, girl.

Ayra Starr
Hello, I’m Ayra Starr and you’re watching Billboard News.

Rania Aniftos
Hey everybody, its Rania Aniftos with Billboard News and I am so excited. We have the Afrobeats queen herself in the studio today, Ayra Starr.

Ayra Starr
Hello!

Rania Aniftos
Welcome to the studio.

Ayra Starr
Thank you for having me. I’m excited.

Rania Aniftos
You were just nominated for your first-ever Grammy nomination. How did that feel?

Ayra Starr
Amazing. I had a great time at the Grammys. All the parties even before the Grammys, I was just like, oh, like, I’m at the Grammys. You can see me at the red carpets. I was having a good time. Let me tell you.

Rania Aniftos
Was there something that surprised you over the course of the week that you were like, I was expecting this, but this happened instead.

Ayra Starr
To be honest like anytime I come to LA, I’m always like indoors and never do anything and people like people know me, but people don’t really know me. They know my music, but they don’t know me. This time, every room I walked into: Ayra Starr! I was fangirling over the people who are fangirling over me, like, “You know me!” And it was the best thing.

Watch the full video above!