Why Burna Boy is Ayra Starr’s ‘number one’ choice

Two-time Grammy nominee Ayra Starr has openly declared her desire to join musical forces with her Nigerian compatriot, Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy.

In a Billboard interview shared on Thursday, 29 January, Starr pinpointed the "Last" hitmaker as her top artistic wish.

The 23-year-old Nigerian music icon stated: “Everybody knows Burna Boy is my number one person I’d like to collaborate with. I’ve collaborated with a lot of people, and I still want to collaborate with many more.”

This revelation comes on the heels of her 2026 Grammy nomination for the Best African Music Performance.

The nomination, which is the latest milestone in her career, is credited to her song “Gimme Dat,” featuring Afrobeats sensation Wizkid. It was released in April 2025.

The track, originally intended as a solo release, transformed when Wizkid joined, a collaboration Starr says worked out “perfectly.”

Ayra Starr, born Sarah Oyinkansola Aderibigbe, said while her first Grammy nomination in 2024 felt shockingly surreal, this second one serves as a reassuring confirmation of her talent and path.

Looking outward, Starr’s desire to collaborate with Burna Boy aligns with the growing global tapestry of Afrobeats, a genre Burna Boy has championed worldwide.

He has a storied history of notable collaborations, bridging continents and genres. A partnership with Starr would fuse two definitive voices at Afrobeats' forefront.

For Ayra Starr, this moment is part of a larger cultural wave. She stated: “Its Africa’s time music-wise. We’ve always made amazing music, and the world is just catching up.”

Fuelled by her latest Grammy nomination, Ayra Starr’s pointed wish to collaborate with Burna Boy is both a personal ambition and a testament to Afrobeats’ borderless future, with the industry watching to see if this powerhouse duo becomes reality.