Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Ayra Starr landed in Kigali on Saturday ahead of her highly anticipated performance at the Giants of Africa Festival closing concert later this evening.
The 23-year-old hitmaker joins a star-studded lineup including Kizz Daniel and Timaya, who are set to headline the final night of the weeklong celebration of basketball, youth empowerment and African creativity at BK Arena.
Starr’s visit has stirred excitement among local fans eager to see her perform songs from her album The Year I Turned 21. The album, which features her single Commas, has boosted her international profile and positioned her among the leading voices in Afrobeats today.
Following its release, Starr joined Chris Brown on select dates of his 11:11 Tour and later appeared as a rotating opener on Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour, one of the highest-grossing tours of all time. She is also set to take the stage at the Global Citizen Festival in New York City this September, performing alongside South Africa’s Tyla.
Known for her magnetic stage presence and genre-blending sound, Starr’s Kigali debut is expected to add star power to the festival’s closing celebrations. Giants of Africa, founded by former Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri, is hosting its sophomore edition in Rwanda this year, bringing together youth, sport and culture on a continental stage.