Last updated: October 9, 2026.
Ayra Starr’s first bandmate was her older brother. As children, she and Dami made music together at home. He still plays guitar and writes songs. The Ayra Starr family is where her career began, years before a record label found her.
Her mother used to sing. Her father wanted school to come first. She ended up doing both, finishing a degree before she released a record.
Quick Facts
| Real name | Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe |
| Born | June 14, 2002, Cotonou, Benin |
| Raised | Cotonou and Lagos, Nigeria |
| Parents | Both from Kwara State, Nigeria; names not made public |
| Siblings | Four; she is the second of five children. Older brother Damilola (Dami) |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Ethnicity | Yoruba |
| Languages | Yoruba, French, English and Nigerian Pidgin |
| Label | Mavin Records; managed internationally by Roc Nation |
Who Are Ayra Starr’s Parents?
Ayra Starr’s parents are both Nigerian, from Kwara State in the country’s west. They are Yoruba. Their names have not been published by a reliable outlet, and she has not shared them.
Her mother
Ayra Starr’s mother is a former singer. She backed her daughter’s ambition to sing, as Ayra has told NME and other outlets cited on her Wikipedia page.
That support counted for a lot in a home where music was not the obvious career.
Her father
Her father took the other side of the argument. He often urged her to put her studies first, she told Rolling Stone.
He has since died. Pulse Nigeria’s biography of the singer describes his death as untimely and says her mother raised the children afterward. It gives no date or cause, and we have not added one.
Does Ayra Starr Have Siblings?
Yes. Ayra Starr has four siblings. She is the second of five children.
The one she talks about most is her older brother, Damilola, known as Dami. The two played music together as children, she told Rolling Stone. He is a guitarist and songwriter.
Her other siblings have not been named in the sources we checked.
Where Is Ayra Starr From?
Ayra Starr is Nigerian, and was born across the border in Cotonou, the largest city in Benin. She grew up between Cotonou and Lagos.
The family moved often. Pulse Nigeria reports that the moves made it hard for her to keep long friendships as a schoolgirl.
They also left her with four languages. She speaks Yoruba, French, English and Nigerian Pidgin, according to Teen Vogue. Benin is French-speaking, which explains the second of those.
Her stage name is not a family name. She has said Ayra is of Arabic origin and means someone who is highly respected.
How Did Her Family Shape Her Career?
Both parents got what they wanted. Their daughter earned a degree in international relations and political science from Les Cours Sonou University in Cotonou. Then she became a singer.
The steps in between were small ones. As a child she finished second on a Nigerian television dance contest. In August 2018 she signed with a Lagos modelling agency. In 2019 she began posting cover songs online.
In December 2019 she uploaded an original song called “Damage.” The producer Don Jazzy heard it and brought her to Mavin Records.
Her debut EP came out in January 2021 and her first album, 19 & Dangerous, that August. “Rush” followed in 2022 and earned her a Grammy nomination.
She is labelmates at Mavin with Rema, another artist whose family story begins with loss and a mother who held things together.
What Is Ayra Starr Doing Now?
Ayra Starr released her second album, The Year I Turned 21, in May 2024. That June she became the first African female artist to perform on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage.
In July 2025 she signed an international management deal with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation while staying with Mavin for her releases. In March 2026 she won Best International Act at the MOBO Awards for the second year running.
She announced a third album, Starr Girl, in April 2026. She has also been cast in the film Children of Blood and Bone, due in January 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Ayra Starr’s parents? Both are Yoruba Nigerians from Kwara State. Her mother is a former singer. Her father, who has died, encouraged her to focus on school. Their names are not public.
Does Ayra Starr have siblings? Yes, four. Her older brother Dami is a guitarist and songwriter.
What is Ayra Starr’s real name? Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe.
Where was Ayra Starr born? Cotonou, Benin, on June 14, 2002.
Is Ayra Starr Nigerian or Beninese? She is Nigerian. She was born in Benin to Nigerian parents and raised in both countries.
What languages does Ayra Starr speak? Yoruba, French, English and Nigerian Pidgin.
Why is Ayra Starr famous? She is a Nigerian singer known for “Rush” and “Bloody Samaritan,” with two Grammy nominations.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Ayra Starr, with citations to Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue and NME
- Pulse Nigeria: biography of Ayra Starr (August 2025)
- Mavin Records: Ayra Starr artist page
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