{{Infobox album | name = Starr Girl | type = studio | artist = Ayra Starr | cover = Starr Girl cover.jpg | border = yes | alt = | released = {{Start date|2026|08|14|df=y}} | recorded = | studio = *Mavin Records *Roc Nation | genre = *Afrobeats *R&B *alternative R&B *dancehall | length = | label = Mavin Records | producer = | prev_title = The Year I Turned 21 | prev_year = 2024 | next_title = | next_year = | misc = {{Singles | name = Starr Girl | type = studio | single1 = Where Do We Go | single1date = 6 March 2026 }} }}
'''''Starr Girl''''' is the upcoming third studio album by Nigerian singer-songwriter Ayra Starr. It will be released on 14 August 2026, through Mavin Records.
==Background== Following the release of her second studio album ''The Year I Turned 21'' in May 2024, Starr shifted her approach to music creation. In a March 2025 interview with the ''Evening Standard'', she explained she was moving away from being "obsessed with being an album artist" to focus on making music with less pressure.<ref name="Standard">{{cite news |last1=Block |first1=India |title='Rihanna loves me!': Ayra Starr on fame, faith, and having the most fabulous fans |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/music/ayra-starr-rihanna-coldplay-interview-b1215152.html |access-date=17 April 2026 |work=The Standard |date=6 March 2025 |language=en}}</ref> She released a series of singles throughout 2025, beginning with "All the Love" in February and "Gimme Dat" featuring Wizkid in April. In July 2025, she signed a management deal with Roc Nation while remaining signed to Mavin Records for recording,<ref name="OkayAfrica1">{{cite news |last1=Peter |first1=Dennis Ade |title=Ayra Starr Signs with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, Elevating Her Afrobeats Career Internationally |url=https://www.okayafrica.com/ayra-starr-signs-with-jay-zs-roc-nation-elevating-her-afrobeats-career-internationally/125592 |access-date=17 April 2026 |work=okayafrica |date=16 July 2025}}</ref> releasing "Hot Body" that same month and her first official collaboration with Rema, "Who's Dat Girl", in October.
In January 2026, Starr confirmed her third studio album was in progress, telling Spotify's ''Our Frequency zine'' it was expected later in the year.<ref name="PM News1">{{cite news |last1=Aderinola |first1=Abimbola |title=Ayra Starr speaks on album release |url=https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2026/01/23/ayra-starr-speaks-on-album-release/ |access-date=17 April 2026 |work=PM News |date=23 January 2026}}</ref> In March 2026, during an Apple Music Radio takeover, she described the album as a reflection of her maturation, stating, "I'm literally becoming a woman and you can hear that in my music now. I'm growing sonically and I want to try different things." She explained the project represented a return to enjoying the creative process, saying she had "forgot to have fun" and had taken the industry "a bit too seriously," adding, "now I brought the fun back."<ref name="Channels">{{cite news |last1=Monye |first1=Emmanuel |title=I'm Growing Sonically, Trying Different Things — Ayra Starr |url=https://www.channelstv.com/2026/03/20/im-growing-sonically-trying-different-things-ayra-starr/ |access-date=17 April 2026 |work=Channels Television |date=20 March 2026 |language=en}}</ref> When asked about its intended impact in a separate interview, Starr said she was no longer concerned with surprising audiences or proving herself, and wanted the record to encourage people to "think bigger" and "try bigger" for themselves.<ref name="Crea8torium">{{cite web |title=15 HONEST Minutes With AYRA STARR {{!}} Crea8torium |url=https://shows.acast.com/crea8torium/episodes/15-minutes-with-ayra-starr |website=acast.com |access-date=27 May 2026 |date=17 May 2026}}</ref>
==Release and promotion== ===Title and artwork=== On 16 April 2026, during an appearance on ''The Jennifer Hudson Show'', she officially announced the album's title as ''Starr Girl'' and initially stated a July 2026 release date.<ref name="TheNetNG1">{{cite news |last1=Adeyanju |first1=Adedeji |title=Ayra Starr announces third album 'Starr Girl', set for July release |url=https://thenet.ng/ayra-starr-announces-third-album-starr-girl-set-for-july-release/ |access-date=17 April 2026 |work=The NET |date=17 April 2026}}</ref> The following month, she pushed the release to 14 August and unveiled the album cover via social media and Roc Nation's website.<ref name="albumcover">{{cite web |title=Starrgirl. Aug 14th |url=https://x.com/i/status/2052825930582646981 |website=X |access-date=27 May 2026}}</ref><ref name="rocstarr">{{cite web |last1=Fiske |first1=Taylor |title=Starrgirl by Ayra Starr. August 14th. |url=https://www.rocnation.com/news/starrgirl-by-ayra-starr-august-14th/ |website=ROC NATION |access-date=27 May 2026 |date=8 May 2026}}</ref> Paris-based photographer Axle Jozeph, who had also contributed to the cover imagery for Starr's 2025 single "All the Love", shot the album cover, which was produced by Oyinkan Adeshoye.<ref name="credits">{{cite web |title=Starr Girl Cover @ayrastarr |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DYU9JPhs7_E |website=instagram.com |access-date=27 May 2026}}</ref><ref name="allthelove">{{cite news |last1=Bell |first1=Frank |title=Ayra Starr Shines with New Afrobeat Anthem ‘All The Love’ – famemagazine.co.uk |url=https://www.famemagazine.co.uk/ayra-starr-returns-and-shines-with-new-afrobeat-anthem-all-the-love/ |access-date=27 May 2026 |work=Fame magazine |date=11 February 2025}}</ref> Creative direction was handled by Peter Famosa, Richie Igunma, and Ola Badmus, with design by Michael Junioro and Kente Kwame.<ref name="credits"/> The artwork shows Starr against a black background in a sci-fi-inspired composition, wearing a metallic gold bodycon mini dress and purple gele while projecting a purple-pink laser beam from her outstretched hand.<ref name="Music Custodian">{{cite web |title=Ayra Starr Announces Junior Year Album Starr Girl For August 14 - Music Custodian |url=https://musiccustodian.com/2026/05/12/ayra-starr-announces-junior-year-album-starr-girl-for-august-14/ |website=Music Custodian |access-date=27 May 2026 |date=12 May 2026}}</ref> A writer from ''Music Custodian'' wrote that the artwork merges "distinctly African visual identity with futuristic imagination," describing Starr's gele as a West African symbol of elegance and femininity that is "recontextualized within an almost cybernetic world, creating an Afrofuturist aesthetic that feels both rooted and forward-facing."<ref name="Music Custodian"/> The writer added that the image presented Starr as an artist building "a complete visual universe around her identity."<ref name="Music Custodian"/> Fan-made reinterpretations later circulated online, drawing on the cover’s visual motifs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Creative Masterpieces Inspired By Ayra Starr's Album Cover |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DYPQH1elzKR |website=Instagram |access-date=27 May 2026}}</ref>
===Marketing=== A listening party for Starr's fanbase, known as Mobstarrs, was held at Tape Lagos in Victoria Island on 10 April 2026, where attendees previewed unreleased material from the project, including "Tornado", "Midnight in New York", "Ms Paper" with Theodora, and "Pressure" with Leon Thomas.<ref name="mobstarrs">{{cite web |title=Mobstarrs Exclusive Listening Party |url=https://tivavo.com/events/mobstarrs-party |website=tivavo.com |access-date=27 May 2026 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Some songs previewed at the Mobstarrs Exclusive Album Listening Party |url=https://x.com/i/status/2042770580974227469 |website=X |access-date=27 May 2026}}</ref> On 7 May, Rihanna shared a Met Gala behind-the-scenes preparation and recap video on social media using Starr and Rema's "Who's Dat Girl" as background audio, bringing further attention to ''Starr Girl'''s rollout.<ref name="Ririxstarr">{{cite news |last1=Abdultawab |first1=Enitan |title=Rihanna sparks fresh online buzz over Ayra Starr, Tyla rivalry |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/05/rihanna-sparks-fresh-online-buzz-over-ayra-starr-tyla-rivalry/ |access-date=27 May 2026 |work=Vanguard News |date=8 May 2026}}</ref>
Pre-orders for the album opened in both digital and physical formats, including signed vinyl and signed CD editions.<ref name="vinyl">{{cite web |title=Starrgirl Signed Vinyl |url=https://shop.ayrastarr.com/products/starr-girl-signed-vinyl |website=Ayra Starr Official Store |access-date=27 May 2026 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Compact">{{cite web |title=Starrgirl Signed CD |url=https://shop.ayrastarr.com/products/starr-girl-signed-cd |website=Ayra Starr Official Store |access-date=27 May 2026 |language=en}}</ref> The vinyl was issued as a purple swirl pressing and was limited to four copies per customer.<ref name="vinyl"/>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | headline = ''Starr Girl'' track listing | extra_column = Producer(s) | title1 = | writer1 = | length1 = | title2 = | writer2 = | length2 = | title3 = | writer3 = | length3 = | title4 = Gimme Dat (with Wizkid) | writer4 = {{hlist|Oyinkisola Aderibigbe|Ayodeji Balogun|Adekunle Oluwaseyi|Elvis Akujobi|Richard Imaekhai|Fred Daniels|Edafe Gabriel|Olusola Mayowa|Aniekeme Akpan|Jerry Duplessis|Katie Cadet|Mary Brown|Wyclef Jean}} | length4 = 3:44 | extra4 = {{hlist|VybeO|Mikababeatz}} | title5 = | writer5 = | length5 = | title6 = Where Do We Go | writer6 = {{hlist|Aderibigbe|Ilya Salmanzadeh|Amanda Ibanez|Mason Tanner|Malika Hamza}} | length6 = 2:56 | extra6 = Ilya | title7 = | writer7 = | length7 = | title8 = | writer8 = | length8 = | title9 = | writer9 = | length9 = | title10 = | writer10 = | length10 = | title11 = | writer11 = | length11 = | title12 = | writer12 = | length12 = | title13 = | writer13 = | length13 = | total_length = }}
== References == {{Reflist}} {{Ayra Starr}} {{Authority control}}
Category:2026 albums Category:Ayra Starr albums Category:Mavin Records albums Category:Upcoming albums