Ayra Starr’s “The Year I Turned 21” Surpasses One Billion Streams on Spotify

Grammy-nominated Nigerian artiste Ayra Starr has reached a significant milestone with her album “The Year I Turned 21.”

The project has surpassed one billion streams on Spotify, making it the most streamed album by a Nigerian female artiste on the platform. This achievement also makes Ayra Starr the first Nigerian woman to cross the billion-stream mark on Spotify — a historic moment for the industry.

Interestingly, Starr also holds the second spot on this list with the deluxe version of her debut album, “19 & Dangerous,” which has amassed 661 million streams. She leads ahead of other notable Nigerian female artisteslike Tems, who occupies the No. 3, No. 4, and No. 6 spots with her EPs and debut album “Born in the Wild,” and Tiwa Savage, whose acclaimed third studio album “Celia” completes the top ten.

Released on May 31, 2024, “The Year I Turned 21” is Starr’s most mature work to date, reflecting her growth as an artiste. The album effortlessly blends Afrobeats, R&B, highlife, pop, and alternative sounds, highlighting her versatility and unique ability to adapt her voice across genres. It features collaborations with both Nigerian and international artists including Coco Jones, Seyi Vibez, Giveon, Asake, and Anitta.

Ayra Starr has continued to break boundaries in the Nigerian music scene. Her sophomore album debuted at No. 195 on the Billboard 200, making her the first Nigerian female artiste to chart on the U.S. Billboard 200. It also debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard World Albums chart, remaining there for an impressive 20 weeks.

Top 10 Most Streamed Female Nigerian Albums on Spotify:

1. Ayra Starr – “The Year I Turned 21” (1 billion)
2. Ayra Starr – “19 & Dangerous” (Deluxe) (661 million)
3. Tems – “For Broken Ears” (631 million)
4. Tems – “Born in the Wild” (500 million)
5. Ayra Starr – “19 & Dangerous” (157 million)
6. Tems – “If Orange Was a Place” (331 million)
7. Fave – “Riddim 5” (106 million)
8. Qing Madi – “Qing Madi” (Deluxe) (106 million)
9. Tiwa Savage – “Celia” (96 million)
10. Qing Madi – “Qing Madi” (92 million)