BET Awards 2025: How She Took Over R&B – Ayra Starr Edition

With celestial vocals and Naija flavor, Ayra Starr has become a global force. Her Best Female R&B/Pop Artist nomination at the BET Awards 2025 proves she’s not just Afrobeat royalty—she’s leading a cultural crossover in real time.

Ayra Starr isn’t just having a moment—she’s building a movement. Since stepping onto the scene as Mavin Records’ rising star in 2021, the Beninese Nigerian singer has rapidly become one of the most exciting voices bridging West African rhythms with global R&B. Now, with her BET Awards 2025 nomination for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, she’s being recognized not only for her chart success—but for redefining what it means to be a genre-spanning Black woman artist on the world stage.

From Lagos to London to Everywhere 

Born in Cotonou, raised in Lagos, Ayra Starr carries the spirit of Afrobeats in her soul—but her ear has always been expansive. You can hear it in the way she glides from Yoruba lilt to Western harmonies. Her sound pulls from gospel, R&B, Afropop, and alté culture—and it works because she’s authentically all of it.

By Khalilah Archie

Full story at BET