Nigerian music star, Ayra Starr, has named her personal “Afrobeats Big 3,” leaving out some of the genre’s most frequently mentioned heavyweights.
In a recent interview on Hot 97, the singer picked Wizkid, Tiwa Savage and Rema as the greatest Afrobeats artists of all time.
“My Afrobeats Big 3 would be Tiwa Savage, Wizkid and Rema. My solid Big 3,” she said during the interview.
Her selection quickly raised eyebrows as two artistes often cited in the conversation — Davido and Burna Boy — were notably absent from the list.
The “Big 3” debate has long dominated Afrobeats discussions, with fans traditionally naming Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy as the trio that helped propel the genre onto the global stage.
Meanwhile, Starr also opened up about her decision to spend time in the United States, revealing that she temporarily relocated from Lagos to New York City partly because of friends and cultural familiarity.
She disclosed that she lived in the Hell’s Kitchen neighbourhood for about three months last summer.
“I spent the last two summers in New York and last summer I lived in Hell’s Kitchen for about three months with my friends. We were watching American shows and movies. It was fun,” she said.
According to the singer, her long-held dream of experiencing life in America also influenced the move.
“Growing up, I had always wanted to come to America. So which city would I want to go? LA is too far — the time difference with Nigeria is nine hours. So, I chose New York,” she explained in an interview with media personality Angela Yee.