Nigerian singer Sarah Oyinkansola Aderibigbe, popularly known as Ayra Starr, has revealed her strong interest in working with Afrobeats heavyweight Burna Boy, describing him as the artiste she most hopes to collaborate with in the future.
The award-winning singer shared this during a Billboard interview published on Thursday, January 29, 2026, where she spoke with Love Island USA star Chelley Bissainthe while reflecting on her 2026 Grammy nominations.
Ayra Starr noted that despite having teamed up with several musicians over the years, Burna Boy remains at the top of her collaboration wishlist.
“Everybody knows Burna Boy is my number one person I want to collaborate with,” she said. “I’ve worked with a lot of people already, and I still want to work with many more.”
The singer recently secured a Grammy nomination in the Best African Music Performance category, thanks to her song Gimme Dat, a joint effort with Wizkid. The track was released on April 25, 2025.
Nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards were unveiled in November 2025, ahead of the ceremony scheduled to hold on February 1, 2026.
Speaking on how the recognition affected her, Ayra Starr described the nomination as reassuring for her career. She explained that while her first Grammy nod came as a shock, the second nomination brought her a sense of calm and renewed confidence in her talent.
According to her, the moment reaffirmed that she is on the right creative path and strengthened her belief in her abilities as an artiste.
Ayra also shed light on the creative process behind Gimme Dat, revealing that she only became aware of the song’s sample while recording. The track samples 911 by Wyclef Jean featuring Mary J. Blige.
She said Don Jazzy informed her about the sample, prompting her to research the song’s history. The experience became even more special when she later discovered that the studio where the track was recorded once belonged to Wyclef Jean, a detail she described as a meaningful coincidence.
The singer further opened up about the challenges she faced during the recording sessions, explaining that her voice was strained on the first day and still not at its best on the second. However, she remained committed to delivering a strong performance, relying on persistence and studio support to achieve the final result.
Ayra Starr also revealed that Gimme Dat was initially intended to be a solo project. She recorded the song months before its release, long before Wizkid joined the track. According to her, once Wizkid came on board, everything aligned naturally, making the collaboration feel perfectly timed.
