Starr Described the Project As a Departure From Her Usual Sound, Branching Out Beyond Afrobeats to Explore New Musical Territory

Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Ayra Starr is opening up about the creative freedom behind her latest album, 'Starrgirl, which she says was driven by a simple mantra: "I kept telling people, 'Let me cook!'". The album, which arrives less than 48 hours after a recent interview, features collaborations with Zayn Malik and Leon Thomas, among others. Starr described the project as a departure from her usual sound, branching out beyond Afrobeats to explore new musical territory.

The singer spoke while recovering from surgery, a detail she did not specify, and was preparing to catch a flight within the hour. The conversation was rescheduled multiple times to accommodate her recovery.