Tag: Ayra Starr

The 2026 MOBO Awards nomination list has officially been revealed, spotlighting the biggest names across Black music and culture  and African artists, particularly Nigerians, are once again at the center of global recognition.

Among the headline moments is Rema’s nomination for Best African Music Act, placing the Afrobeats star alongside heavyweights like Wizkid, Davido, Ayra Starr, and Tiwa Savage in one of the ceremony’s most competitive categories.

The awards ceremony is scheduled to hold later this year in Manchester, United Kingdom, continuing MOBO’s tradition of celebrating music of Black origin across the UK, Africa, the Caribbean, and the global diaspora.

Nigeria dominates the Best African Music Act nominations, reinforcing the country’s sustained influence on the global Afrobeats movement.

Best African Music Act – Nominees

• Adekunle Gold (Nigeria)
• Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
• Davido (Nigeria)
• Joshua Baraka (Uganda)
• Moliy (Ghana)
• Rema (Nigeria)
• Shallipopi (Nigeria)
• Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
• Tyla (South Africa)
• Wizkid (Nigeria)

Major Categories: Full List of Nominees

Best Male Act

• Central Cee
• Elmiene
• Jim Legxacy
• Nemzzz
• Odeal
• Skepta

Best Female Act

• FLO
• kwn
• Little Simz
• Olivia Dean
• PinkPantheress
• Sasha Keable

Album of the Year

• Central Cee – Can’t Rush Greatness
• Ezra Collective – Dance, No One’s Watching
• FLO – Access All Areas
• Kojey Radical – Don’t Look Down
• Little Simz – Lotus
• Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving

Song of the Year

• AJ Tracey ft. Jorja Smith – “Crush”
• Donae’o ft. Omar, Lemar & House Gospel Choir – “Nights Like This”
• Fred Again, Skepta & Plaqueboymax – “Victory Lap”
• Jim Legxacy & Dave – “3X”
• kwn – “Do What I Say”
• Myles Smith – “Nice To Meet You”
• Olivia Dean – “Man I Need”
• PinkPantheress – “Illegal”
• Raye – “Where Is My Husband!”
• Tim Duzit – “Kat Slater”

Best Newcomer

• DC3Es
• DeeKid
• Finessekid
• Jim Legxacy
• kwn
• namesbliss
• Nia Smith 
• Sekou
• Skye Newman
• YT

International & Diaspora Representation

Best International Act

• Ayra Starr
• Cardi B
• Clipse
• Gunna
• Kehlani
• Leon Thomas
• Mariah The Scientist
• Moliy
• Tyla
• Vybz Kartel

Best Caribbean Music Act

• Ayetian
• Lila Iké
• Masicka
• Shenseea
• Vybz Kartel
• Yung Bredda

Music Beyond Charts: Performance, Media & Production

The 2026 nominations also recognize excellence beyond music releases, with categories spanning film, television, media personalities, production, and genre-specific innovation.

Notable nominees include Damson Idris, Cynthia Erivo, Stephen Graham, Little Simz, Ezra Collective, and Inflo, highlighting MOBO’s broad cultural scope.

Making it to Complex’s top album of 2024 ahead of Gunna, Charlie XcX, Glorilla, J.Cole, and Kanye West (Ye) are part of Nigeria’s greatest music talent exports, Tems and Ayra Starr.

Sitting at number 14 is Tems ‘Born in the Wild, and Ayra Starr’s ‘The Year I Turned 21’ is at number 12.

14. Tems, Born in the Wild

Released on the 7th of June, in the article it was stated “But even when Tems was behind the scenes, she faced betrayal and growing pains, which tested the resilience that encapsulates her storytelling on Born In the Wild. She flawlessly makes a 1997 Seyi Sodimu staple her own on the amorous track “Love Me JeJe.” Elsewehere, she looks for a bad boy who can match her freak over the rhythmic acoustics of “Gangsta.” And she comes to grips with her regret of becoming a romantic avoidant when confronted by collaborator J. Cole on “Free Fall.” Tems gets real with her internal struggles and doesn’t run from herself.“

12. Ayra Starr, The Year I Turned 21

Ayra Starr is described as: “She doesn’t mince her words on opener “Birds Sing of Money,” popping off saucy lines like “I don’t watch my tone ’cause I like how I sound, bitch,” because time is, well, money. When social media tried to instigate a feud between Starr and Grammy winner Coco Jones, they joined each other and Brazilian artist Anitta on the feminist war cry “Woman Commando.” As sultry as she is sharp, Starr takes control on 21. It’s only up from here.“

Read the full article here.

Your only excuse should be that you’re on a remote island with no access to the internet and don’t notice the wave of new talents in the Nigerian music industry. The wave is led by those I will consider the latest Big 4, starring Ayra Starr, Asake, Rema, and Tems. These talents have well-crafted and mastered the art of making good music, and it’s high time they get their flowers.

The Rolling Stone’s 2024 Top Albums List, released on Monday, features Rema’s ‘Heis,’ Tems’ ‘Born in the Wild,’ and Ayra Starr’s ‘The Year I Turned 21.’

Ranking them, we have:

Rema’s second studio album, ‘Heis,‘ was ranked 11th overall. The album recently received a Grammy nomination for Best Global Album Performance.

Description: “Rema has taken to calling his own style of Afrobeats “Afro-rave,” in the tradition of Burna Boy and the like who have fought to differentiate themselves from what became a catchall for African music in general. Yet, there was no real sonic signifier for Rema’s Afro-wave — he seamlessly traverses hip-hop, house, R&B, and dancehall. Heis sounds more like a rave than almost anything Rema has made prior (excluding the excellent loosey “Bounce,” for example, raging while everything else simmers. The result is the buzzy, visceral, sweat-it-out music that no one else in the mainstream is making.”

Tems’ debut album, ‘Born in the Wild,‘ ranked 37th overall. Tems, whose voice is captivating, earned Grammy nominations for both ‘Best African Music Performance’ and ‘Best Global Music Album.’

Description: “Tems has already remade Nigerian pop in her own image. Her debut album measures the soul work it’s taken to get here. All of it has paid off on an album so rich that the listening experience is a physical one as much as it is emotional. “Wickedest” is primed for the dance floor, while the single “Love Me Jeje” is a masterpiece, soaked in the sun and major-key dopamine. Her vision is made timeless via a seamless blend of stripped-down ballads, the cool of 1990s R&B with flecks of SWV and Sade, joyous high life, Afro-dance music like amapiano, and rugged hip-hop.”

Ayra Starr’s sophomore album, ‘The Year I Turned 21,′ ranked 53rd on the list according to Rolling Stone.

Rolling Stone describes it as:
“With the follow-up to her 2021 debut, Ayra Starr asserts a musical maturity that could be considered far beyond her years, but perhaps more aptly serves as a reminder of the emotional depth, logical prowess, and enviable passion young people often possess. Across it, Starr refreshes tried-and-true Afrobeats elements with the type of songwriting that SZA fans flock to, darting between Nigerian Pidgin, Yoruba, and English with endless finesse and attitude in all three languages.”

I, for one, am glad for the recognition of Nigerian musical talents on a global stage, and this should continue for a long time. Last year the list featured legends like Mr. Eazi, Burna Boy, Adekunle Gold, and Asake.