Ayra Starr Opens Up About Loneliness and Regret After Relocating To New York

Nigerian Afrobeats singer Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe also known as Ayra Starr has shared her feelings about life in New York, weeks after relocating from Lagos following a management deal with Roc Nation.

In a recent post on Substack titled “I’m not scared, I promise,” Starr candidly discussed the challenges she has faced adjusting to the American city, describing her apartment as “almost-empty” and the weather as an overwhelming “walk-in freezer.”

The singer admitted that she occasionally struggles with regret over her decision to move. “It’s so cold it feels like the city is actively trying to unalive my motivation,” she wrote, adding that the harsh weather makes her question whether happiness was merely a “summer hallucination.”

Starr also reflected on missing out on Nigeria’s lively “Detty December” celebrations, noting that she’s now stuck in New York’s cold and loneliness due to the “rebellious risk” she took by relocating.

The “Rush” singer further revealed that she is now in her “nobody gets me era,” emphasizing that she no longer feels the need to prove herself to others.

Despite these challenges, Starr’s vulnerability provides a glimpse into the pressures that come with being an international artist navigating new territories.