Ayra Starr has gone from a young singer posting covers online into one of the most recognisable names in Afrobeats. Her music has taken her from Lagos to international stages, but there are still a few details about her journey that may surprise even longtime fans.

Here are five things you may not know about Ayra Starr.

She was born in Cotonou

Photo: Instagram/@Ayrastarr

Ayra Starr, whose real name is Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, was born in Cotonou, Benin Republic, on June 14, 2002. She spent her childhood between Cotonou, Abuja and and Lagos, experiences she said shaped the way she adapts to different people and environments. Her parents are Nigerian and are both from Kwara State.

 She started out in modelling

Before pursuing music professionally, Ayra Starr modelled as a teenager. She signed with Lagos-based Quove Model Management as a teenager and was modelling at 16. She also appeared in Eri Ife’s “Dear Future Wife” music video during that period.

Starr has described modelling as something she pursued because people told her she was not tall enough to do it. Rather than giving up, she decided to prove them wrong.

She speaks four languages

She speaks Yoruba, French, English and Nigerian Pidgin. In a Pitchfork interview, she explained that her mother taught her Yoruba, which she jokingly described as the language she needed to use when talking to her aunties.

She started university Unusually Young

Photo: Instagram/@Ayrastarr

Ayra Starr began university at 15, studying International Relations and Political Science in Cotonou. She told Pitchfork that she deliberately wanted to finish her education early because she had already decided she wanted to become a teenage pop star.

She eventually graduated with a degree in International Relations and Political Science before her music career took off internationally.

She was discovered through a song she posted online

Photo: Instagram/@AyrastarrPhoto: Instagram/@Ayrastarr

Before signing with Mavin Records, Starr regularly posted song covers on Instagram. She eventually uploaded an original song, “Damage,” in December 2019 Don Jazzy reached out within hours and invited her to the studio.

Her discovery happened quickly. In an interview with GRAMMY.com, Starr recalled that after posting one of her covers, Don Jazzy reached out within hours, and she was signed days later.

From modelling as a teenager to posting music online and eventually becoming a Grammy-nominated artist, Ayra Starr’s path to the spotlight started long before her biggest hits.

Uzoamaka Power formerly known as Uzoamaka Aniunoh, a popular Nigerian actresses, filmmaker and writer has continued to build a reputation as one of the most talented actress in the Nigeria film industry. She is widely recognised for films like, “The Weekend”, “Mami Wata”, and “Diiche”. While fans admire her creativity there are many interesting facts about her journey which remain unknown to many fans.

Uzoamaka Power was not her original professional name.

Photo: Instagram

The actress was initially known as Uzoamaka Doris Aniunoh, but she later adopted Power as her professional surname in 2025. She said the name represents the resilience, strength and hard work she brings to her creative work. It reflects a new version of her career.

Reports show that she has already been using the name online years before making it official.

She has a solid academic background.

Aside from being one of the Nollywood actresses, she is highly educated. Before stepping into the Nollywood industry, she earned a degree in English and History from the University of Nigeria and later earned a Master’s degree in creative writing from the University of Birmingham which influenced her abilities.

She is an accomplished writer.

Her work extends beyond acting as it is just one part of her skill. Although she is widely known for her performances, she is also a good writer and director, whose literary works, have appeared on platforms like Brittle Paper and The Missing Slate. She has written fiction and creative works some of which have been recognised by popular Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

MTV Shuga helped launch her acting career.

Photo: Instagram

MTV Shuga helped launch her acting career. After returning from the UK to Nigeria in 2017. Uzoamaka participated in an audition for the popular youth drama television series MTV Shuga. Her role in the show served as a stepping stone to her acting career, as it helped introduce her talent to a wider audience and gave her bigger opportunities in Nollywood.

She is building a career both in front of and behind the camera.

Uzoamaka is not focused solely on acting unlike many actors. She’s also building a career as a director, producer and a writer. In recent years she has worked on various projects. She revealed that she is working on feature scripts and onscreen projects, which shows her commitment to shaping the future of African storytelling.

Uzoamaka Power has won the Kim Renders Memorial Award for her outstanding performance at the Reelout Film Festival in 2021. She has also received major nominations from the Africa Movie Academy Awards and the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards. Her rise from being a writer in Nollywood.

When Rena Wakama arrived in Kigali for the AfroBasket Women’s Championship in 2023, she wasn’t just preparing for another tournament, she was stepping into uncharted territory. Nigeria’s women’s team, D’Tigress, had been on a winning run, but this was the first time in the team’s history that a woman was calling the shots from the sidelines. Less than two weeks later, Wakama had delivered a double milestone: guiding D’Tigress to their fourth straight title and becoming the first female head coach to lift the AfroBasket trophy.

Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, to Nigerian parents, Wakama’s connection to the game started young. She played college basketball at Western Carolina University, where she was known as a sharp-shooting guard with a stubborn defensive streak. She wasn’t the tallest or the most flamboyant player, but she made her mark by chasing down rebounds, directing traffic on the court, and staying locked in under pressure. Qualities that would later define her coaching style.

Her move into coaching came naturally. After college, Wakama joined the staff at Manhattan College in New York, working in player development and scouting. Those who worked with her recall how she could spend hours dissecting game footage, looking for small openings that others overlooked. She combined patience with high expectations, pushing players to improve without losing sight of the bigger picture.

When the Nigerian Basketball Federation called in 2023, Wakama stepped into a role that carried both opportunity and intense pressure. The team had a reputation to protect, and her appointment brought questions about her experience. She answered them with action, introducing fresh tactical plays, tightening the defense, and making sure each player understood their role. In the final against Senegal, her timely substitutions and in-game adjustments kept Nigeria ahead, sealing an 84–74 victory.

Beyond the title and the record, Wakama’s achievement has a ripple effect. For young girls across Africa watching from stands or screens, her presence on the sideline proves that leadership in sports can look different and still win. She didn’t just take the job; she set a new standard for what’s possible.