Ayra Starr Is the Cover Girl for Schön Magazine

Ayra Starr secured another major feature, this time for Schön! 50. The Mavin Records star fronts the magazine’s latest digital issue, shot by Cody Lidtke with styling from Dominick Barcelona. Her hair was done courtesy of Dijah Slayy and Opus Beauty using GHD, while Uhh Jean and Opus Beauty handled makeup with Pat McGrath products.

Photo: Cody Lidtke

In a social media post promoting the cover, the magazine described Ayra as someone redefining what it means to be a global star, picking up awards, breaking barriers, and pushing Afropop into higher spaces. Billions of streams, sold-out shows, yet she stays exactly who she is. That, the magazine says, is the whole point.

In the interview, Ayra talked about the way people try to box Afrobeats artists into one sound. “People genuinely try to put Afrobeat artists in a box,” she said. “Music is free. Music is for everybody.” She also got real about who she’s actually making music for, explaining that she makes music for confident women, people who have always known they were different, and that people listen to her music to feel good.

Photo: Cody Lidtke

It’s difficult to argue with the numbers either. “Rush,” her 2021 breakout, has crossed hundreds of millions of streams, and her overall catalogue now sits above 7 billion streams worldwide. She’s worked with the likes of Wizkid and Tyla, and her name keeps showing up wherever Afropop is being talked about on the global stage. From Cotonou to international charts, her rise has coincided with growing global attention for Afropop artists.

The timing of this cover isn’t random either. Ayra just dropped her new single “Tornado” on June 12, the lead single off her coming album “Starr Girl,” due August 14. Produced by Skillies, Shizzi, and RiotUSA, the track carries the now-quoted line, “Inflation, I’m the price they wanna beat.”

Photo: Cody Lidtke

Before it officially dropped, it was previewed during her NPR Tiny Desk performance, and at a listening party for the single, she stepped out in an outfit topped with a Sego gele.