Nigerian Afrobeats star Ayra Starr has shared a rare and deeply personal glimpse into her new life in New York, weeks after relocating from Lagos following her management deal with Roc Nation.
In a reflective Substack essay titled “I’m not scared, I promise”, the singer stripped away the glam often associated with moving abroad, revealing that the transition has come with loneliness, doubt, and biting cold.
Ayra described her New York apartment as “almost-empty”, while painting the city itself as “a walk-in freezer.” But beyond the physical cold, she admitted that the emotional weight of relocation has been harder to shake.
“It’s so cold it feels like the city is actively trying to unalive my motivation,” she wrote. “It’s the kind of cold that makes you realize happiness was just a summer hallucination, and I can’t stop the tiny voice at the back of my mind sarcastically saying, ‘Who sent you work?’”
The singer confessed that she sometimes struggles with regret, questioning the decision to leave Lagos just as Detty December kicked off back home.
While friends and fans were dancing through the festive season in Nigeria, Ayra said she was alone, cold, and battling her thoughts in New York, a sacrifice she admits came from taking a bold, rebellious leap.
She framed the move as necessary but isolating, describing herself as being firmly in her “nobody gets me era.”
In the same post, the Rush hitmaker revealed a shift in mindset, saying she is no longer interested in proving herself to anyone or fitting into expectations.
The honesty struck a chord with fans, many of whom praised her for showing the less glamorous side of global success; the part that comes with quiet rooms, self-doubt, and starting over in unfamiliar places.
Ayra Starr’s confession highlights a growing reality for African artists breaking into global markets: behind the milestones and major deals are lonely nights, cultural shocks, and emotional trade-offs. For now, the singer appears to be embracing the discomfort, choosing growth over comfort.