Ayra Starr wins Best International Act at the MOBO Awards 2025
British Ghanaian producer/DJ Juls has also won Best Producer at the awards ceremony, which will air on BBC later this week.
Ayra Starr attends the MOBO Awards 2025 at the Utilita Arena on February 18, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Afrobeats superstar Ayra Starr has won the award for Best International Act at this year’s MOBO Awards, the British award that honors achievements across “music of Black origins.” Starr won in a star-studded category over nominees like South African pop-piano superstar Tyla, American artists Kendrick Lamar and Megan Thee Stallion, and two-time Grammy winner Tems.
Starr is coming off a year where she released her sophomore album, The Year I Turned 21, a wonderfully curated album that shows the singer coming into her own as an ambitious young woman with a coherent worldview. She performed on stages worldwide, touring the album and performing at prestigious festivals like Glastonbury. She’s set to support iconic British pop-rock band Coldplay on their stadium tour this year.
Starr’s MOBO win is the latest sign of validation that the Nigerian singer is on the path to her version of greatness.
In the Best Producer category, British Ghanaian producer Juls has won in a field with nominees, including Grammy-winning producer Sammy Soso, British Nigerian whiz P2J, and 2022 Brit Awards Producer of the Year, Inflo.
Last year, Juls released his sophomore album, Peace and Love, a packed album with over two dozen guest appearances, from Nigerian singers Tay Iwar and Taves to American rapper Joey Bada$$ and Ghanaian artist Black Sherif. Peace and Love showcased Juls’ deft touch, weaving his highlife base into influences like bossa nova, baile funk, amapiano and much more.
This year’s MOBO Awards has a long list of African and Africa-related artists vying for varying awards. British Nigerian singer Odeal is up for several awards, including Song of the Year and Best Newcomer, as is U.K.-raised Irish Nigerian artist Jordan Adetunji, who’s also in the running for the same awards. British Nigerian superstar Darkoo is also up for Song of the Year and Best Female Act.
The award ceremony, which will air on BBC on Friday, is currently happening at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, England.
