Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Ayra Starr has secured a major international nomination for the inaugural World Artist of the Year award at the forthcoming 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
This latest recognition further personifies her position as one of Africa’s most prominent global music exports, culminating in a series of historic international wins over the past year.
The highly anticipated awards ceremony, which will take place in the United States, sees Ayra Starr competing against a diverse field of global talent.
The full list of nominees in the World Artist of the Year category includes:
Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
Jackson Wang (China/Hong Kong)
JO1 (Japan)
MOLIY (America)
Tyla (South Africa)
Ayra Starr, born Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, has been on an upward trajectory since her debut in 2021 with Mavin Records. Her hit single “Rush” garnered a Grammy nomination and became the most-streamed solo song by a Nigerian female artist on Spotify.
The 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards saw the first instance of this category, which was won by South Africa’s Tyla. Ayra Starr’s nomination for the 2026 award continues to highlight the growing global impact and recognition of African music on the world stage.
This nomination follows a landmark year for the “Sabi Girl,” who made history in 2025 by becoming the first African woman to win the BET Award for Best International Act and the first female artist in 16 years to win the Best African Music Act award at the MOBO Awards.
Her second album, The Year I Turned 21, also debuted on both the UK Albums Chart and the Billboard 200, another first for a Nigerian female artist.
Fans eager to see if the Nigerian star will add another global accolade to her collection can find the full list of nominees on the official iHeartRadio website.
