Ayra Starr is officially 66 GREENE’s Cycle 07 profile story cover star, anchoring a cosmic editorial that mirrors her transition into an era of deep independence and self-discovery.
Written by Brook Aster and photographed by Fernando Tomaz, the feature chronicles the 24-year-old global icon’s move to New York City and the creative evolution behind her third studio album, Starrgirl.
The concept draws on a striking metaphor: rogue stars, which travel alone and defy the laws of the universe. “When you spend a lot of time on your own, you start to deconstruct everything you’ve been told to be,” Ayra reflects. “You start to find out what you really think, what you really want, what you really are and what you really want to be.”
The singer moved into her own New York City apartment last fall after a three-month film shoot in Cape Town for Children of Blood and Bone. Raised in a tight-knit Nigerian family, the time since has brought the most solitude she’s ever experienced. She survived the coldest New York winter in a decade, befriended her local barista, and eventually found her rhythm.
“I’m getting the hang of how to balance myself, not just being on autopilot,” she says.
The cover story drops on the heels of Starrgirl, a 16-track project featuring collaborations with ZAYN, Wizkid, Rema, Leon Thomas, and Theodora. The album was born from “understanding myself and accepting being misunderstood,” Ayra explains.
On set, she balanced diva energy with meticulous direction. “I don’t like when people know what I’m going to do next,” she said, smiling.
Physical copies of the September issue are available at 66 GREENE’s SoHo flagship.
About 66 GREENE: A Cultural Institution for Lower Manhattan
66 GREENE serves as a cultural institution for Lower Manhattan. Founded and independently owned by Alexander, it is part publication, part retail space, and part music venue. The space binds together fashion, music, art, and the people actively shaping them. Editorials, performances, installations, product launches, late nights, and everyday conversations all happen under the same roof.
At its core is a simple idea: returning SoHo to the creatives who have always defined it. The magazine becomes the event, the event becomes the store, and the store becomes the community. Instead of a fixed format, 66 GREENE operates as an ongoing program built around the people, ideas, and projects defining what’s now.
