By Oratokhai Jesusemen O.
Nigerian singer Ayra Starr has opened up about one of her catchphrases, ‘sabi girl,’ and what it means to be one. The singer recently appeared as a guest on MTV’s Touching Base segment, where she spoke about her life as a celebrity, her latest album titled “The Year I Turned 21,” and her creative process for its tracks.
When asked about the essence of being a ‘sabi girl,’ a phrase she has popularized, Ayra Starr explained, “To be a sabi girl is to be confident, kind, and smart. You have to have sense.”
Reflecting on the challenges of fame, Ayra Starr shared a recent encounter at the airport that highlighted the lack of privacy celebrities often face. “My first reality check when I became famous was realizing that there is no privacy, even when you want it to be private,” she said.
She recounted a specific incident: “Something happened the other day. I was at the airport, and they stopped me to check my bag. As they were checking, one of the people there was like, ‘Can I take a selfie?’ and I looked at him with so much disappointment. I was like, ‘Really? Sorry, I just woke up,’ and he was like, ‘It doesn’t matter,’ and I was like, ‘Please, please, please,’ and he said, ‘Why are you shouting, Ayra Starr?'”
The “Bloody Samaritan” singer also opened up about what makes her 21st year so special to her. “The year I turned 21 was the year that I accepted that I’m just going to be me, and I’m going to be audacious, and I’m going to be that girl,” Ayra Starr responded.
During the segment, Ayra Starr was also asked some quick questions about her preferences. When asked, “Braids or weave?” she responded, “Braids.” She also stated that she would rather wear high heels over sneakers and makeup over no makeup. When asked to choose between wearing scarves or not, she chose scarves and preferred the Afrobeats music genre over Amapiano
