'Rihanna loves me'

The Nigerian singer and double Mobo winner Ayra Starr on fame, faith and her number one fan

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Everyone has their bad days, even someone as talented and successful as Ayra Starr. But the Nigerian singer-songwriter has a pick-me-up method unavailable to most of us. On one of her phone lockscreens she’s set a

photo of herself embracing a fan. Not just any fan, but Rihanna. “If I’m worried and tired, or I feel a type of way, I just open my phone and I’m like, wait, why am I sad? Rihanna loves me,” says Starr, real name Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe.

Rihanna has been spotted back in the recording studio after an eight-year hiatus, could they work on something together? “Obviously, I would love to. Who doesn’t want a song with Rihanna?” exclaims Starr. “She’s one of the greatest artists to ever make music and is such a big inspiration to me. If I get to even be in the studio with her, bet you that song is gonna be amazing.”

At just 22, Starr has had enough pinch-me moments to fill several phone wallpapers. Last year she was handpicked by Chris Martin to join Coldplay on their Music of the Spheres world tour. “That Chris wanted to make music with me is the most mind-blowing thing,” she says. “We became friends and I started playing him music and he was giving me advice. He just supports me and he supports the type of music I make, and he understands. I make very high vibration music, and that’s what Coldplay is all about too. Music that touches your soul and makes you feel good.” Did she have any advice for Martin in return? “Chris is a good dancer, but he can give us a bit of one-and-two, you know, more legs! He’s got it in him,” she laughs.