Ayra Starr Makes History as First Woman in 16 Years to Win Best African Music Act at 2025 MOBO Awards, Also Claims Best International Act
Nigerian music sensation Ayra Starr has made history as the first woman in 16 years to win Best African Music Act at the 2025 MOBO Awards. The star-studded event took place in Newcastle, celebrating the best of Black music and culture.
Ayra Starr further cemented her global status by also winning Best International Music Act, joining Nigerian icons Wizkid and Burna Boy as the only Nigerian artists to have claimed this prestigious award.
To win Best African Music Act, she triumphed over fellow Nigerian artists Asake, Tems, Rema, Shallipopi, and Bnxn & Ruger, as well as Ghana’s King Promise and South Africa’s Tyla and Uncle Waffles. Meanwhile, in the Best International Music Act category, she bested global superstars like Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion, GloRilla, and Latto.
Visibly emotional during her acceptance speech, Ayra Starr expressed gratitude to her team, fans, and label, MAVIN Records, saying: “This is my first MOBO! I am actually shaking right now. Thank you to everyone who supported me!”
Other major winners of the night included Darkoo, who won Best Female Act, and Bashy and Odeal, further highlighting the diversity and excellence in Black music.
The MOBO Awards, founded in 1996 by Kanya King, continue to honor artists of Black origin across genres like hip-hop, R&B, reggae, and African music. With Ayra Starr’s groundbreaking win, the awards reaffirm the global dominance of African music.
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