Ayra Starr Says Zayn Malik Collaboration Was a Childhood Dream Come True

Nigerian singer Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, popularly known as Ayra Starr, has opened up about her collaboration with British singer Zayn Malik, revealing that working with the former One Direction star was a childhood dream she once believed was far beyond her reach.

Speaking about her latest album, "Starrgirl," Ayra Starr said the idea of working with Malik was something she had imagined long before she became a successful musician in her own right. She described the eventual collaboration as a remarkable moment in her career, noting that she not only got to work with him in the studio but also met him in person during the shoot for their joint music video.

Reflecting on how far the collaboration felt from her reality as a schoolgirl, Ayra Starr recalled writing out One Direction lyrics in her notebook during class and getting into trouble for it. "Your dreams might seem so far away, but it's just here. And you just have to work towards that. And being able to have a song with someone like Zayn Malik is something that I dreamt about. Like, it felt so far away. I'm telling you, it felt so far away. Going to school, going to school every day. I'm writing like the lyrics, One Direction lyrics on my notebook and getting in trouble for it and stuff like that. Like it's things that felt so far away. And now like I did a music video with Zayn Malik and he was there in person. I was like, hello friend, long time no see. This is crazy," she said.

The remarks offer a glimpse into how deeply the British boy band, of which Malik was a founding member before pursuing a solo career following One Direction's hiatus in 2016, shaped Ayra Starr's own musical upbringing as a young fan. For an artiste who has gone on to become one of Afrobeats' most prominent young exports, the collaboration represents something of a full-circle moment, bridging the gap between her formative years as a devoted fan and her current standing as a global recording artist in her own right.

Ayra Starr has built a rapidly rising international profile in recent years, known for her genre-blending sound that draws on Afrobeats, pop, and R&B influences. Her willingness to collaborate across genres and borders has become something of a signature, with "Starrgirl" continuing that pattern by bringing together her Afrobeats roots with Malik's pop and R&B sensibilities.

The album has already been generating attention beyond the Zayn Malik collaboration, having recently debuted on the Spotify UK chart, a milestone reflecting the growing international appeal of Ayra Starr's music beyond the African continent. Her rise has also drawn recognition from key figures within the Nigerian music industry, including Mavin Records founder Don Jazzy, who recently spoke publicly about the impact Ayra Starr has had on his own label and career trajectory.

Beyond the "Starrgirl" rollout, Ayra Starr's continued prominence within the Afrobeats scene has been further underscored by her presence alongside other major Nigerian acts, including Burna Boy and Wizkid, among the artistes nominated for the 2026 Headies Awards, one of the industry's most prestigious annual honours recognising excellence in Nigerian music.

For Ayra Starr, the Zayn Malik collaboration stands as one of several milestones marking her evolution from a young fan scribbling boy band lyrics in her school notebook to an artiste now working alongside the very musicians who once inspired her, a trajectory she credits directly to persistent effort toward goals that, in her own words, once "felt so far away."