Singer Oyinkansola Aderibigbe, popularly known as Ayra Starr, has opened up about the challenges she is facing after relocating to New York City, admitting that the move has been harder than she anticipated and has begun to affect her motivation.
The 23-year-old music star moved from Nigeria to New York last month as part of her plans to expand her career internationally. However, in a candid Substack post titled “I’m not scared, I promise,” Ayra Starr revealed that adjusting to life in the city has not been easy.
She described New York’s weather as a major struggle, calling the city “a walk-in freezer with rent,” and joking that the cold sometimes feels like it is “actively trying to unalive my motivation.” According to her, the harsh weather has taken a toll on her energy levels and overall drive.
Ayra Starr also spoke about moments of exhaustion and self-doubt as she navigates life far away from home. “It’s the kind of cold that makes you realize happiness was just a summer hallucination,” she wrote, reflecting on the emotional impact of the transition.
The singer first confirmed her relocation during an interview on Hot 93.7FM in November, where she disclosed that she had moved to New York less than two months earlier. Despite the challenges, she noted that the city reminds her of Lagos, where she grew up, largely because of its vibrant Nigerian and African communities.
“New York reminds me so much of Lagos. There are a lot of Nigerians. There is a huge African diaspora here. So it feels like home,” she said at the time.
Ayra Starr has steadily built a global music profile over the past few years, gaining international recognition with hits such as Bloody Samaritan and Hot Body, and collaborating with several foreign artistes.
In 2024, she released her second studio album. She continued touring globally, a journey that influenced her decision to make New York her base as she plans future collaborations and new music projects.
