Ayra Starr reacts to making NFL history

Politics Spice Special Features Education Sex & Relationship Interview Columns Opinion Advertise with us Ayra Starr reacts to making NFL history Sports October 13, 2026 12:10 am File: Ayra Starr

Nigerian Afrobeats singer Ayra Starr has expressed excitement after becoming the first African artist to headline the NFL’s international halftime show during the Philadelphia Eagles’ clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Reacting after her performance at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, the 24-year-old described the experience as amazing and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to perform on such a major international stage.

“It was crazy! It was amazing! I feel like that was another person on stage. It was amazing, I’m so grateful. Ate that, yummy!” she said.

Starr opened her set with ‘Heaven Baby’, her collaboration with former One Direction singer Zayn Malik, before performing other songs, including ‘Rush’ and ‘Hot Body’.

‘Heaven Baby’ features on Starr’s album Starrgirl, released on August 14, while the song’s official music video premiered on October 5, just days before her NFL appearance.

The singer was announced as the headline performer in August, with her appearance forming part of a record seven halftime shows scheduled across the NFL’s 2026 international games.

Ahead of the performance, Starr told BBC Newsbeat that the opportunity meant more than personal recognition, stressing the importance of representing African culture on a global platform.

“At the end of the day, as artists, we speak for the culture and we speak for the people that listen to us,” she said. “And we have to represent any way that seems fit, that they need.”

Starr has established herself as one of Nigeria’s leading contemporary female music stars, earning international recognition through her music and performances. She became the first African woman to win Best International Act at the MOBO Awards and has surpassed one billion YouTube video views.

Her appearance at the NFL event adds another milestone to her career, bringing her music to a wider international audience through one of American football’s major international fixtures.

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