Ayra Starr breaks down over loneliness, depression

Nigerian Afrobeats singer Ayra Starr has opened up about the emotional challenges she has faced weeks after relocating from Lagos to New York.

The Rush crooner shared her thoughts in a recent Substack post titled “I’m not scared, I promise,” where she reflected on loneliness, harsh weather conditions, and moments of doubt since moving to the American city following a management deal with Roc Nation.

Describing her new environment, Ayra Starr said her apartment feels “almost empty,” while likening New York to “a walk-in freezer.” According to her, the cold has been mentally draining and has occasionally made her question her decision to relocate.

“It’s so cold it feels like the city is actively trying to unalive my motivation. It’s the kind of cold that makes you realise happiness was just a summer hallucination,” she wrote, adding that a small voice in her head sometimes sarcastically asks, “Who sent you work?”

The singer admitted that she sometimes struggles with regret, noting that she would ordinarily be enjoying Nigeria’s festive “Detty December” season with friends and fellow citizens but is instead dealing with solitude in New York.

Ayra Starr, however, described her move as a “rebellious risk” she chose to take for her career. She added that the experience has ushered her into what she called her “nobody gets me era,” stressing that she no longer feels pressured to constantly prove herself to others.