Showstopper Ayra Starr will take her turn on the Pyramid stage at the Glastonbury Music Festival this Saturday, as fans warm up to a thrilling celebration at the five-day event in England.
Afrobeats Giant, Burna Boy, is also expected to show up at the concert later on Sunday afternoon. This selection, so far, makes both talents the first and only Afrobeats artistes among the host of entertainers expected to rock the show.
The gates to Glastonbury Festival 2024 opened on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, with thousands of ticket holders securing camping spots on the vast landscape designated for the event.
Ayra Starr can’t wait to mount to the stage as she considers the appearance another opportunity to show the world why she continues to be held in high esteem among her peers on the continent.
“It’s actually crazy. I’ve wanted to do Glastonbury for so long. The fact that I get to do it on the main stage is kind of scary…but I love scary,” The Rhythms and Blues singer said in an interview ahead of the show.
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“It’s our time. We’ve been waiting for the globalisation of Afrobeats, and it’s happening now. But it’s not just what you’re seeing today…It’s years and generations of musicians and hard work that’s made it what it is,” she added.
Burna Boy himself is not new to performing on big stages, and will equally be looking forward to giving his huge followers a special treat at the show, ranked as one of the biggest music concerts in the world.
Humorous Ayra had early on joked that she has “waist problems” because of the weight of carrying Afrobeats at her back.
“Guys, I actually can’t stand straight…it’s not my fault, my waist is bent from carrying Afrobeats on my back this year,” she wrote on her timeline last week.
Her fans laughed at the post but the singer’s comment is an indication of the upward trajectory her music and career had reached throughout the year.
Weeks ago, Ayra Starr’s trendy album The Year I Turned 21 was listed among the top 50 best albums by American music and entertainment magazine, Billboard.
The album continues to record a remarkable jump in streaming figures across platforms and she is also a strong contender at this year’s BET Awards.
Ayra’s appearance at Glastonbury will be another feather in her cap with a huge following in the Diaspora looking forward to jam with her sounds.
In addition to contemporary music, the festival hosts dance, comedy, theatre, and other arts events, with topmost pop and rock artistes including Dua Lipa, Coldplay, SZA, and country music legend, Shania Twain, all billed to perform on various stages.