Ayra Starr Opens Up On ‘Hot Body,’ New Single ‘Tornado’ And What To Expect From Upcoming Album ‘Starr Girl’

Ayra Starr has opened up about the inspiration behind her recent music and what fans can expect from her highly anticipated third album, in a new interview on The Dotty Show on Apple Music.

Speaking on her 2025 hit ‘Hot Body,’ the Nigerian superstar said the record was born from a desire to make music rooted in her own experiences, a conscious return to authenticity after feeling creatively disconnected.

“At one point, I feel like I wasn’t releasing music from my experiences, and it kind of felt detached from the art,” she said. “I want to sing about where I am presently. I’m becoming a woman. I’m owning businesses. I’m doing all of these things. Like, look what a hot body can do.”

The multi-award-winner added that confidence in the song came early, long before its release. “Even before I released it, when I posted it on TikTok and Instagram, the reaction already — I was like, I have one. Another one, thank you,” she said. She also performed the track live with Coldplay, the very week it dropped.

Her latest single, ‘Tornado’, follows in a similar spirit, a celebration of confidence and femininity. “I love to make songs that I feel good getting ready to before I go out at night. I feel sexy, and I was like, yeah, wind like a tornado,” she explained.

On ‘Starr Girl’ as a whole, the Grammy-nominated singer is promising surprises. “Once you expect me to do something, I want to do the absolute opposite. Just expect me to exist in multitudes,” she said.

• The album is set for release on August 14 and will include her Grammy-nominated single ‘Gimme Dat’ featuring Wizkid, ‘Who’s Dat Girl’ featuring Rema, and ‘Hot Body.’ Afrobeats star Asake has also been confirmed as a guest artist.