Ayra Starr Picks Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Rema As Her ‘Afrobeats Big Three’

Nigerian singer Arya Starr has said her top three Afrobeat stars are Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, and Rema.
She disclosed this during a recent interview with Hot 97 FM, when the pop star was asked to name her top three acts in the music genre.

“My big three, I would say Tiwa Savage, obviously, Wiz and Rema. My solid big three,” she pointed out.

The Grammy Award nominee said her choices highlighted the outstanding roles each musician played in the evolution of the genre.

Starr described Tiwa Savage as a leading female figure, saying that her choices showcase the outstanding roles each musician has played in the growth of the genre.

She described Tiwa Savage as a leading female figure whose success has helped open doors for women in an industry long dominated by male acts.

Her disclosure adds a new layer to the debate over the genre’s leading musicians.

The term “Big 3” has been used by music commentators and fans to refer to Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy, reflecting their commercial success and international popularity—some still debate who is the best among the three.

Music icon Tiwa Savage, in September 2025, noted that Afrobeats is beyond the ‘big three’ as the idea belittles the achievements of other successful artistes in the music industry.

She went on to say that other big players in the sector include Yemi Alade, Flavour, Asake, Tems, Rema, and why were they not included in the list?

She went on to say that the narrative of the big three remains due to the
“active fan bases” of the singers.