Ayra Starr performed at the GTCO Music Concert in Accra, Ghana, and many people noticed that something was definitely wrong—what was it?
The truth is this 23-year-old, two-time Grammy Award-nominated artist wasn’t performing to the best of her ability. Just like her performance at the Grammy Museum last week, her vocals were definitely off.
Ayra Starr performing an acoustic version of ‘Who’s Dat Girl’ at GRAMMY Museum. 🌟🤍 pic.twitter.com/0A5pZeHbIz
— MAVIN (@MavinRecords) December 17, 2025
I could barely listen to what she was singing because her voice was as cracked as could be, and since she prefers to sing live instead of using a backtrack, the bad vocals were conspicuous.
Ayra even accused the Accra concertgoers of having long energy and asked them if they love her. On the other hand, Ghanaians at the concert came online to complain about the performance, and even we—the online spectators—also noticed something was wrong. Many speculated she may be on her period, but that remains unconfirmed.
Here’s what we think is going on:
She Is Going Through A Tough Time
She moved to a new city and a new country, and as for every immigrant or anyone who is leaving home, it is difficult. In her Substack post, she wrote, “New York is basically a walk-in freezer with rent. It’s so cold it feels like the city is actively trying to unalive my motivation… and I can’t stop the tiny voice at the back of my mind sarcastically asking, ‘Who sent you work?’”
Even on TikTok, she said, “I thought I was depressed, but I just needed to come back to Africa.”
She is Rebranding
Ayra Starr has said she is going through a rebranding process, and we can’t help but notice she is no longer wearing short skirts. Short skirts used to be her signature look, but they are nowhere in sight right now.
She wore long trousers, peplum top and a long coat for this Ghana concert—which was weird.
ALSO READ: 10 Cornrows Ideas Inspired By Ayra Starr
She May Be Tired of Being Compared to Tyla
Ayra is constantly being pitted against Tyla even though Ayra first came on the scene before Tyla; her first album was released in 2021, while Tyla’s hit track, ‘Water’, trended in 2023. Ayra has been wearing short skirts since time immemorial, but Tyla fans constantly accuse Ayra of copying. It seems like she is giving up on the micro-mini, bralette aesthetic she started.
Even her dance moves have been accused of being replicas of Tyla’s, which is simply not true. And even if both of them are similar, why can’t they both shine?
That level of scrutiny and comparison whilst trying to rebrand will make anyone feel self-conscious and awkward.
ALSO READ: 5 of Tyla’s Record-Breaking Achievements in 2025
Nevertheless, Ayra still has a lot to celebrate in 2025; she was one of the most streamed Nigerian artists, her singles got millions of streams, she won many awards this year, including a BET Award and a MOBO, she was nominated for a Grammy, and got signed to Roc Nation. She may be going through a rough time, but Ayra had many wins in 2025.
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