Ayra Starr performed ‘Hype’ with French-Malian singer-songwriter Aya Nakamura on May 30, 2026, at Stade de France. The song was a moment, but the fashion was another conversation entirely.
Fans could not help but notice the improvement. The outfit fit better, the styling looked sharper, and the overall presentation felt different from some of her recent public appearances.
That is when the question started trending: did Ayra finally change her stylist? 
Who Has Been Styling Ayra Starr?
Ayra’s current stylist is Paris-based fashion stylist Elly Karamoh, who has styled Steve Harvey, Lori Harvey, and Busta Rhymes.
Her previous stylist was Janice Mahenge, a Tanzanian stylist who styled her for the 2025 Grammys, her Rolling Stone cover, and the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
Here is where the conversation gets interesting. Janice received very little criticism for her work. Elly, on the other hand, has faced consistent backlash from fans who felt his styling did not match Ayra’s talent or potential.
What Fans Have Been Saying About Elly Karamoh
The criticism against Elly has been brewing for months, but he ignored the noise and kept working while her fans didn’t stop calling him out.
Some fans called his styling “boring” and “repetitive”. Others said the fits did not flatter Ayra’s body type. A few accused him of playing it too safe for an artist of his calibre.
Social media posts frequently compared her looks to those of Tems or Tyla, arguing that Ayra deserved better.
The Aya Nakamura Concert Moment
Then came the May 30 performance with Aya Nakamura.
Ayra wore a bronze-gold corset dress that hugged her frame and an organza jacket that caught every light in the stadium. The outfit had an edge that fans felt had been missing. Ayra was confident, comfortable, and camera-ready in a way that sparked immediate conversation.
Within hours, fans were asking, ‘Did she finally change her stylist?’ Did she drop Elly? Is Janice back? Is there someone new?
As of this publication, Ayra Starr has not changed her stylist. Elly Karamoh remains in charge, and the look from the Aya Nakamura concert was styled by him.
SEE ALSO: What Was Wrong With Ayra Starr at Her Ghana Concert? – Here’s The Truth
Why This Conversation Keeps Coming Up
This conversation is not really about fabric and seams; it is about visibility and value.
As a Grammy-nominated artist and one of the defining faces of a new generation of Afrobeats, Ayra Starr’s music travels across continents, and her fashion needs to travel with it. When fans criticise her styling, they aren’t being shallow; they are being protective. They simply want her to look as good as she sounds, ensuring that whenever she walks a red carpet, every head turns for the right reasons.
Elly Karamoh is undoubtedly a talented stylist with a proven track record, but the chemistry between a stylist and a celebrity is a delicate thing. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t, and fans are simply calling it like they see it.
SEE ALSO: Rihanna & Ayra Starr? The Collab Nobody Saw Coming Might Be Real
The Bottom Line
Did Ayra Starr change her stylist? No; Elly Karamoh is still at the helm.
The stunning outfit from the Aya Nakamura concert was his work, while Janice Mahenge remains on board to style her for select major events. The improvement fans noticed wasn’t a change in personnel but a massive step up in execution.
Whether Ayra has considered a permanent switch behind the scenes or chooses to stay with Elly, one thing is certain: fans will be watching closely. Either way, the conversation isn’t going away because Ayra Starr is simply too big for bad outfits, and her team knows it.
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