Who’s A More Successful Artist Between Ayra Starr And Tyla?

The topic about who’s a bigger artist between Ayra Starr and Tyla, has always brought about different fan opinions, understandably so, because the two are arguably the hottest female African artists on the global stage. However,  we’ll try to share with you who’s a more successful artist in our opinion.

In a music era where African artists are breaking global boundaries, Ayra Starr and Tyla are two young stars leading the charge. Both have carved a place on the international stage with unique sounds, record-breaking moments, and a fast-growing fanbase.

But when it comes down to numbers, awards, and overall impact – who’s really ahead?

Ayra Starr, born in Nigeria, burst onto the scene in 2021 under Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records with the hit “Away”. Her debut album, “19 & Dangerous”,  introduced her as a Gen Z voice blending Afrobeats, pop, and soul. Since then, she’s dropped hits like “Rush”, “Bloody Samaritan”, and recently, “Commas” and “Santa”.

Tyla, from Johannesburg, South Africa, went viral worldwide in 2023 with her amapiano-inspired single “Water.” The song changed everything, launching her into global fame, landing her on major stages, and paving the way for her debut album “Tyla” in 2024.

Both artists are under 25 and redefining African pop music but their paths and impact have been different.

Streaming Numbers: Who’s Winning the Charts?

As of mid-2025, both artists boast over 30 million monthly listeners on Spotify, a rare feature for African female acts.

Ayra Starr:

  • 31.4 million monthly listeners
  • Over 2 billion total Spotify streams
  • Songs like “Santa” (455M+) and “Rush” (409M+) are among the most streamed songs by an African female artist

Tyla:

  • 31.2 million monthly listeners
  • Her debut album Tyla crossed

•1 billion streams within months of release
  “Water” alone racked up hundreds of millions of streams, charting globally

In terms of streaming consistency and overall numbers, Ayra Starr slightly edges ahead. But Tyla’s concentrated success – particularly with “Water” and her debut album – shows explosive reach.

Awards & Recognition: Global vs Continental

This is where things get even more interesting.

Ayra Starr’s Notable Awards include:

• BET Awards 2025: Best International Act
• MOBO Awards 2025: Best African Music Act & Best International Act
• Headies: Multiple wins including Best Female MVP
• Grammy 2024: Nominated for Best African Music Performance (Rush)

Tyla’s Notable Awards:

• Grammy 2024: Winner of Best African Music Performance (Water)
•MTV Europe Music Awards: Best African Act
•Billboard Women in Music: Performed and honored
Over 30 international awards from 100+ nominations

While Ayra has been sweeping African and UK-based awards, Tyla made history by being the first ever winner of the Grammy for Best African Music Performance a huge global milestone.

Chart Performance: Billboard & Beyond

Tyla:

  ‘Water” peaked at #4 on the UK Singles Chart
  Her album “Tyla” debuted at #24 on the US Billboard 200, one of the highest debuts by an African female artist
 Charted in over 20 countries worldwide

Ayra Starr:

  • Her album “The Year I Turned 21” charted well across Africa
  “Rush” reached international charts but didn’t break as high on Billboard
 Growing international momentum, especially with collaborations like “Santa” with Rauw Alejandro

In terms of international chart presence, Tyla takes the lead, especially with US and UK entries.


Global Influence and Firsts

Ayra Starr is the first African female artist to win both Best International Act and Best African Act at the MOBO Awards.

  She’s also the first Nigerian female artist to achieve a Latin Diamond certification (for “Santa”).

Tyla is the first South African artist in years to win a Grammy and make serious noise on the Billboard charts, helping amapiano cross into pop markets globally.

They both, are record-setters. While Ayra is breaking ceilings for Nigerian women in music, Tyla is making history for South African music on a global pop scale.

Ayra Starr has a deeper catalog, more consistent streaming dominance, and growing global respect across Africa, the UK, and Latin America.

In conclusion, it’s quite difficult to say who’s more successful. But Tyla has amassed quicker success if we’re to consider her years of activity.  On the other hand, Ayra has been consistent and made so big moves over the years. These are two queens putting Africa on the map and we can’t help but celebrate their contributions to exporting the African culture.