Nigerian Afrobeats singer Ayra Starr is set to make history as the first Afrobeats artiste to headline an NFL International Game Halftime Show.
Starr will perform during the halftime break when the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, October 11, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London.
Her appearance is part of a record seven halftime shows scheduled for international NFL games this season, with the performances presented by American Express.
Reacting to the announcement, Starr expressed excitement about taking her music to the NFL’s global audience.
The singer, who recently released her third studio album, Starrgirl, said the project reached No. 4 on the Billboard World Albums Chart.
She described London as one of her favourite cities and said performing there on the NFL stage would be a dream come true.
Meanwhile, NFL Senior Director of Global Game Presentation, Music and Entertainment, Tim Tubito, said Starr was selected because of her strong connection with London audiences and the growing global influence of African music.
Tubito described Starr as a “generational talent”, noting that African music has become an important part of London’s international music scene.
He said the NFL expects her performance to build on the success of previous London halftime shows and deliver an energetic spectacle suited to the occasion.
