Grammy-nominated Afrobeats sensation, Ayra Starr, has become the first Nigerian female artiste to surpass one billion total views on YouTube.

The Mavin Records star announced the milestone via her Instagram fan page on Monday. The achievement is largely driven by the viral success of her hit single, Rush, which alone has garnered over 458 million views — a testament to her growing global reach and the cross-continental appeal of her sound.

With this feat, the Sability singer joins an elite group of Nigerian artistes — including Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema, Davido, and Omah Lay — who have each amassed over a billion cumulative views on the platform. Other artistes in this exclusive club include Kizz Daniel, Tekno, P-Square, Flavour, and Fireboy DML.

The 22-year-old singer, popularly known as “Sabi Girl,” has received widespread acclaim both locally and internationally since her debut in 2021.

Ayra Starr also features among the most-followed African artistes on Spotify, with over 4.8 million followers.

Her Grammy-nominated track, Rush, has played a pivotal role in her rise. The song has not only surpassed 450 million YouTube views but also earned her a Platinum certification in the United Kingdom for exceeding 600,000 units in combined sales and streams. It marked her debut on the UK Official Top 100 chart, further solidifying her reputation as one of the continent’s fastest-rising stars.

In 2023, she received Diamond certification in France for Rush, which was released in September 2022 and quickly went viral, charting in the top 10 across several countries.

The song’s impact also led to Ayra Starr’s first Grammy nomination for Best African Music Performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. Rush has since earned Platinum status in Canada and New Zealand, as well as triple Platinum certification in Nigeria, underscoring its broad commercial success.