Eclipsed Stardom. That concept may not appear anywhere in a school curriculum or in the sphere of public discourse but it’s certainly a phenomenon that anyone should be curious about. Its’ occurrence is similar to what happens to the sun during solar eclipse. So when a music star is supposedly shining but another one outshines him or her at the peak of his or her career, we call that eclipsed stardom.
Before we come to Nigeria’s gifted singer, Ayra Starr, let’s take a look at a few examples of stars who have experienced this phenomenon. Remember the multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, Prince? Prince came into mainstream popularity as a contemporary of King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Although many would still argue that Prince was a bigger legend than Jackson at death, the records send a far different signal. Jackson made the biggest pop album in world history and set records yet to be broken. In a single night, his album Thriller won eight Grammys. Meanwhile, Prince was a formidable virtuoso. On his first five albums, he played nearly all the instruments including 27 instruments on his debut album. Although he embraced the guitar as his signature music instrument, he was a master of almost every skill a musician should have.
Another example of eclipsed stardom lies in Cyndi Lauper, the voice of women liberation in the 80s was outshined by Madonna. While Madonna grew to become the biggest female pop icon of her time, both on screen and in sales, Lauper was indeed a cultural icon and a revolutionary. A non-conformist like Madonna, Lauper felt isolated and wasn’t ready for the pains that stardom brings: gruelling promotional tours, self-censorship and isolation from regular lifestyle. She had to face the pains from surgery and recovery at the height of her career. That experience stood no chance with Madonna’s hyperventilating public persona. Lauper’s vocal powers can induce goosebumps while Madonna gives a very average singing performance accentuated by unbeatable if not controversial showmanship.
Another relatable singer who experienced eclipsed stardom is Christina Aguilera. Ranked as one of the most successful artists of the 2000s decade by Billboard, Aguilera has proven singing skills that could compete with the likes of Beyonce. But what happened to Aguilera? Her career was eclipsed by another teen pop icon, Britney Spears who sold over 150 million records worldwide, making her one of the world’s best-selling music artists. Despite her troubled life marked by divorce and battle for financial autonomy, Spears has earned numerous awards and accolades, including a Grammy Award, 15 Guinness World Records, six MTV Video Music Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards. Undoubtedly an icon, Aguilera is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with over 100 million records sold worldwide and named as one of the greatest vocalists of all time. She has won five Grammy Awards, two Latin Grammy Awards, six ALMA Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards (VMA), a Billboard Music Award, a Guinness World Record, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. But her sex symbol image was scrutinised and villified by the media while others like Rihanna and Lady Gaga got away with it. Aguilera was also overshadowed by singer-songwriter and pianist, Alicia Keys, who boasts of 16 Grammy Awards, 17 NAACP Image Awards, 12 ASCAP Awards, and an award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and National Music Publishers Association.
Now back to Ayra Starr, she hails from a rich music country, Nigeria. On the international scene where she thrives, she is often seen as the shadow of the South African Grammy-winning singer, Tyla. Starr keeps up a positive spirit, breaking boundaries and showing respect to others who had inadvertently paved the way for her. She is the first female Nigerian artist to hit two billion streams of a famed music streaming site.
From her debut album, 19 & Dangerous, Ayra had proven to be fierce on the music scene. Discovered by Don Jazzy’s MAVINS Records, Ayra made hits back to back clinching a Grammy nomination-almost a win- to spark heightened international curiosity. In September 2021, Starr became a brand ambassador for Pepsi Nigeria Today, she’s working and playing with music’s biggest names like Chris Martin of Coldplay and Rihanna.
She ventured fast into philanthropy when her money came in a rush. Along with providing clean, safe water in Nigeria, Starr teamed up with Lagos Food Bank Initiative to provide food boxes to families and introduce them to poultry farming.
Ayra Starr and Tyla
She is always pitted against Tyla who gained international recognition after the release of her 2023 single “Water”, which entered the top ten in multiple countries including her native South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. “Water” was the first song by a South African soloist to enter the US Billboard Hot 100 in 55 years and was awarded the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance. So, yes the hype is well-founded. But she hadn’t even done an album or worked to promote it when some music fans were already positioning her to look bigger on social media than Ayra. It looks like there’s mutual respect between the two stars but then there is the big risk of being eclipsed by the other.
The question then is: Can Ayra Starr Break the jinx of being outshined? Well, time and effort will tell. First, Ayra needs to be consistent in her career. She needs to rest and recharge to give more because meeting global expectations is very consuming. Secondly, Ayra has to be focused on improving her stage performance. History has shown that record labels keep artists who bring in the money. While her music will continue to sell long after her retirement, her concerts need to grow in size and status. Thirdly, Ayra needs to read the right books and watch other legendary artists speak about themselves. For a 22-year old, Ayra has demonstrated a firm grip of self. She hardly suffers misinterpretation after interviews. She is unambiguous and frank; also very private.
Beyond championing the mini skirt looks, Ayra has been a conscientious artist being very vocal about issues concerning women and the girl-child.
Ayra is already a star by all standards but to stay shining, she needs to grow bigger than the average.
