Nigerian Afrobeats singer Ayra Starr has been announced as the headline performer for an NFL halftime show during the league’s international match in London this autumn.
The singer will perform at halftime when the Philadelphia Eagles face the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, October 11, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London.
The game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. BST (9:30 a.m. ET).
Starr becomes the first Afrobeats artiste to headline an NFL International Game Halftime Show, marking another major international milestone for the Nigerian singer.
Her performance will form part of a record seven halftime shows planned across this season’s international NFL matches, presented by American Express.
Reacting to the announcement, Starr said she was looking forward to performing on the NFL’s global stage.
“I am so excited to perform at the NFL halftime show in London,” said Starr, who recently released her third studio album, Starrgirl, which reached No. 4 on Billboard’s World Albums Chart.
“London is one of my favorite places in the world and to bring Starrgirl to the NFL global stage is a dream come true for me. I can’t wait to see you guys there!”
NFL senior director of global game presentation, music and entertainment, Tim Tubito, said Starr was chosen because of her connection with audiences in London and the growing influence of African music.
“The NFL London games are the foundation of everything we have built internationally, and the halftime show has become one of the biggest moments which makes these events so special. London is one of the most influential music cities in the world, and African music has been at the center of that conversation for years now. Ayra Starr is a generational talent with a real connection to fans in this market, and building on the halftime shows we have staged in London in recent seasons, she is the right artist to carry that momentum forward. We look forward to collaborating with her on a performance that captures the energy that matches the moment.”
Vanguard News
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