Ayra Starr’s exceptional run is no shocker. Few Afropop artists have exhibited the same level of quality and tact she has had since her breakout four years ago. In that time, she’s become a worthy flagbearer for the movement’s intercontinental ambitions. With her new single “Who’s Dat Girl,” she delivers a thumping banger just in time for the festive season, and who better than Mavin Records labelmate Rema to execute the vision?
Over a thrilling beat reminiscent of 2000s dancehall, Ayra and Rema take turns to create colorful motions of dance and desire. As we’ve heard on recent records “Gimme Dat” and “Hot Body,” Ayra Starr has gotten even better at soundtracking sensual moments, with those flourishes also audible on “Who’s Dat Girl.” She’s the mystery woman who steps onto the dancefloor with the wickedest moves, as she acknowledges in her verse, “got all the heads turning / I see the press coming”.
Naturally Rema plays the role of the enchanted, but his worldbuilding remains as ever impressive, beginning his verse from when he steps into the party, with all the swag and aura of such characters. Adapting the slick fast rhyming that was common on similar records from the 2000s, he infuses even more edge onto the sound. With vivid images, he comes up with lines like “Black Powerpuff Girl, I’m a villain / Take me as your prisoner, since you stand for justice / I dey find who bad pass you with binocular.”
Since breaking out from the same label, Ayra Starr and Rema have shown a mutual respect for each other, and that positively translates on-wax. Attuned to each other’s frequencies, their distinct approaches amplifies that of the other, thankfully devoid of the hyper-awareness which might limit the sonic potential of a major collaboration.
Produced by Ragee and the Elements, “Who’s Dat Girl” showcases even more range in Ayra Starr’s sound, further reiterating her as one of the brightest stars in Afrobeats. From the bouncy drum sections to its buttery bassline, she executes the simple quite brilliantly, a most important tool she’s increasingly matured into.
Alongside Rema, she has put forward a strong candidate for the festive season hit.
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