For more than a decade, the Global Citizen Festival has stood at the crossroads of music and activism, wielding the power of art to tackle the world’s most urgent issues. What began as an audacious idea, to end extreme poverty through collective action, has grown into a global movement uniting millions of voices, from heads of state and Nobel laureates to grassroots changemakers and some of the biggest names in music. Year after year, the festival has transformed iconic stages into platforms for policy change, philanthropy, and solidarity, reminding the world that music is not just entertainment, but a call to action.
The legacy of Global Citizen concerts is as profound as the causes they champion. From Central Park to Johannesburg, Lagos to Accra, these gatherings have become modern-day cultural milestones. Who could forget Mandela 100 in 2018, where Beyoncé and Jay-Z shared the stage with Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, and Sho Madjozi in a historic tribute to Nelson Mandela? Or the electric energy of Global Citizen Live in Lagos, where Davido and Tiwa Savage performed at Fela Kuti’s legendary New Afrika Shrine? In 2022, Accra’s festival elevated African artistry to the world stage alongside Usher, SZA, and Stormzy, cementing Africa’s place at the heart of the global music conversation. These moments were not simply concerts, they were declarations that African voices belong at the very center of cultural leadership.
This Saturday, September 27, Central Park will once again pulse with history in the making. The 2025 Global Citizen Festival is poised to be one of the biggest yet, bringing together a breathtaking lineup of icons and innovators. Shakira, Cardi B, Tyla, Ayra Starr, Mariah the Scientist, Camilo, and Elyanna will share the stage in what promises to be a cultural spectacle of unity and urgency. For Ayra Starr, fresh off an exclusive interview with RollingStone Africa, this stage represents more than music; it’s a moment of generational pride, where African excellence continues to rise unapologetically and globally.
As Ifeoma Chuks-Adizue, Managing Director Africa at Global Citizen, reflects: “From the earliest days of the Global Citizen Festival, African artists have been central to our music programming, connecting the continent’s sounds with millions of fans worldwide. Since K’Naan’s performance at our inaugural festival in 2012, we have showcased Africa’s most dynamic talent alongside the world’s biggest acts, proving time and again that they are not just part of the conversation, they are headliners. This year, Tyla and Ayra Starr will carry that momentum to the Global Citizen Festival stage in New York, performing alongside international icons and reaching one of the largest live and digital audiences in the world. With Move Afrika, we are scaling that commitment by building a sustainable touring circuit across the continent, strengthening creative economies, creating jobs, and ensuring African artists are consistently seen, heard, and celebrated on the global stage.”
That vision is already reshaping the cultural landscape. With the launch of Move Afrika, Global Citizen has gone beyond one-off events to lay the foundation for Africa’s first sustainable touring circuit. By 2028, the initiative aims to create more than 100,000 jobs while anchoring concerts in five African cities annually, produced entirely by African teams. This isn’t just about music; it’s about reimagining an entire creative economy, investing in infrastructure, and placing African talent at the forefront of global culture, not as guests, but as leaders.
The Global Citizen Festival continues to be more than a concert. It is a movement that amplifies voices, demands justice, and unites the world through rhythm and purpose. And on Saturday in Central Park, as the lights rise and the music begins, another chapter of that story will be written, one that will echo from New York across continents, inspiring millions to believe that together, change is not only possible, it is inevitable.
History is about to be made. Will you be watching?
Tune in worldwide and watch the 2025 Global Citizen Festival live at globalcitizen.watch
Exclusive Interview with Ayra Starr
Ahead of her performance at the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park, RollingStone Africa sat down with Ayra Starr, the Nigerian-born superstar whose meteoric rise has made her one of the most exciting voices of her generation. Known for her fearless authenticity, magnetic stage presence, and powerful Afrobeats anthems, Ayra Starr spoke with us about her upcoming performance, the role of African music in shaping the global soundscape, and what it means to be a young African woman leading a cultural wave on the world stage.
RSA: As a global superstar, you’ll be sharing the Global Citizen Festival stage in New York with global icons like Cardi B and Shakira. What does this moment mean to you as one of Africa’s most dynamic young voices?
Ayra Starr: Ughh, for one, it means my dreams are valid and that the sky is indeed the starting point. Sharing the stage with some global artists I’ve looked up to while growing up shows my hard work is not going unnoticed, sabi girl to the world!. It’s no news I’m a huge Shakira fan, being able to share a stage with her is a dream come true and I can’t wait!
RSA: Over the past decade, Global Citizen has put African artists front and center on some of the world’s biggest stages. How do you see this shaping the narrative around African music worldwide?
Ayra Starr: More than shaping, I’ll say it cements the connection people have with music. Enjoying music is beyond genre and it’s an opportunity for more people to connect to African music in its rawest form, from talents that continually put out good music that celebrate and uplift African music.
RSA: Move Afrika is building a touring circuit across the continent to boost Africa’s creative economy. As someone whose career took off so quickly, how do you think this initiative can help young artists coming after you?
Ayra Starr: It’s amazing to see. Beyond talent, creatives need structure and systems set in place to help sharpen their skills, introduce them to the right audience and also connect them with other creatives in similar fields and this is where an initiative like Move Afrika is bridging the gap. Putting together a touring circuit, artists are able to see the world which will widen their creative horizon and most importantly help share their talent across stages.
RSA: Global Citizen shows that African artists aren’t just supporting acts, they’re headliners. Do you feel the global music industry is finally catching up to the movement African music has always been building?
Ayra Starr: Absolutely, the global music industry is definitely catching up and it’s lovely to see people catching up, vibing and being genuinely interested in the sound worldwide due to its global appeal and the way we Afrobeats artists present the sound. Although, there’s still a lot to learn and more catching up to do, we are at a good place where African music is contributing to global trends and connecting cultures.
RSA: Your sound blends Afrobeats with global pop appeal, but always feels authentically you. How do you balance global recognition while staying rooted in your Nigerian identity and culture?
Ayra Starr: This is actually an interesting question, but the thing is, it’s all I know and what I first knew so it’s not hard. One of the greatest eye-openers and blessings when it comes to my craft is being able to blend my Nigerian/Beninese influences. It comes naturally to me, you’ll always catch me infusing melodies that just make sense to the culture, scenarios and lingua that just points to my root.
RSA: Music has always been a vehicle for change. With Global Citizen using its stage to tackle issues like poverty, inequality, and climate change, how do you see your voice and platform contributing to these conversations?
Ayra Starr: These are causes dear to my heart which I continually use my platforms to shine light on, especially in my home country. Being able to use my platform to contribute to these conversations is very important to me because it’s me joining my voice with the voices of others and taking action and contributing other than my voice when need be. I’m not removed from these struggles, it affects us all.
RSA: Past Global Citizen moments, like the Mandela 100 in Johannesburg or the Accra festival, have been called watershed moments for African music. How do you hope your performance this year adds to that legacy?
Ayra Starr: Every performance is not just a performance to me, I endeavor to tell a story and this won’t be anything short of that. Knowing I’ll be getting on that stage will be a nod to the ones who have done it before me and a moment other young performers can look up to as well. If I could dream it and eventually do it, then they can as well.
RSA: You’ve become a role model for young African women breaking into music. What message do you hope your presence on such a global stage sends to girls across the continent?
Ayra Starr: I shy away from the term role model, but as I always say to any young woman breaking into music, not just the African scene: be audacious, be proud and enter every room like you own it because if you want it, you truly can get it. Don’t let the illusion of perfection rob you of enjoying your process and progress.
RSA: Performing in New York means millions will be watching both live and online. What’s the one feeling or message you want audiences worldwide to carry with them after your set?
Ayra Starr: Hmmmm this one is a tough one but everytime I always want people to be mindblown and leave them thinking “wow, she’s such a star!”. I always love when people go into a rabbit hole of discovering my discography after any performance.
RSA: Looking ahead, what’s the legacy you want to build, not just as Ayra Starr the artist, but as an African woman shaping the sound of a generation?
Ayra Starr: Hmmm!, as an African woman shaping the sound of a generation, I’ll like to be known as that woman who lived fearlessly and confidently living out her dreams and breaking every pinnacle set for her and encouraged other women to live the same way.
