Vaedar: A Creative Force Behind Ayra Starr’s Evolution in ‘The Year I Turned 21’
Vaedar, the A&R representative at MAVIN Records who works closely with Ayra Starr, has been a pivotal figure in her journey since her debut. His guidance has been instrumental in shaping Starr’s artistic direction, ensuring that her personal experiences and evolving sound are authentically captured in all her works. Starr’s latest album not only showcases her musical growth but also highlights the crucial role played by her MAVIN team, with Vaedar being a key member.
31-05-2024 which marked the highly anticipated release of Starr’s sophomore album, “The Year I Turned 21” A 14-track masterpiece that leaves every listener Spellbound. In this project Ayra Starr sounds more confident than ever, showing growth, maturity, and resilience. From a young teenager with a clear vision of her stardom to her present 21-year-old self manifesting everything she’s ever dreamed of, she leaves a clear and undeniable message.
Notesphere reached out to Vaedar a day before the project release, hoping to gain insights into the creative process, themes, and challenges faced during the album’s creation. Vaedar’s involvement has been crucial in helping Ayra Starr craft an album that resonates deeply with listeners and marks a significant milestone in Ayra’s career.
NTS: How does this album differ from her previous works in terms of theme and musical direction?
Vaedar: She’s grown more than ever and all of that reflects in her sound and the way she expresses herself through the songs this time. She has made money, cried, laughed, partied, she is also confident and very vocal on the album.
NTS: What was the creative process like for Ayra Starr while working on this album?
Vaedar: Making an album while you’re on the road touring is tasking and people don’t talk enough about it. She had to experience things and tap into other people’s experiences as well to create. There were alot of revisions and there are many songs that didn’t make the cut and are great, but when you’re trying to tell a story, all your favorite songs can’t fit in. It’s the ones that best tell the narrative that win.
NTS: Were there any specific influences or inspirations that played a significant role in shaping the album?
Vaedar: Her life, people around her and experiences in general. She also met great people along the way who encouraged her to keep making the amazing music she makes.
NTS: Can you share any standout moments or challenges during the making of the album?
Vaedar: Hahaha yes. Woman commando is a story I’d tell another day, Commas had so many revisions, Creating Orun felt like everyone in the studio had one vision and every sound made sense. The kids are alright, this one hits hard because it was the last track we made and she literally said “Vaedar I wrote this last night, what do you think” it was so good we wanted everyone to feel the emotions she felt when making it. She was the genius in that session.
NTS: Was there a specific place around the globe, where this album was recorded?
Vaedar: Multiple places tbh, The Mavin studio in Lagos, One apartment in Ikeja, London, Barbados, the USA. It came together around the tour.
NTS: How long on average did it take Ayra to make a song?
Vaedar: There are songs on there that took 48 hours to make, and there’s a song there that took almost 3 years to finish so I can’t give a specific time frame, it’s about how complete it sounds.
NTS: Ayra has some notable collaborations on this album, which include GIVĒON, Coco Jones, the hit maker Asake, and many other superstars. How will these collaborations affect this project?
Vaedar: Honestly it’s just in how rich their sounds are and how amazing they are as people. They saw the vision and made magic with us. Shout out to all the A&R’s that worked with us on this.
NTS: As someone who works closely with Ayra, how do you think she has evolved as an artist since her last release?
Vaedar: Since her last album release? Oh yes. A shocking moment was when I saw her perform at her London show during her tour. I hadn’t watched her perform like that in a while and I was so happy to see how she took charge of the stage and entertained! She did nothing but Entertain the audience.
NTS: In what ways does this album reflect her personal growth and experiences over the past year?
Vaedar: She sees herself as a business and a leader of her own brand. She said she wanted to out do anything she’s ever done and I think she succeeded. We’d let the listeners also decide.
NTS: What are your expectations for the reception of this album among fans and critics?
Vaedar: Everyone is entitled to their perspective on music and we are open to listening and growing. She has always wanted to create music that allows people express themselves so I hope people hear themselves in these songs and it strengthens, calms or excites them enough to be better people and reach their goals just as she did.
NTS: We’ve seen some innovative and unique approaches being taken to engage Ayra’s audience, and we can say this is one of the most engaging album releases in a long while. Are there any other approaches to expect that’ll accompany the album release?
Vaedar: One of the important parts to any project release is the awareness of it. Her fans deserve to know that their Starr is taking the gospel to the end of the earth, without unconventional promotional techniques a great song would just lay dormant and undiscovered. Speaking to what we’d do next, If we told it all, it wouldn’t take anyone by surprise now would it ? Let’s relax and just enjoy it as it comes. Not overthinking anything, let’s just appreciate the art that is Ayra Starr.
NTS: What message does Ayra Starr hope to convey to her fans with “The Year I Turned 21“?
Vaedar: I’d let her speak for herself but just from working with her since before Launch till now, my interpretation of it is “anything is possible at any age” but you have to put in the work and not overthink. Also, Team trust is so key!
This project embodies everything Ayra stands for: young, energetic, and carefree. This era of Ayra Starr is one to watch.
It deeply highlights the importance of having team members who share the same vision and goal.
“The Year I Turned 21” is out worldwide, and it is worth every listen.
