Montréal Jazz Festival 2025 – Ayra Starr

On Tuesday night, Nigerian singer-songwriter Ayra Starr delivered a masterclass on how to celebrate Canada Day in Montreal for the 2025 edition of Jazz Fest. The 23-year-old singer showed the people of Montreal that she’s ready for major headliner shows, before heading out to support Coldplay’s big stadium tour later this month.

More than two hours before her set started, people were already flocking to the TD Stage, undeterred by the pouring rain that had fallen an hour earlier. A sea of umbrellas, people of all ages, began to cram together as tightly as possible, just to catch a closer glimpse of the Nigerian star. A couple of minutes before she jumped onstage, the rain stopped. It truly felt like a timely sign from above, as the clouds cleared, the sun went down, and the stars appeared – the most important one of the night being Ayra herself.

“Ladies and gentlemen… I present to you… the great Ayra Starr!” a member of the crew shouted, as a giant pink star was projected onto the backdrop and a pool of blue light flooded the stage. Emerging through smoke, she rocked a black pinstripe suit with a cropped blazer and a statement necklace covered in charms. Her stage presence was undeniable, commanding her dancers around the stage while she hit every note with her R&B-forward vocals.

Throughout the set, she played some of the hits that cemented her stardom across the pond and in America, like “Bloody Samaritan” and “Control.” A highlight of the set was a cover of David Guetta’s “Titanium,” where she flawlessly hit every note originally sung by Sia, with every single one of the 20,000 people attending singing along with her.

It was a night filled with dancing, Afrobeats, and good vibes after a rainy Canada Day. It is no small feat that she is now performing a closing set on the main stage at Jazz Fest, joining a list of legendary artists such as Stevie Wonder, Esperanza Spalding, and Leonard Cohen who have also graced the biggest stages of this legendary festival. Ayra Starr is an artist in total command of her craft. Her star keeps rising and doesn’t seem close to stopping.

Visit the festival’s website for schedule and ticket information.

Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!

AYRA STARR

All Photo Credit: Andres Amaya