Ayra Starr and Tems have long been fashion players, but their inclusion in the BOF 500 makes it official. The Business of Fashion’s annual list is a global index of the people shaping the $2.5 trillion fashion and beauty industries. For Nigeria, a country where music and film often dominate the global stage, this recognition highlights how women in music are now attaching themselves as style leaders, too.
What the BOF 500 Is
The BOF 500 is considered one of fashion’s most influential lists. Compiled annually by The Business of Fashion, it brings together leaders across design, business, beauty, media and culture—all the people moving fashion forward.
Founded in London and now serving members in more than 125 countries, BOF is renowned for its agenda-setting journalism and insider intelligence. To be included in its 500 is to be counted among the most influential players in the global fashion industry, encompassing designers, editors, musicians, and models.
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Ayra Starr has built the kind of resume many artists only dream of. Her single ‘Rush’ recently surpassed 500 million Spotify streams, making it the first solo track by a Nigerian woman to hit that milestone. Her latest release, ‘Hot Body,’ ignited a TikTok trend and quickly added to her streaming dominance.
This momentum carried into awards season. She won Best African Music Act and Best International Act at the 2025 MOBO Awards, the latter making her the first Nigerian artist to claim the title. In 2024, she earned a Grammy nomination for Best African Music Performance, underlining her place among Afrobeats’ most powerful new voices.
Ayra has also proven herself a fashion figure. Known for her bold Y2K-inspired aesthetic and roots in Nigeria’s alté scene, she fronted campaigns for Maybelline New York, New Balance, Pepsi, and L’Avyanna Skin. Magazine covers from Dazed to Teen Vogue and a standout appearance at the 2025 Met Gala in Ozwald Boateng cemented her crossover appeal. With nearly 14 million followers across Instagram and TikTok, Ayra embodies what BOF called ‘a deeply melodic, culturally resonant voice that bridges continents and generations.’
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Tems’ Global Fashion Rise
If Ayra Starr is Afrobeats’ fearless Gen Z It Girl, Tems has become its magnetic trailblazer. The Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and producer, who blends Afrobeats with alt-R&B, made history in 2025 as the first Nigerian artist to win two Grammys, including one for Best African Music Performance.
Her fashion ascent has been equally striking. While she starred in a Tommy Jeans campaign in Lagos back in 2022, global recognition accelerated in 2023 when she won Elle’s Trailblazer Award and appeared on the cover of Elle UK.
Tems for Dazed Winter 2022
Since then, she has graced the covers of GQ, Interview, Billboard, Glamour, and Dazed, steadily positioning herself as both a music force and a style muse.
In 2025, Tems turned heads at the Met Gala in a custom Ozwald Boateng look that spotlighted African design on one of fashion’s biggest stages. She’s since been spotted front row at shows like Christian Dior’s Fall-Winter 2025 collection, signalling her growing role as a global fashion insider. With over 3.6 billion Spotify streams and collaborations spanning Drake, Future, J. Cole, and Justin Bieber, Tems brings undeniable cultural weight to her BOF recognition.
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Ayra Starr and Tems joining the BOF 500 list reflects a cultural shift where Nigerian women in music are claiming space in global fashion, an industry that for years has leaned heavily on Western stars for its cultural icons.
It’s also part of a broader trend: Burna Boy walking Chanel runways, Wizkid styled for global covers, Tiwa Savage fronting luxury campaigns. But Ayra and Tems stand out because they’re young Nigerian women leading this charge. They are artists who don’t just perform on stage but shape how the world imagines style, youth, and Afrobeats.
For Nigerian pop culture, it’s proof that art forms no longer exist in silos. Music, fashion, and digital influence are now inseparable. Ayra and Tems represent that fusion perfectly, and their BOF 500 recognition makes it official.
With record-breaking streams, iconic campaigns, and unforgettable Met Gala appearances, both women are proving that Nigeria’s cultural influence knows no bounds.
It’s no longer just about the sound of Afrobeats. Thanks to stars like Ayra and Tems, it’s also about the look.
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