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"Sability" is a song by Nigerian singer
Ayra Starr Sarah Oyinkansola Aderibigbe (born 14 June 2002), known professionally as Ayra Starr, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter born in Benin Republic. She achieved mainstream international recognition in 2022, with the release of her hit song "Ru ...
. It was released on 10 February 2023, and was written by Ayra Starr, her brother Dami, Mbryo, Louddaaa, Johnny Drille,
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, and Prosper Udu. The song was produced by London, and features a sample of Awilo Longomba's "Coupe Bibamba." "Sability" was featured on Barack Obama's summer playlist in 2023. It was included on
OkayAfrica OkayAfrica (stylized as okayafrica) is a digital media platform dedicated to African culture, music and politics. Founded in 2011 by Vanessa Wruble and Ginny Suss as a sister site to The Roots frontman Questlove's Okayplayer, the site has become ...
's list of the "Best Afrobeats Songs of 2023."


Reception

Tela Wangeci of
the Native ''The Native'' (stylized in all caps) is a Nigerian-based music magazine publishing in Lagos. Founded in 2016, ''The Native'' focuses primarily on music, style, and art, championing the sounds and culture of tomorrow, today. History ''The Na ...
described "Sability" as a confident and powerful anthem, highlighting her growth as an artist. She noted that the song, marked by a catchy hook and bold lyrics, reflects Ayra's self-assurance and her ability to dominate Afropop with her unique "Sabi" attitude. Wangeci concluded, "'Sability' is a potent reminder that we should have faith in our abilities, triumphs, and potential."


Composition

Described by Ayra Starr herself as a "happy song," "Sability" blends a relaxed and upbeat vibe with her referencing figures like Japanese footballer
Shinji Kagawa Shinji Kagawa (, ''Kagawa Shinji'' ; born 17 March 1989) is a Japanese professional footballer and football manager who plays as a midfielder. He is widely regarded as one of the best Japanese players of all time. Kagawa became the first midfie ...
. The song's verses are delivered with a playful energy, while the hook, which incorporates a sample from Awilo Logomba's "Coupé Bibamba," adds a dynamic layer to the track. ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' noted that the hook contrasts with the overall tone of the song, potentially altering its intended effect.


Music video

The music video for "Sability" was released on 19 February 2023. It was directed by Earthboi.


Commercial performance

"Sability" debuted at No. 1 on the Official Nigeria Top 100 on 21 February 2023, earning 3.42 million on-demand streams and 38.3 million in radio reach during its first tracking week. This marked Ayra Starr's fourth chart-topping entry on the Top 100, following "
Bloody Samaritan "Bloody Samaritan" is a song recorded by Nigerian singer-songwriter Ayra Starr. It was released on 30 July 2021, as the lead single from her debut studio album, '' 19 & Dangerous'' (2021), through Mavin Records. Prior to its arrival on streaming p ...
," " Rush," and "Won Da Mo," solidifying her position as the only female artist with multiple No. 1 songs in Nigeria at the time. In its second week, the song slipped to No. 2, overtaken by
Bnxn Daniel Etiese Benson (born 14 May 1997), known professionally as Bnxn (pronounced as Benson) and formerly known as Buju, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. Early life Daniel Etiese Benson was born in Lagos. He hails from Ak ...
's "
Gwagwalada Gwagwalada is a Local government areas of Nigeria, local government area in the Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria), Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria. Gwagwalada serves as the traditional headquarters of the Bassa people (Nigeria), Bassa peo ...
." Despite the dip, "Sability" remained a strong performer across streaming platforms, ranking No. 3 on the streaming chart with 2.36 million streams and achieving a radio reach of 42.6 million. By 15 March 2023, "Sability" had dropped to No. 5 after spending one week at the summit. The song's decline continued in subsequent weeks, and by 29 March 2023, it had fallen to No. 7 on the chart. By April, it exited the Top 10, concluding its chart run after a notable debut and consistent performances across both streaming and radio platforms. On 11 April 2024, Ayra Starr's track "Sability" reentered the
Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs The U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart is a standard record chart, ranking the most popular Afrobeats songs in the United States and it is published weekly by ''Billboard''. The chart ranks the 50 most popular songs every week. It was established by ''B ...
chart, taking the 47th spot. The song previously peaked at number 14, marking it as the sole entry on the chart for that week.


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


References

{{Ayra Starr Ayra Starr songs 2023 songs 2023 singles Songs in Yoruba Mavin Records singles Number-one singles in Nigeria