"Last Heartbreak Song" is a song by Nigerian singer-songwriter Ayra Starr, featuring American R&B artist Giveon. It was released on May 31, 2024, as the ninth track on Starr's second studio album, The Year I Turned 21, through Mavin Records and Republic Records. The song was written by Starr herself, alongside its producer Louddaaa and Giveon. Additional writing came from Mbryo, Milar, Keith Lawson and Leon Thomas III.[1] Blending Afropop and contemporary R&B, the song lyrically explores themes of heartbreak and emotional closure, presented through a conversational duet between two estranged lovers.[2]
The accompanying music video, directed by Bobby Hanaford and shot on a Oxnard beach, premiered on June 3, 2024. It features Starr and Giveon performing on opposite sides of a cracked concrete wall that represents a fractured relationship. Starr described weather conditions during the shoot as "very cold" and said she had to remain "professional" throughout the process, while Giveon admitted that he rarely appears in music videos but because he is "a big fan of Starr" he was eager to work with her. The video garnered mixed reviews, with some writers noting its restrained approach and others questioning whether its minimal style fully conveyed the song’s themes. Starr performed the song in several high-profile appearances, including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and her opening set on Coldplay's Music of the Spheres world tour.[7][8] Her live rendition during the MTV Push program in September 2024 later earned her a nomination for MTV Push Performance of the Year at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.[9]
Background
"Last Heartbreak Song" originated during the recording sessions for Starr's debut album 19 & Dangerous in 2020–2021, when she co-wrote an early version of the track with her brother Milar. Although the song was completed at the time, Starr chose not to include it on the final album.[10] In later interviews, she explained that the emotional depth of the material felt beyond her reach at nineteen, stating that she "felt like I wasn't ready" to release it.[11] She recalled that while the track stayed with her, she and her team "were trying to keep it for the right time."[11] The song re-emerged during the creation of her second studio album The Year I Turned 21, recorded between late 2022 and early 2024 at Mavin Studios in Lagos. As Starr shaped the project into a coming-of-age narrative centered on love, heartbreak, maturity, and self-understanding, she revisited older ideas that now resonated more deeply. The themes of unraveling relationships and the quiet acceptance that follows aligned with the introspective direction she envisioned for the album, which leaned more toward personal storytelling than the fictional narratives of her earlier work.[12]
Securing American singer Giveon as a featured artist became the turning point in completing the song. Starr had long admired his baritone voice and believed their similar registers would create a natural dialogue within the track. After receiving Giveon’s recorded verse in 2023, she disclosed being so moved that she cried while listening in her car and immediately contacted her A&R team to express her disbelief that the collaboration had materialized.[11] She stated that Giveon's contribution provided the contrasting perspective she had always imagined for the song, noting that "he brought everything he needed to bring to this record," and describing the collaboration as "one of the best decisions I've ever made."[11] The final version of "Last Heartbreak Song" was shaped by additional writing contributions from its producer Louddaaa, a longtime collaborator, and Mbryo. American songwriters Keith Lawson and Leon Thomas III also contributed to the writing process. "Last Heartbreak Song" appears as the ninth track on The Year I Turned 21, which Mavin Records and Republic Records released on May 31, 2024.[12]
Music and lyrics
"Last Heartbreak Song" is a mid-tempo power ballad that blends Afropop and R&B. Built around piano chords, vocal samples, kalimba, and layered pads, the production maintains a restrained, atmospheric character. Producer Louddaaa explained that the track originated from a single chord progression duplicated across different textures, forming the basis of the intro’s piano, vox, and kalimba arrangement.[13] Additional vocal effects and pads were layered to deepen its tonal palette, while the drum pattern combines a kick, three rimshots, and a shaker, with supplementary percussion added to increase rhythmic movement. Louddaaa employed multiple bass layers, including a synth-wave bass and a moving bassline, and introduced a log drum bass reinforced with an 808 in the chorus. Two years after the initial sessions, Starr requested the addition of a live instrument; guitarist Prosper contributed parts that Louddaaa said added "extra guitar sauce" to the arrangement.[13] The song is set in C major at approximately 90 beats per minute and follows a chord progression of D minor 7–G–C–F major 7.[14][15]
Alex Harris of Neon Music described the track as a "heartrending serenade" that glides over "a sultry Afrobeats groove laced with contemporary R&B tendencies." Harris noted the interplay between the two singers, stating that Starr's "sweet-sounding delivery in a mesh of English and Pidgin twines seamlessly with GIVĒON’s soul-stirring baritone ruminations."[2] Writing for Unorthodox Reviews, Nneamaka Nwaokolo called the track "a slow, aching ballad that lingers long after the final note," characterizing it as "a global crossover track" on the album.[16] Blossom Maduafokwa in her review for The Native, wrote that Starr’s "paramours take a sour turn with "Last Heartbreak Song", where she croons longingly about unrequited love over Afro-R&B production from her longtime collaborator Louddaaa," adding that "American R&B act, Giveon, smoothly coats the second verse in his rich baritone." Tamil Makinde from NME highlighted it as a moment in which Starr "finds the strength to move on [...]," situating the track within the album’s broader collage of romantic reflection.[17]
Lyrically, the song presents contrasting perspectives on a deteriorating relationship. Harris interpreted the pre-chorus built around the refrain "It feels one-sided now" as resonating with "gut-punching authenticity." Starr expresses suspicion, withdrawal, and a desire for autonomy, culminating in the chorus’s declaration of independence.[2] Joseph Tunde of The Riff wrote that "with Giveon, Ayra tackles the problems and difficulties that today’s dating pool faces—lack of reciprocity," framing Giveon's verse as one that acknowledges personal failings and appeals for reconciliation.[18] Harris observed that their combined performances escalate into a "scorching catharsis" as Starr's resolve contrasts with Giveon's plea for repair.[2] Damilola Agubata of Pulse Nigeria described the track as showcasing "the shy, introverted lover persona" while noting that Starr remains "assertive enough to express her feelings." Agubata wrote that duetting with "one of R&B’s finest Giveon," Starr "takes ownership and shows us a side we've always knew was there somewhere in her."[19]
Commercial performance
"Last Heartbreak Song" experienced commercial success across several territories following its release. In the United States, the track debuted at number 34 on the Billboard Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. It continued climbing over the following weeks, rising to number 32 in its third charting week, number 31 the next week, and number 29 by its fifth.[5] The song remained a steady airplay presence throughout the summer, reaching a peak of number 26 in its ninth week on the chart.[20] It also appeared on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs, where it debuted at number 6 and went on to spend 24 weeks on the tally, most of them within the top 20.[4] In the United Kingdom, the duet became one of the most prominent tracks of the summer. On the Official UK Afrobeats Chart, it debuted at number 3 on the week of June 15, 2024 and spent 13 consecutive weeks on the chart. Throughout its run, the single maintained top-ten status for all 13 weeks, marking one of Starr's strongest chart performances in the region.[21]
The song also performed well in Starr's home market. In Nigeria, "Last Heartbreak Song" debuted at number 25 on the TurnTable Top 100 during the week of May 31–June 6 2024, rising to number 16 in its second week and number 14 in its third before falling out of the top 20 the following week. In January 2025, it was certified Gold by the TurnTable Certification System of Nigeria (TCSN).[6] On streaming platforms, the track became one of the most consumed songs from The Year I Turned 21, surpassing 90 million streams on Spotify.[22] Internationally, it saw modest chart activity. In New Zealand, it entered the Official New Zealand Top 40 Singles chart at number 36 during the week of June 7–13 2024 and remained at the same position for a second consecutive week.[23] Across social and streaming platforms worldwide, the collaboration received sustained engagement, driven in part by its duet format and both artists' global fanbases.[16] It was nominated at the 17th Headies Awards for Best Recording of the Year and Best R&B Single, and won the latter.[3] It also earned a nomination for the MTV Push Performance of the Year at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.[9]
Music video
Starr stands between heavily cracked and crumbling concrete walls, eyes closed and hands lifted near her chest as she sings with raw emotion, her yellow crop top and red ruffled skirt contrasting against the overcast atmosphere.
The music video for "Last Heartbreak Song" premiered on June 3, 2024, three days after the release of The Year I Turned 21, on Starr's official YouTube channel.[24] Directed by American filmmaker Bobby Hanaford, whose credits include work with Rema, Johnny Drille, John Legend, and G-Eazy, the video was filmed at a private beach location in Oxnard, California, secured through the location-rental platform Giggster, which identified the secluded coastline as the ideal backdrop for the shoot. The concept centers on the dynamics between Starr and Giveon as they portray two estranged lovers attempting to reconnect. The visual adopts a subdued palette and sparse setting, with most scenes framed against shifting Pacific light and windswept sand.
The narrative is built around a concrete barrier positioned between the two performers. Starr appears on one side of the wall, standing within the square enclosure and away from Giveon's attempts to reach her. As she delivers her verse, the wall begins to crack gradually. The camera frequently isolates Starr in medium-close shots while Giveon remains partially obscured behind the barrier, visually mirroring the lyrical tension in which both characters occupy different emotional spaces. Wide shots of the shoreline punctuate the sequence and reinforce the theme of distance and the sense of a relationship in flux.[24] During a behind-the-scenes interview with Billboard News, Starr described the conditions on set as "very cold," explaining that she remained "professional" despite filming in strong coastal winds. She stated that the song had been written during sessions for her debut album but was withheld because she "wasn’t ready yet," calling it a record she "always loved" and one she wanted to introduce with the right emotional maturity. Starr said Giveon’s verse "completed the record," adding that their voices "sink together" in a way she found "beautiful." Giveon, who seldom appears in music videos, told Billboard he agreed to participate because he was "a big fan of Ayra," remarking that the collaboration felt natural and that the shoot, though cold, was "fun nonetheless." Hanaford said Starr sent him the song at "the right time," noting that he connected with its subject matter and drafted the visual concept within two days.[25]
The symbolism in the video was also discussed in Nigerian media. Adeayo Adeniyi of Pulse Nigeria wrote that Starr "stood behind a concrete wall in what is a metaphorical representation of the defenses she put up after a painful heartbreak," noting that the structure "gradually cracked and gave way” during Giveon's verse as he appealed for reconciliation.[26] Naomi de Moura of Verge Magazine described the visual as "pensive beach-side" imagery that "elevates the atmospheric mood of the Afro-R&B track," observing that Starr appears "closed-off before slowly letting down her walls."[27]BellaNaija called it a stripped, vulnerable interpretation of heartbreak designed to foreground the vocal exchange between the two artists.[28] Reception to the video was mixed. While several outlets praised its emotional restraint, Anjolaoluwa Abiosun from The Netng argued that the execution "fell short of expectations," stating that "although Ayra tries to mirror expressions of someone hurt, there was not enough angst in the video for the visual storytelling to be convincing enough." The publication concluded that its understated approach "made the video fall flat in comparison to the brilliance of the track."[29] Despite this criticism, Hanaford's direction was noted for its minimalism. The video surpassed 260,000 views within its first 15 hours of release and continued to accumulate views steadily throughout the album's rollout.[26]
Live performances
Starr incorporated "Last Heartbreak Song" into her live performance repertoire following its release, featuring the track prominently in her concert setlists throughout 2024 and 2025.[30] The song made its United States television debut on July 23, 2024, when Starr performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as part of a medley with "Woman Commando", marking her first appearance on American late-night television.[7][31] The performance began with the R&B-themed "Last Heartbreak Song" before transitioning to "Woman Commando," with Starr delivering what critics described as a "stellar" and "electrifying" performance.[7][32] The appearance solidified her status among Nigerian artists who have performed on the iconic program, joining Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, Rema, Fireboy DML, and Asake.[32]
During her opening performances on Coldplay's Music of the Spheres World Tour, Starr regularly included "Last Heartbreak Song" in her setlist.[30] At the tour's stop at Craven Park Stadium in Hull, England, on August 18, 2025, Starr delivered an emotionally charged rendition, telling the audience with tears visible that the song was "too difficult to sing" before performing it.[8] She subsequently performed at Coldplay's Wembley Stadium concerts, becoming part of the opening act for the band's historic 10-date run at the venue. BBC News and NME both highlighted Starr's emotional connection to the material during these performances.[8][33]
The track was also featured in Starr's performance at the Tidal Rave Festival in Ghana on November 15, 2025, where she served as the first major non-Ghanaian headliner in the festival's 13-year history.[34][35] The performance took place at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra during the festival's "Wild Card" edition.[36] Prior to taking the stage, Starr revealed in an airport interview with 3Music TV that she would be opening her set with "Who's Dat Girl", though "Last Heartbreak Song" remained a featured component of her performance.[37]
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