Ayra Starr has announced the Starrgirl World Tour, a 20-city run supporting her album Starrgirl, released August 14 via Mavin Recordings/Republic Records. The European leg opens January 20 at Live Music Hall in Cologne and includes stops in Amsterdam, Paris, Milan, Zurich and Brussels before wrapping in London on February 2. The tour then moves to North America, launching March 18 at House of Blues in Houston and running through Atlanta, Brooklyn, Toronto and Chicago before closing April 14 at The Fillmore in San Francisco.

Before the world tour begins, Ayra Starr is set to perform in Africa later this year, with details to be announced. According to the announcement, Starrgirl debuted at No. 2 on Spotify’s Top Albums Global chart and reached No. 1 on Apple Music’s album chart in 15 countries. The label also says the album’s track “Heaven Baby,” featuring Zayn, has topped Shazam’s Global Viral chart and surpassed 43.2 million global streams since its video release last week.

The announcement follows Ayra Starr’s performance at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, where she headlined the halftime show of an NFL International Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars, a first for an Afrobeats artist according to the announcement. Tickets for the Starrgirl World Tour go on general sale October 16, with artist, Verizon, Spotify and Mastercard presales running earlier in the week.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Genesis Salazar, LiveNation.com.

Rodrigo y Gabriela will perform at New York’s Bowery Ballroom on Oct. 27, a notably smaller venue than the Beacon Theatre, where the Grammy-winning acoustic guitar duo last played in the city. The show follows the release of their new album “OurHome,” recorded and self-produced in Tokyo.

According to the announcement, the duo scrapped earlier material for the project after a period of creative uncertainty and instead traveled to Japan, drawing on the experience to reconnect with the interplay between their two guitars. The album features contributions from jazz pianist Hiromi and former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman, along with several Japanese musicians, with visual and thematic inspiration from manga, anime and mythology. Its lead single, “Somos Como Tú,” marks the first time the duo has used lyrics and vocals on a recording.

The album has drawn positive notices including an AllMusic Editors’ Choice selection and reviews from MOJO and Hot Press, according to the announcement. Rodrigo y Gabriela broke through internationally in 2006 and have since performed at venues including Royal Albert Hall, Radio City Music Hall and the White House, with the label citing worldwide album sales of more than 1.5 million.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Jon Bleicher, prospectpr.com.

Gibson has released a video featuring singer-songwriter Passenger performing his new single “Ghosts” on a Gibson J-45 acoustic guitar, part of a series marking 100 years of the company’s flat-top acoustic guitars. The film, shot at Passenger’s home studio in the South Downs, pairs the performance with the artist discussing his history with the instrument.

“Ghosts” is the third single from Passenger’s upcoming album Wild Love, due November 6. According to the announcement, the artist, born Michael David Rosenberg, has used J-45 models since recording his breakthrough album All the Little Lights, which included the hit “Let Her Go.” The video also features a 1957 Gibson Southern Jumbo that he has used on recent recordings.

The Passenger film is the latest installment in Gibson Europe’s ongoing 100 Years of Gibson Flat-Top Acoustic Guitars series, which showcases artists discussing their connection to the instrument’s body shapes across social media channels. Passenger is also set to support Wild Love with a 2027 tour, with tickets currently on sale.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Libby Coffey, primeprgroup.com.

A$AP Rocky has announced Australian and New Zealand tour dates for his Don’t Be Dumb World Tour, marking his first shows in the region in eight years. The run, promoted by Live Nation, kicks off December 5 at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena and includes stops in Sydney, Auckland and Brisbane before closing December 17 at Perth’s RAC Arena. The tour supports his fourth studio album, DON’T BE DUMB.

The announcement follows the European and UK leg of the tour, which the artist’s camp describes as sold out across 25 dates in 19 countries. According to the announcement, the run included the first eight arena shows by a rap artist in Central and Eastern Europe, along with claims of the fastest-selling rap show in Greece and the biggest arena sales for a rap artist in Zagreb, Belgrade and Sofia.

Tickets for the Australia and New Zealand dates go on general sale October 16, with presales for artist, Vodafone and Mastercard members beginning October 14.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Genesis Salazar, LiveNation.com.

EXIT festival, in partnership with Venture Lifestyle’s electronic music platform P+US, debuted Starlight Festival on Oct. 9-10 at a site overlooking the Great Pyramids of Giza. The event, which organizers describe as sold out, drew attendees from 114 countries and was billed as the first multi-day, multi-stage electronic music festival staged at the site, and according to the announcement the largest electronic music event there since Jean-Michel Jarre’s 1999 millennium concert.

The lineup was headlined by Charlotte de Witte, who organizers say played her first-ever show in Egypt, alongside Michael Bibi, Adriatique, Indira Paganotto, Enrico Sangiuliano, Vintage Culture, Pete Tong and WhoMadeWho, with more than 60 international and regional artists performing across multiple stages, including EXIT’s No Sleep stage. Production design came from Sila Sveta, the studio behind a number of major global ceremony and concert visuals, which created a light show intended to make the pyramids appear to float above the main stage.

The festival follows EXIT’s relocation of its international touring activity after the Serbia-based event’s public support for student-led protests in the country, according to the announcement. Starlight is scheduled to return Nov. 5-6, 2027, with pre-registration now open.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Chris Alderton, jukeboxpr.co.uk.

Canadian New Wave band Spoons will release their eighth studio album, “Nightlife,” on November 6 via CD, digital download and 180-gram red vinyl. The record marks the band’s first fully independent release, with the group handling all creative decisions themselves for the first time in its four-decade history. The lead single, “Take the World,” is out now.

Formed in Burlington, Ontario in 1980, Spoons built their reputation in the New Wave era with singles including “Nova Heart,” “Romantic Traffic,” “Old Emotions” and “Tell No Lies.” The band’s early albums were produced by figures including John Punter and Nile Rodgers, and their videos received early airplay on MuchMusic. According to the band, “Nightlife” revisits the sound and atmosphere of the “Nova Heart” era with a contemporary perspective.

Spoons say additional tracks from the album, including “Better Late Than Never Did It” and “Doomed,” have already become live favorites ahead of the album’s release.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Eric Alper, thatericalper.com.