"Last Heartbreak Song" is a song by Nigerian singer-songwriter Ayra Starr, featuring American R&B artist Giveon. It was released on 31 May 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. 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.
"Last Heartbreak Song" received critical acclaim upon release, with reviewers praising the vocal interplay between Starr's deep alto and Giveon's baritone, as well as the emotional gravity of the lyrics. Described as a standout from the album, and as one of its most introspective moments, it was nominated at the 17th Headies Awards for Best Recording of the Year and Best R&B Single, and won in the latter category. Commercially, the track achieved moderate success, peaking at number 14 on Nigeria's TurnTable Top 100, and number 3 on the UK Afrobeats Chart. It also charted in New Zealand (36), and the United States, where it reached number 6 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs and 34 on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts. The track has been certified Gold by the TurnTable Certification System of Nigeria (TCSN).
The accompanying music video, directed by Bobby Hanaford and shot on a Oxnard beach, premiered on 3 June 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. 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.
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. 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. She recalled that while the track stayed with her, she and her team "were trying to keep it for the right time". 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.
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. 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". 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 31 May 2024.
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. 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. 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.
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 Giveon's soul-stirring baritone ruminations." 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. 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.
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. 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. Harris observed that their combined performances escalate into a "scorching catharsis" as Starr's resolve contrasts with Giveon's plea for repair. 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".
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. The song remained a steady airplay presence throughout the summer, reaching a peak of number 26 in its ninth week on the chart. 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. 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 15 June 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.
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 31 May – 6 June 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). 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. Across social and streaming platforms worldwide, the collaboration received sustained engagement, driven in part by its duet format and both artists' global fanbases. It was nominated at the 17th Headies Awards for Best Recording of the Year and Best R&B Single, and won the latter. It also earned a nomination for the MTV Push Performance of the Year at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
Music video
The music video for "Last Heartbreak Song" premiered on 3 June 2024, three days after the release of The Year I Turned 21, on Starr's official YouTube channel. 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.