Embracing the spirit of the new year, Nicki Minaj has bid farewell to one of her earliest chart-topping hits during a dynamic performance on New Year’s Eve at Miami’s E11EVEN.
Minaj, 41, took the stage, captivating the audience with a journey down memory lane by starting to play “Starships,” the lead single from her iconic 2012 album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded.
The Barbz in attendance began to sing along. However, soon the mood switched with Minaj abruptly stopping the song, casting brief amazement upon her devoted fans. With a wave of her hand to the DJ, she signaled for the backing track to stop.
Nicki Minaj stops her hit ‘Starships’ early at a New Year’s Eve event.
“I don’t perform that song no more.” pic.twitter.com/7Pu7fIFTUR
— Pop Base (@PopBase) January 1, 2024
Nicki Minaj calls ‘Starships’ a ‘stupid song’
In a fan-posted TikTok video, Minaj can be seen rocking a black, hollow-cut bodysuit while declaring the end of an era. “Hold on,” she said, abruptly halting the song. “Psych. Psych. Psych. Psych.” Minaj turned around, looking apologetic as a chorus of boos echoed through the venue.
“I don’t perform that song no more, y’all.” Amidst the boos, Minaj defended herself, stating, “I don’t like it! What do you want me to do?” Dismissing it as a “stupid song,” before beaming a smile and continuing the show with “Super Bass” instead.
Minaj says she hates ‘Starships’
Minaj collaborated with Nadir “RedOne” Khayat, Carl Falk, Rami Yacoub, Wayne Hector, and Bilal “The Chef” Hajji in co-writing “Starships.” Released in February 2012, the track made an entry at No. 9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, eventually climbing to the No. 5 position. The track came out a year after Minaj’s hit “Super Bass.”
Despite its undeniable commercial success, Minaj has chosen to publicly distance herself from the song. In an interview with Pollstar Live in 2020, Minaj expressed her dislike towards the song. “I hate ‘Starships,’ I mean ew, ‘Starships?’” Minaj shared. I’m like, ‘Why did I do that?’ I really think that every time I hear it.”
She also expressed her disdain towards some of her other songs in the interview. “I wish I never recorded ‘Anaconda.’ I like the video but ugh,” Minaj said. “My first ever solo song on Billboard was ‘Your Love.’ To this day I like the video but I hate the song. I could go on and on.”
Minaj on being a mother
In a recent candid moment on The Late Show in December 2023, Minaj opened up to host Stephen Colbert about the impact of becoming a mother in 2020.
Reflecting on the experience, she shared, “My life was so selfish before he came here,” highlighting the freedom to “do anything I wanted when I wanted” in her pre-motherhood days. However, the arrival of her son changed the dynamics, as she expressed, “Since this little human came on to planet Earth, I can’t do anything without thinking about him first.”