The organisers of the Headies unveiled the nominees for the 15th Headies Award show on their social media pages on Tuesday.
Leading the nominations this year is Wizkid with 10 nominations; followed by a tie between first-time nominee, Ayra Starr and returning 2021 ‘Next Rated’ nominee, Tems, with eight nominations.
DMW’s Davido follows with seven nominations, alongside former YBNL signee, Adekunle Gold. YBNL Record Label Boss and Pop singer, Olamide, his prodigy Fireboy, and Brymo follow with six nominations.
Ladipoe, Lojay, and BNXN all bag five nominations. Closely followed by Vector, Sarz, A-Q and Blaqbonez who all have four nominations each.
With the year in review spanning fifteen months from October 2020 to December 2021, a few categories have gotten more nominations than usual.
Topping the list with the highest nominations for a category is The Headies Viewer’s Choice Awards with eight nominees.
Here is the full list of nominees for the prestigious Headies Awards:
Rookie of the year
AV
Fave
Magixx
Portable
Ugoccie
Next Rated
Ayra Starr
Bnxn
Lojay
Ruger
Zinoleesky
Best Recording of the Year
Celebrate Me – Patoranking
Essence – Wizkid ft. Tems
Joy – Falana
Loving Is Harder – Johnny Drille
Meji Meji – Brymo
Somebody’s Son – Tiwa Savage ft. Brandy
Producer of the Year
Beats By Jayy – Golden (A-Q)
Blaise Beatz – Sinner (Adekunle Gold ft. Lucky Daye)
Niphkeys – Feel Good (Mohbad)
P Priime – Ozumba Mbadiwe (Reekado Banks)
Pheelz – High (Adekunle Gold ft. Davido)
Sarz – Monalisa (Lojay and Sarz)
Songwriter of the Year
Adekunle Gold – Sinner
Ajebo Hustlers – Loyalty
Brymo – Meji Meji
Falana – Joy
Fireboy DML – Peru
Omah Lay – Understand
Best R&B Single
Baby Riddim – Fave
Beggie Beggie – Ayra Starr ft. Ckay
Essence – Wizkid ft. Tems
Running (To You) – Chike ft. Simi
Promise – Niniola
Sinner – Adekunle Gold ft. Luck Daye
Best Rap Single
Breathe – A-Q ft. Chike
Crown Of Clay – Vector and Mi Abaga ft. Pheelz
Early Momo– Vector ft. Goodgirl La
Feeling – Ladipoe ft. Bnxn
Tycoon – Show Dem Camp ft. Reminisce & Mojo
Loading – Olamide ft. Bad Boy Timz
Best Vocal Performance (Female)
Ayra Starr – Toxic
Liya – Alari
Niniola – 6th Heaven
Simi – Running (To You)
Tems – Essence
Waje – Last Time
Best Vocal Performance (Male)
Brymo – Meji Meji
Johnny Drille – Loving is Harder
Oxlade – Ojuju
Ric Hassani – When I’m Gone
Tay Iwar – Peaking
Best Street-Hop Artiste
Bella Shmurda ft. Zlatan and Lincoln – Cash App
Rexxie and Mohbad – Kpk
Mohbad – Feel Good
Naira Marley – Koleyewon
Nektunez and Goya Menor – Ameno Amapiano (Remix)
Poco Lee, Portable and Olamide – Zazoo Zehh
Best Afrobeats Single of the Year
Bloody Samaritan – Ayra Starr
Bounce – Ruger
High – Adekunle Gold ft. Davido
Monalisa – Lojay and Sarz
Ozumba Mbadiwe – Reekado Banks
Peru – Fireboy DML
Headies’ Viewers Choice
Ayra Starr – Bloody Samaritan
Fireboy – Peru
Joeboy – Sip
Lojay and Sarz – Monalisa
Nektunez and Goya Menor – Ameno Amapiano (Remix)
Olamide ft. Omah Lay – Infinity
Rema – Soundgasm
Wizkid ft. Tems – Essence
Best Music Video
Champion – (Fireboy DML ft. D Smoke) Directed By Tg Omori
Ginger – (Wizkid ft. Burna Boy) Directed By Meji Alabi
Roju – (Chike) Directed By Pink
Rain – (Yemi Alade ft. Mzansi Youth Choir) Directed By Ovie Etseyatse
Bling – (Blaqbonez ft. Amaarae and Bnxn) Directed By Tg Omori
Running – (Ladipoe ft. Fireboy DML) Directed By Director K
Best Afrobeats Album
19 & Dangerous – Ayra Starr
A Better Time – Davido
Barnabas – Kizz Daniel
Made In Lagos (Deluxe Edition) – Wizkid
Kpos Lifestyle – Ajebo Hustlers
Wondaland – Teni
Best Reggae & Dancehall Album
Gratitude – Timaya
Love Is War – Prettyboy D-O
Rainbow Riddim – Shank
Three – Patoranking
Yaadman Kingsize – Yung L
Best R&B Album
Before We Fall Asleep – Johnny Drille
If Orange Was A Place – Tems
Love Deep High Life – Omawumi
Rising – Falana
The Prince I Became – Ric Hassani
Water And Garri – Tiwa Savage
Best Rap Album
Carpe Diem – Olamide
Clone Wars Vol. 5 – The Algorhythm – Show Dem Camp
Golden – A-Q
Mafia Culture, Vol. 2.0 – Idowest
Providence – Ladipoe
Sex Over Love – Blaqbonez
Best ‘Alternative’ Song
Doings – Flavour
Free Your Mind – Made Kuti
Gonto – Ibejii
Hustle – Basketmouth, The Cavemen, Bez, Dice Ailes
Meji Meji – Brymo
Selense – The Cavemen
Best ‘Alternative’ Album
9: Esan – Brymo
Intermission – Ibejii
Legacy + – Femi Kuti and Made Kuti
Love And Highlife – The Cavemen
P.S. Thank You For Waiting – Wavy The Creator
Yabasi – Basketmouth
Best Collaboration
Beggie Beggie – Ayra Starr ft. Ckay
Bling – Blaqbonez ft. Amaarae and Bnxn
Early Momo – Vector ft. Goodgirl
Essence – Wizkid ft. Tems
Feeling – Ladipoe ft. Bnxn
Running (To You) – Chike ft. Simi
Album of the Year
9: Esan – Brymo
19 & Dangerous – Ayra Starr
Carpe Diem – Olamide
Legacy + – Femi Kuti and Made Kuti
Made In Lagos (Deluxe Edition) – Wizkid
Yabasi – Basketmouth
Song of the Year
Celebrate Me – Patoranking
Doings – Flavour ft. Phyno
Essence – Wizkid ft. Tems
High – Adekunle Gold ft. Davido
Monalisa – Lojay and Sarz
Peru – Fireboy DML
Lyricist on the Roll
A-Q – The Last Cypher
Blaqbonez – The Last Cypher
Jesse Jagz – Vipers
Ladipoe – Providence
Payper Corleone – In Don We Trust
Vector – Crown Of Clay
Best Female Artiste
Simi
Tems
Tiwa Savage
Teni
Niniola
Best Male Artiste
Adekunle Gold
Burna Boy
Davido
Flavour
Olamide
Wizkid
African Artiste of the Year
Black Coffee (Nigeria)
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Davido (Nigeria)
Diamond Platinumz (Tanzania)
Soolking (Algeria)
Wizkid (Nigeria)
Aya Nakamura (Mali)
Best West African Artiste of the Year
Amaarae (Ghana)
Angelique Kidjo (Benin)
Aya Nakamura (Mali)
Gyakie (Ghana)
Kidi (Ghana)
Nelson Freitas (Cape Verde)
Best East African Artiste of the Year
Diamond Platinumz (Tanzania)
Eddy Kenzo (Uganda)
Harmonize (Tanzania)
Meddy (Rwanda)
Nikita Kering (Kenya)
Zuchu (Tanzania)
Best North African Artiste of the Year
Emel Mathlouthi (Tunisia)
Elgrandetoto (Morocco)
Latifa (Tunisia)
Manal (Morocco)
Muhamad Ramadan (Egypt)
Soolking (Algeria)
Best South African Artiste of the Year
Black Coffee (South Africa)
Dj Tarico (Mozambique)
Elaine (South Africa)
Focalistic (South Africa)
Jah Prayzah (Zimbabwe)
Sha Sha (Zimbabwe)
East Central African Artiste of the Year
Calema (Sao Tome and Principe)
Blanche Bailly (Cameroon)
Dadju (DR Congo)
Fally Ipupa (DR Congo)
Innoss’b (DR Congo)
Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)
Humanitarian Award of the Year
2face Idibia
Ruggedman
Davido
Don Jazzy
International Artiste Recognition
Wyclef Jean
Akon
P.Diddy
Special Recognition
Bose Ogulu
Sunday Are
Efe Omorogbe
Hall of Fame
Angelique Kidjo
This year’s event will hold at the Cobbs Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, U.S.A on September 4, 2022.
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