One of Nigeria’s most prestigious music awards, the Headies announced the nominees for the 16th edition of the show on Wednesday, July 12.
Established in 2006, the Headies Awards recognise outstanding achievements in the Nigerian music industry. “The global awards for Afrobeats music,” its Twitter bio reads.
For the 2023 edition, the eligibility period covers songs and projects released from January 2022 to March 2023.
See the full list of the nominees for the various award categories below.
Best Female Artiste: Tems. Simi. Ayra Starr. Tiwa Savage.
Best Male Artiste: Asake. Rema. Kizz Daniel. Ruger. Omah Lay. Burna Boy.
Best Recording of the Year: Alone – Burna Boy. Soweto – Victony and Tempoe. I’m a Mess – Omah Lay. Ku Lo Sa – Oxlade. Stand Strong – Davido Ft. Sunday Service Choir. No Woman, No Cry – Tems.
Producer of the Year: Magicstickz – Sungba (Remix) (Asake Ft. Burna Boy). Pheelz – Electricity (Pheelz and Davido). Andrevibez and London – Calm Down (Rema). Tempoe – Soweto (Victony and Tempoe). Kel-P – Kpe Paso (Wande Coal and Olamide). Rexxie – Abracadabra (Rexxie, Naira Marley, Skibii and Wizkid).
Best R&B Single: For My Hand – Burna Boy Ft. Ed Sheeran. Mmadu – CKay. Just 4 u – Dami Oniru. Red Wine – Preye. Hard to Find – Chike Ft. Flavour. Loyal – Simi Ft. Fave.
Best Rap Single: Hustle – Reminisce ft BNXN. Big Energy – LadiPoe. Back in Uni – Blaqbonez. Bando Diaries – Psycho YP Ft. Odumodublvck. Declan Rice – Odumodublvck. My Bro – Jeriq the Hussla Ft. Phyno.
Best Vocal Performance (Female): Loyal – Simi. In Between – Waje. Memories – Niniola. Adua (Remix) – Liya. Red Wine – Preye Itams. Just 4 U – Dami Oniru.
Best Vocal Performance (Male): Ku Lo Sa – Oxlade. My Only Baby – Ric Hassani. Love Don’t Cost a Dime – Magixx. Spell (Remix) – Chike. Reckless – Praiz. Kpe Paso – Wande Coal.
Best Alternative Song: Earth Song – Wizard Chan. Final Champion – Cruel Santino. The Traveller – Basketmouth and The Cavemen. In a Loop – BOJ Ft. Moliy and Mellissa. Game Changer (Dike) – Flavour. Tinko Tinko – Obongjayar.
Best Inspiration Single: Stand Strong – Davido Ft. Sunday Service Choir. Jireh (My Provider) – Limoblaze, Lecrae and Happi Music. This Year – Victor Thompson and Ehis d’ Greatest. Eze Ebube – Neon Adejo. Tobechukwu – Nathaniel Bassey and Mercy Chinwo. I Get Backing – Victoria Orenze.
Songwriter of the Year: Simi Kosoko, Godsfavour Chidozie, Kosoko Adekunle, Marcel Akunwata – Loyal (Simi). Stanley Didia, Adebajo Adebanjo – I’m A Mess (Omah Lay). Tems, Ludwig Goransson, Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Ryan Coogler – Lift Me Up (Rihanna). Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, Austin Jnr Iornongu Iwar, Peace Oredope, Ludwig Goransson – Alone (Burna Boy). Daniel Benson – In My Mind (Bnxn). Fuayefika Maxwell – Earth Song (Wizard Chan).
Song of the Year: Calm Down – Rema. Last Last – Burna Boy. Ku Lo Sa – Oxlade. Buga – Kizz Daniel and Tekno. Finesse – Pheelz Ft. Bnxn. Sungba (Remix) – Asake Ft. Burna Boy.
Album of the Year: Love, Damini – Burna Boy. Mr Money With The Vibe – Asake. Rave And Roses – Rema. Boy Alone – Omah Lay. Outlaw – Victony. Timeless – Davido.
Best Rap Album: Fly Talk Only – Payper Corleone. Palmwine Music Vol 3 – Show Dem Camp. Young Preacher – Blaqbonez. Ypszn3 – Psychoyp. Teslim: The Energy Still Lives In Me – Vector. Billion Dollar Dream – Jeriq.
Best Alternative Album: Horoscopes – Basketmouth. Gbagada Express – Boj. Some Nights I Dream of Doors – Obongjayar. Subaru Boys: Final Heaven – Cruel Santino. Heart of the Heavenly Undeniable – Somadina. Native World – Native Sound System.
Best R&B Album: Home – Johnny Drille. The Brother’s Keeper – Chike. Reckless – Praiz. Waje 2.0 – Waje. Matter Of Time – Dami Oniru. To Be Honest (TBH) – Simi.
Best West African Artiste of the Year: Gyakie (Ghana). Black Sherif (Ghana). The Therapist (Liberia). Camidoh (Ghana).
Best East African Artiste of the Year: Zuchu (Tanzania). Diamond Platinumz (Tanzania). Rayvanny (Tanzania). Eddy Kenzo (Uganda). Hewan Gebreworld (Ethiopia).
Best North African Artiste of the Year: Marwa Loud (Morocco). Wegz (Egypt). El Grande Toto (Morocco). Soolking (Algeria).
Best Southern African Artiste of the Year: Aka (South Africa). Nasty C (South Africa). Costa Titch (South Africa). Uncle Waffles (South Africa). Focalistic (South Africa). Dj Tarico (Mozambique).
Best Central African Artiste of the Year: Fally Ipupa (Democratic Republic of Congo). Gaz Mawete (Democratic Republic of Congo). Matias Damasio (Angola). Emma’a (Gabon). Libianca (Cameroon).
Headies’ Viewers’ Choice: Ruger – Asiwaju. Victony and Tempoe – Soweto. Fireboy DML and Asake – Bandana. Ayra Star – Rush. Asake – Terminator. Mavin – Overloading (Overdose). Crayon – Ijo (Laba Laba). Oxlade – Ku Lo Sa. Kizz Daniel and Tekno – Buga. Pheelz and Davido – Electricity.
Afrobeats Single of the Year: Last Last – Burna Boy. Rush – Ayra Starr. Buga – Kizz Daniel and Tekno. Finesse – Pheelz Ft. Bnxn. Who’s Your Guy? – Spyro. Asiwaju – Ruger.
Best Collaboration: Asake Ft. Burna Boy – Sungba (Remix). Bnxn Ft. Kizz Daniel & Seyi Vibez – Gwagwalada. Pheelz Ft. Bnxn – Finesse. Spyro Ft. Tiwa Savage – Who’s Your Guy? (Remix). Pheelz Ft. Davido – Electricity. Wande Coal Ft. Olamide – Kpe Paso.
Best Street-Hop Artiste: Rexxie Ft. Naira Marley & Skiibii – Abracadabra. Seyi Vibez – Chance (Na Ham). Asake – Joha. Zlatan Ft. Young Jonn – Astalavista. Poco Lee and Hotkid – Otilo. Mohbad – Peace.
Best Music Video: Blaqbonez & Perliks – Back in Uni (Blaqbonez). TG Omori – Pbuy (Asake). Director Pink – Spell (Remix) (Chike and Oxlade). TG Omori – Bandana (Fireboy and Asake). Director K – Common Person (Burna Boy). Director K – Calm Down (Rema).
International Artist of the Year: Drake. Future. Selena Gomez. Don Toliver. Ed Sheeran.
Digital Artiste of the Year: Burna Boy. Ayra Starr. Rema. Omah Lay. Kizz Daniel. Asake.
Lyricist on the Roll: Ladipoe – Clowns. Vector – Clowns. Payper Corleone – Fly Talk Only. Alpha Ojini – Vigilante Bop. A-Q – Family First. Tec (SDC) – Live Life.
African Artiste of the Year: Rema (Nigeria). Burna Boy (Nigeria). Marwa Loud (Morocco). Black Sherif (Ghana). Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania).
Next Rated: Young Jonn. Seyi Vibez. Asake. Victony. Spyro.
Rookie of the Year: Bayanni, Khalid, Bloody Civilian, Guchi, Odumodublvck, Eltee Skhillz.
Special Recognition (A special recognition to an individual(s) for excellence and outstanding impact to the entertainment industry): Sound Sultan.
International Artiste Recognition (A special recognition to an individual(s) for excellence and outstanding impact on the Nigerian entertainment industry between January 2022 and March 2023): Sean ‘Love’ Combs.
Hall Of Fame (A special recognition to an individual of African Descent, for excellence and outstanding impact to the African entertainment industry, home and abroad): Youssou N’dour.
