THE 16TH ANNUAL HEADIES ANNOUNCE FULL NOMINEES LIST
The Headies Awards, originally called the Hip Hop World Awards, is a music awards show established in 2006 by the Hip Hop World Magazine of Nigeria to recognize outstanding achievements in the Nigerian music industry. The annual ceremony features performances by established and promising artists.
The Headies have announced that their 16th Annual Awards Show will be held on Sunday, September 3rd, 2023, at The Cobb Energy Theatre in
Atlanta, Georgia, for the second year in a row. The organizers are bringing the most influential and impactful Afrobeats talents to the United States to celebrate them at an unprecedented night of entertainment and powerful performances, some of which include Asake, Rema, Oxlade, Johnny Drille, Blaqbonez, Spyro, Seyi Vibez, Fireboy, KCee, Victony, and Ayra Starr. The award will also see renown artists Drake, Future, Selena Gomez, Don Tolliver, and Ed
Sheeran contend in the Best International Artiste category.
The Headies is the most renowned Pan African Award presentation, honoring the greatest in Afrobeats, African music, and culture, featuring sounds from the South, East, Central, North, and West of Africa. Inspired by the need to fill a significant void and be the voice of a generation in the culture that they represented. The Headies Awards understand the urban contemporary pop culture that Afrobeats brings to mainstream music and have created a mega platform that interfaces with young, talented artists who represent the future of global music.
A voting category for the rookie of the year who has had a successful year musically, with the absence of an album in the year under review.
BAYANNI
KHAID
GUCHI
BLOODY CIVILIAN
ODUMODUBLVCK
ELTEE SKHILLZ
A non-voting category for the best recording (that meets the judges’ requirements of excellence; songwriting, production, rendition) by an artiste or group in the year under review.
“ALONE” – BURNA BOY
“SOWETO” – VICTONY & TEMPOE
“I’M A MESS” – OMAH LAY
“KU LO SA” – OXLADE
“STAND STRONG” – DAVIDO FT. SUNDAY SERVICE CHOIR
“NO WOMAN, NO CRY” – TEMS
An individual responsible for producing the most acclaimed song or album in the year under review.
MAGICSTICKS – “SUNGBA REMIX” (ASAKE)
P.PRIME, TMXO & PHEELZ – “ELECTRICTY” (PHEELZ FT DAVIDO)
ANDRE VIBEZ & LONDON – “CALM DOWN” (REMA)
TEMPOE – “SOWETO” (VICTONY & TEMPOE)
KEL-P – “KPE PASO” (WANDE COAL & OLAMIDE)
REXXIE – “ABRACADABRA” (REXXIE, NAIRA MARLEY, SKIIBII & WIZKID)
A non-voting category for the writer of a song (that meets the judges’ requirements of excellence, composition, arrangement, rendition) in the year under review.
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)
A category for the best r&b single in the year under review (by a single individual or group).
“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
A voting category for a single (released on-air) recording of a rap song.
“HUSTLE” – REMINISCE
“BIG ENERGY” – LADIPOE
“BACK IN UNI” – BLAQBONEZ
“BANDO DIARIES” – PSYCHOYP
“DECLAN RICE” – ODUMODUBLVCK
“MY BRO” – JERIQ FT. PHYNO
A voting category for the artiste whose songs reflect any form or style of music which falls outside the mainstream of recent or past popular musical trends.
“EARTH SONG” – WIZARD CHAN
“FINAL CHAMPION” – CRUEL SANTINO
“THE TRAVELLER” – BASKETMOUTH FT THE CAVEMEN
“IN A LOOP” – BOJ FT MOLIY & MELLISSA
“GAME CHANGER” (DIKE) – FLAVOUR
“TINKO TINKO” – OBONGJAYAR
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)
A non-voting category for the single female artiste with most outstanding vocal performances on a single or album.
NINIOLA – “MEMORIES”
SIMI – “LOYAL”
WAJE – “IN BETWEEN“
LIYA – “ADUA REMIX”
PREYE – “RED WINE”
DAMI ONIRU – “JUST 4 U”
A non-voting category for the single male artiste with the most outstanding vocal performance on a single song or album.
OXLADE – “KU LO SA”
RIC HASSANI – “MY ONLY BABY”
MAGIXX – “LOVE DON’T COST A DIME”
CHIKE – “SPELL REMIX”
PRAIZ – “RECKLESS”
WANDE COAL – “KPE PASO”
A voting category for the best conceptualist, best directed and most exciting video in the year under review. This award goes to the video director.
BLAQBONEZ & PERLIKS – “BACK IN UNI” (BLAQBONEZ)
TG OMORI – “PBUY” (ASAKE)
DIRECTOR PINK– “SPELL REMIX” (CHIKE & OXLADE)
TG OMORI – “BANDANA” (FIREBOY & ASAKE)
DIRECTOR K – “COMMON PERSON” (BURNA BOY)
DIRECTOR K – “CALM DOWN” (REMA)
A voting category for the best r&b, pop or hip-hop collaborative track (including cameos).
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”
A voting category for the artiste whose songs are inspired by the streets. Such song should captain lingua, which may also be originated by the artiste and popular on the street.
REXXIE FT. NAIRA MARLEY & SKIIBII – “ABRACADABRA”
SEYI VIBEZ – “CHANCE (NA HAM)”
ASAKE – “JOHA”
ZLATAN FT. YOUNG JONN – “ASTALAVISTA”
POCO LEE & HOTKID – “OTILO”
MOHBAD – “PEACE”
A voting category for the best Afrobeats single in year under review (by single individual or group).
“LAST LAST” – BURNA BOY
“RUSH” – AYRA STARR
“BUGA” – KIZZ DANIEL & TEKNO
“FINESSE” – PHEELZ FT BNXN
“WHO’S YOUR GUY?” – SPYRO
“ASIWAJU” – RUGER
A voting category to award the fans’ favorite artiste with the most digital tractions (downloads, views, streams) in the year under review.
RUGER – “ASIWAJU”
VICTONY & TEMPOE – “SOWETO”
FIREBOY DML & ASAKE – “BANDANA”
AYRA STAR – “RUSH”
ASAKE – “TERMINATOR”
MAVINS – “OVERLOADING (OVERDOSE)”
CRAYON – “IJO (LABA LABA)”
OXLADE – “KU LO SA”
KIZZ DANIEL & TEKNO – “BUGA”
PHEELZ & DAVIDO – “ELECTRICITY”
A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Western African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.
GYAKIE (GHANA)
BLACK SHERIF (GHANA)
THE THERAPIST (LIBERIA)
CAMIDOH (GHANA)
A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Eastern African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.
ZUCHU
DIAMOND PLATINUMZ
RAYVANNY
EDDY KENZO
HEWAN GEBREWORLD
A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Northern African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.
MARWA LOUD – MOROCCO
WEGZ – EGYPT
EL GRANDE TOTO – MOROCCO
SOOLKING – ALGERIA
A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Southern African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.
AKA (SOUTH AFRICA)
NASTY C – SOUTH AFRICA
COSTA TITCH – SOUTH AFRICA
UNCLE WAFFLES – SOUTH AFRICA
FOCALISTIC – SOUTH AFRICA
DJ TARICO – MOZAMBIQUE
A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Central African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.
FALLY IPUPA – DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
GAZ MAWETE – DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
MATIAS DAMASIO – ANGOLA
EMMA’A – GABON
LIBIANCA – CAMEROON
A category for the best R&B album in the year under review (by single individual or group).
HOME – JOHNNY DRILLE
THE BROTHER’S KEEPER – CHIKE
RECKLESS – PRAIZ
WAJE 2.0 – WAJE
MATTER OF TIME – DAMI ONIRU
TO BE HONEST (TBH) – SIMI
A category for the best Alternative album in the year under review (by single individual or group).
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
A non-voting category for the best album by a rap artiste or group in year under review.
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
A voting category for the best album (solo or group) in year under review, that meets judges’ requirements of excellence (songwriting, production, rendition and impact).
LOVE, DAMINI – BURNA BOY
MR MONEY WITH THE VIBE – ASAKE
RAVE AND ROSES – REMA
BOY ALONE – OMAH LAY
OUTLAW – VICTONY
TIMELESS – DAVIDO
A voting category for the most popular song in the year under review.
“CALM DOWN” – REMA
“LAST LAST” – BURNA BOY
“KU LO SA” – OXLADE
“BUGA” – KIZZ DANIEL & TEKNO
“FINESSE” – PHEELZ FT. BNXN
“SUNGBA REMIX” – ASAKE FT. BURNA BOY
Overall most successful female artiste (with artistic quality and/or impact) in the year under review.
TEMS
SIMI
AYRA STARR
TIWA SAVAGE
Overall, most successful male artiste (with artistic quality and/or impact) in the year under review.
ASAKE
REMA
KIZZ DANIEL
RUGER
OMAH LAY
BURNA BOY
This category is a voting category for the most promising act (with a single, EP or Album) in the year under review.
YOUNG JONN
SEYI VIBEZ
ASAKE
VICTONY
SPYRO
A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group with the most outstanding achievement, impact and infiltration into the international music scene within the year under review.
REMA (NIGERIA)
BURNA BOY (NIGERIA)
MARWA LOUD (MOROCCO)
BLACK SHERIF (GHANA)
DIAMOND PLATNUMZ (TANZANIA)
A non-voting category for the rapper with the best lyrical depth and performance on a single song or album in the year under review
LADIPOE – “CLOWNS”
VECTOR – “CLOWNS”
PAYPER CORLEONE – “FLY TALK ONLY”
ALPHA OJINI – “VIGILANTE BOP”
A-Q – “FAMILY FIRST”
TEC (SDC) – “LIVE LIFE”
A special recognition to an individual(s) for excellence and outstanding impact to the Nigerian entertainment industry within a specific period and/or the year under review.
SEAN ‘LOVE’ COMBS
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
A voting award category for the best inspirational single in year under review (by an individual or group).
“STAND STRONG” – DAVIDO FT SUNDAY SERVICE CHOIR
“JIREH (MY PROVIDER)” – LIMOBLAZE, LECRAE & HAPPI MUSIC
“THIS YEAR” – VICTOR THOMPSON & EHIS ‘D’ GREATEST
“EZE EBUBE” – NEON ADEJO
“TOBECHUKWU” – NATHANIEL BASSEY AND MERCY CHINWO
“I GET BACKING” – VICTORIA ORENZE
A voting award category for an individual Nigerian artiste or group with the most outstanding achievement and impact digitally in the year under review.
BURNA BOY
AYRA STARR
REMA
OMAH LAY
KIZZ DANIEL
ASAKE
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
A special recognition to an individual(s) for excellence and outstanding impact to the entertainment industry.
SOUND SULTAN
A voting award category for a non-African artiste or group with the most outstanding achievement and impact on Afrobeats
DRAKE
FUTURE
SELENA GOMEZ
DON TOLIVER
ED SHEERAN
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