The Headies Academy has unveiled the nominees for the 17th edition of the Headies Awards, celebrating outstanding achievements in the Nigerian music industry. This year’s nominations highlight a blend of established artists and emerging talents across various categories.
Key Categories and Nominees:
- Rookie of the Year: Zerry DL, Taves, Kaestyle, Llona
- Next Rated: Qing Madi, Shallipopi, OdumoduBlvck, Ayo Maff, Nasboi
- Artiste of the Year: Davido, Ayra Starr, Asake, Rema, Tems, Burna Boy
- Best Recording of the Year: “Burning” – Tems; “Different Patterns” – Seyi Vibez; “Higher” – Burna Boy; “Last Heartbreak Song” – Ayra Starr & Giveon; “Billions” – Sarz & Lojay
- Producer of the Year: Sarz – “Happiness”; London – “Ozeba”; Magicsticks – “Basquiat”; Rema/Producer X/Cubeatz/Deatz/Klimperboy – “Hehehe”; Dibs – “Different Pattern”
- Best Rap Album: “Sideh Kai” – Illbliss; “Eziokwu” – OdumoduBlvck; “Alaye Toh Se Gogo Vol. 1” – Reminisce; “Family Time” – Erigga; “Shiny Object Syndrome” – Modenine; “Full Time Job” – Phyno
- Best R&B Single: “Vision” – Qing Madi; “For You” – Johnny Drille; “Stranger” – Simi; “Burning” – Tems; “Last Heartbreak Song” – Ayra Starr & Giveon
- Songwriter of the Year: Simi – “Stranger”; Qing Madi – “Vision”; Llona – “Can’t Breathe”; Bloody Civilian – “Family Meeting”; Wizard Chan – “Stages of Life”
- Best Vocal Performance (Female): Ayra Starr – “Last Heartbreak Song”; Niniola – “Level”; Simi – “Stranger”; Liya – “I’m Done”; Yemi Alade – “Tomorrow”
- Best Vocal Performance (Male): Lojay – “Billions”; Omah Lay – “Moving”; Anendlessocean – “Gratitude”; Johnny Drille – “For You”; Timi Dakolo – “Ke Na Ke So”
- Music Video of the Year: “Charm” – Rema (Directed by Perliks & Folarin Oludare); “Metaverse” – Olamide (Directed by Jyde Ajala); “Like Ice Spice” – Blaqbonez (Directed by Perliks & Emeka Shine Shine); “Ojapiano” – Kcee (Directed by Mattmax); “Egwu” – Chike & Mohbad (Directed by Director Pink); “Showa” – Kizz Daniel (Directed by TG Omori); “Na Money” – Davido ft. Cavemen, Angelique Kidjo (Directed by Dammy Twitch)
- Best Collaboration: “Emotions” – Tiwa Savage ft. Asa; “Blood on the Dance Floor” – OdumoduBlvck, Bloody Civilian & Wale; “Cast” – Shallipopi ft. OdumoduBlvck; “Egwu” – Chike ft. Mohbad; “Ole” – Qing Madi ft. BNXN; “Twe Twe Remix” – Kizz Daniel & Davido; “IDK” – Wizkid ft. Zlatan
- Best Street-Hop Artiste: Seyi Vibez – “Different Patterns”; Ayo Maff – “Dealer” ft. Fireboy DML; Shallipopi – “Cast” ft. OdumoduBlvck; Zhus Jdo – “Johnbull”; Mohbad – “Ask About Me”
- Afrobeats Single of the Year: “Big Big Things” – Young Jonn ft. Kizz Daniel & Seyi Vibez; “Twe Twe Remix” – Kizz Daniel; “Egwu” – Chike ft. Mohbad; “Remember” – Asake; “Ogechi Remix” – Hyce, Boypee, Brown Joel ft. Davidoz; “Big Baller” – Flavour
- Lyricist on the Roll: A-Q – “Mogadishu”; M.I Abaga – “Chocolate City Cypher”; Blaqbonez – “Chocolate City Cypher”; Ladipoe – “Hallelujah”; Alpha Ojini – “Efeleme”
- Best Inspirational Single: Anendlessocean – “Gratitude”; Dunsin Oyekan ft. Lawrence Oyor – “Worthy of My Praise”; Limoblaze ft. Naomi Raine – “Good God 2”; Gaise Baba ft. Tope Alabi – “Particularly”; Mercy Chinwo – “You Do This One”
- Headies’ Viewers’ Choice: Young Jonn ft. Kizz Daniel & Seyi Vibez – “Big Big Things”; Hyce, Boypee, Brown Joel ft. Davido – “Ogechi Remix”; Chike & Mohbad – “Egwu”; Kizz Daniel – “Showa”; Seyi Vibez – “Different Pattern”; Rema – “Ozeba”; Tems – “Love Me Jeje”; Shallipopi ft. OdumoduBlvck – “Cast”; Ayo Maff ft. Fireboy DML – “Dealer”; Flavour – “Big Baller”
- Best West African Artiste of the Year: Black Sherif (Ghana); King Promise (Ghana); Himra (Ivory Coast); Josey (Ivory Coast); Toofan (Togo)
- Best East African Artiste of the Year: Bien (Kenya); Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania); Juma Jux (Tanzania); Bruce Melodie (Rwanda); Azawi (Uganda)
- Best North African Artiste of the Year: Mohamed Ramadan (Egypt); ElGrande Toto (Morocco); Soolking (Algeria); Balti (Tunisia); Abu (Egypt)
- Best South African Artiste of the Year: Titom
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