The 16th edition of the headies awards is Nigeria’s renowned music award ceremony which will take place September 3rd in Atlanta, United States. The prestigious awards has over the years boasted a night full of glitz, glamour and pure musical talent. This annual event rewards exceptional achievements in the Afrobeat industry, honoring artistes and creatives who have made outstanding contributions to the music scene. Asides the glamour, the controversies and captivating moments is what has made the show a spectacle and one of Africa’s most prestigious awards since its inception.

Artiste Nomination And Categories

This year’s nomination includes musical achievement from January 2022 to march 2023.The organizers of the award ceremony called for entries from 16th till 19th of June before dolling out the much awaited nominees list. Ahmed Ololade, better known by his stage name as Asake has broken the record for most headies nomination for new artiste. Afrobeat sensation Burna boy also has 11 nominations to his name as well as Mavin records golden boy Rema. Here is a comprehensive list of artistes nominated for various categories in this year’s headies.

Rookie of the year- A voting category for the newbie artiste who has had a successful year musically with the absence of an album in the year under review. The nominees are Bayanni, Odumodu Blvck ,Khaid, Guchi, Bloody Civilian and Eltee Skhillz.

Best recording of the year- This is a non voting category for the recording that meets the requirements of excelence in songwriting,production and rendition by an invidividual or group.The nominees are Burna boy,Victony,Omah Lay, Oxlade, Davido and Tems.

Producer of the year- A category for an individual responsible for producing the most acclaimed song or album in the year under review. The producers nominated are Magicsticks, Kel-P, Rexxie, Tempoe, Pheelz, Andre Vibes and London.

Songwriter of the year- A non voting category at the headies for the writer of song that meets the requirements of excellence in composition, arrangement and rendition. The nominees are Simi, Burna boy, Bnxn, Omah Lay, Tems and Wizard Chan.

Best R&B single- Category for the best r&b single in the year under review and the nominees are Burna boy, Ckay, Dami Oniru, Preye, Chike and Simi.

Best rap single-A voting category for the best released rap song in the year under review. The nominee are Reminisce, Ladipoe, Blackbonez, PsychoYP, Odumodu Blvck and Jeriq the hussla.

Best alternative song-Voting category for artiste whose songs fall outside the mainstream of popular music trends. The nominees are Wizard Chan Cruel Santino, Basketmouth, Boj, Flavour, Obong jayar.

Best female vocal performance- Non voting category for female artiste with the most outstanding vocal performances on a single or album. The nominees are Niniola, Simi, Waje, Liya, Preye and Dami Oniru.

Best male vocal performance- The nominees in the male category are Oxlade, Chike, Praiz, Magixx, Chike, Wande Coal and Ric Hassani.

Best Music Video-A voting category for the best conceptualized, directed and exciting video in the year under review. The headies award goes to the music video director, the nominees are TG Omori, Director K, Perliks and director pink.

Best Collaboration-The nominees for the best collaborative effort are Asake, Spyro, Pheelz, Bnxn and Wande Coal.

Best Street Hop Artiste-A voting category for artistes with bangers making waves in the streets. The nominees are Rexie, Mohbad, Asake, Seyi Vibes, Zlatan and Hotkid.

Afrobeat Single of the year-A voting category for the best afrobeat song of the year under review by an individual or group. The nominees are Kizz Daniel, Burna boy, Ayra Starr, Pheelz, Spyro and Ruger.

Viewers choice awards- A voting category for the fan favorite artistes based on digital downloads, streams and views. The nominees are Ruger, Victony, Fireboy, Asake, Ayra Starr, Asake, Mavin all stars, Crayon, Oxlade, Kizz Daniel and pheelz.

Best West African artiste- A voting category for an artiste of group with the most outstanding achievement and impact across west Africa. The nominees are Gyakie, Black Sheriff, The Therapist and Sugarcane crooner Camidoh.

Best R&B album-The nominees in this category are Simi, Praiz, Johnny Drille, Chike, Waje, Dami Oniru, Simi.

Best alternative album- The nominees in this category are Cruel Santino, Somadinna, Basketmouth, Boj, Obongjayar and NSG.

Best rap album- A voting category for the best rap album by an artiste or group. The nominees are Vector, PsychoYP, Ladipoe ,Jeriq, Blackbonez, Show dem camp and Payper corleone.

Album of the year- A voting category for the album that meets requirement of excellence in songwriting, composition and rendition. The nominees are Burna Boy, Davido, Victony, Rema, Omah Lay and Asake.

Song of the year- A voting category for the most popular afrobeat song of the year. The nominations are Rema, Pheelz, Kizz Daniel, Asake, Oxlade and Burna boy.

Best Female Artiste-The nominees for the best female artiste category are Ayra Starr, Tems, Tiwa Savage and Simi.

Best Male artiste-The nominees for the most successful male artiste are Burna boy, Omah Lay, Ruger, Rema, Asake, Kizz Daniel and Burna boy.

Next Rated-The voting category for the most promising act. This is the most controversial, engaging and sought after category since the headies inception. The winner of the category wins a brand new car alongside the headies plaque.

African artiste of the year- A voting category for the overall most successful African artiste of the year. The nominations are Rema, Burna boy, Black Sherif, Diamond Platinumz, Rema and Marwa Loud.

Lyricist on the roll- A category for the rapper with the best lyrical depth and performance on a single song or album. The nominees are Vector, Paypercorleone, Ladipoe, Alpha Ojini, AQ and Tec.

Best Inspirational single- The nominees in this category are Davido, Victoria Orenze, Nathaniel Bassey, Limoblaze, Victor Thompson and Neon Adejo.

Digital Artiste of the year-Category for a Nigerian artiste with the most outstanding impact digitally. This is a new category introduced by the headies award organizers to celebrate artistes with digital excellence. The nominated artistes are Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Rema, Omah Lay, Kizz Daniel and Asake.

Mixed Reaction Trail Drake’s Nomination At The Headies

Meanwhile The headies introduced a new voting category for a non African artiste or group with the most outstanding achievement and impact on the afrobeat genre. Nigerians reacted to the nomination of hip hop heavyweight Drake whom they claimed should have been replaced with Chris Brown who won the award last year. The other nominees are Future, Selena Gomez, Don Toliver, and Ed Sheeran. Selena Gomez was featured in one of the biggest afrobeat song of the year when she teamed up with Rema for the remix of the smash single Calm down.

Burna boy teamed up with Ed Sheeran on the song for my hand while Don Toliver was featured o the remix of the smash single Soweto by Victony and Tempoe. Although the afrobeat song Drake impacted on in the year under review cant be pin point but we cant rule out the fact that he has feature in an afrobeat song in the past with Wizkid.

In a nutshell, the 16th headies awards will be an enchanting experience that spotlights the diversity and brilliance of the emerging afrobeat sound to the world. The headies awards aims at celebrating the individuals or group who continue to reshape the industry’s landscape.