The Headies is Nigeria’s most prestigious music award show, and as such every award season comes with debates and fanfare. On Wednesday, 12th July, 2023, The Headies released the full list of nominees for the 16th edition of the awards. Wizkid was a notable omission from the list, while Burna Boy led the pack with 10 nominations. Asake made history by getting 8 nominations, which is the highest number of nominations gotten by a debutant, while fellow street hop act Seyi Vibez got a nod in the coveted Next Rated category. Below is the full nominees list:
Rookie of the Year
Eltee Skhillz
Bloody Civilian
Bayanni
Odumodublvck
Guchi
Khaid
Best Recording of the Year
Burna Boy - Alone
Victony & Tempoe - Soweto
Omah Lay - I’m A Mess
Oxlade - Ku Lo Sa
Davido ft. Sunday Service Choir - Stand Strong
Tems - No Woman, No Cry
Producer of the Year
Magicsticks - Sungba Remix (Asake)
Pheelz - Electricity (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)
Songwriter of the Year
Simi - Loyal
Omah Lay - I’m A Mess
Tems - Lift Me Up
Burna Boy - Alone
BNXN - In My Mind
Wizard Chan -Earth Song
Best R&B Single
Burna Boy ft Ed Sheeran - For My Hand
Ckay - Mmadu
Dami Oniru - Just 4 U
Preye - Red Wine
Chike ft Flavour - Hard to Find
Simi ft. Fave - Loyal
Best Rap Single
Reminisce ft BNXN & D Smoke- Hustle
Ladipoe - Big Energy
Blaqbonez & JAE5 - Back in Uni
Psycho YP ft Odumodublvck - Bando Diaries
Odumodublvck - Declan Rice
Jeriq ft Phyno - My Bro
Best Alternative Song
Wizard Chan - Earth Song
Cruel Santino - Final Champion
Basketmouth ft The Cavemen. - The Traveller
Boj ft Moliy & Melissa - In A Loop
Flavour - Game Changer (Dike)
Obongjayar - Tinko Tinko
Best Vocal Performance (Female)
Niniola - Memories
Simi - Loyal
Waje - In Between
Liya - Adua Remix
Preye - Red Wine
Dami Oniru - Just 4 U
Best Vocal Performance (Male)
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
Best Music Video
Blaqbonez & Perliks - Back In Uni (Blaqbonez)
TG Omori - PBUY (Asake)
Director Pink - Spell Remix (Chike & Oxlade)
Director K - Common Person (Burna Boy)
TG Omori - Bandana (Fireboy & Asake)
Director K - Calm Down (Rema)
Best Collaboration
Asake ft Burna Boy - Sungba Remix
BNXN ft Kizz Daniel & Seyi Vibez - Gwagwalada
Pheelz ft BNXN - Finesse
Spyro ft Tiwa Savage - Who Is 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 ft Hotkid - Otilo
Mohbad - Peace
Afrobeats Single of the Year
Burna Boy - Last Last
Ayra Starr - Rush
Kizz Daniel ft Tekno - Buga
Pheelz ft BNXN - Finesse
Spyro - Who Is Your Guy?
Ruger - Asiwaju
Headies’ Viewer’s Choice
Ruger - Asiwaju
Victony & Tempoe - Soweto
Fireboy DML & Asake - Bandana
Ayra Rush - Rush
Asake - Terminator
Mavins - Overloading (Overdose)
Crayon - Ijo (Laba Laba)
Oxlade - Ku Lo Sa
Kizz Daniel & Tekno - Buga
Pheelz & Davido - Electricity
Best West African Artiste of the Year
Gyakie (Ghana)
Black Sherif (Ghana)
The Therapist (Sierra Leone)
Camidoh (Ghana)
Best East African Artiste of the Year
Zuchu (Tanzania)
Diamond Platnumz (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 South 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 (DRC)
Gaz Mawete (DRC)
Matias Damasio (Angola)
Emma’a (Gabon)
Libianca (Cameroon)
Best R&B Album
Johnny Drille - Home
Chike - Brother’s Keeper
Praiz - Reckless
Waje - Waje 2.0
Dami Oniru - Matter of Time
Simi - To Be Honest (TBH)
Best Alternative Album
Basketmouth - Horoscopes
Boj - Gbagada Express
Obongjayar - Some Nights I Dream of Doors
Cruel Santino -Subaru Boys: Final Heaven
Somadina - Heart Of The Heavenly Undeniable
Native Sound System - Native World
Best Rap Album
Payper Corleone - Fly Talk Only
Show Dem Camp - Palmwine Music Vol. 3
Blaqbonez - Young Preacher
Psycho YP - YPSZN3
Vector - TESLIM: The Energy Still Lives In Me
Jeriq - Billion Dollar Dream
Album of the Year
Burna Boy - Love, Damini
Asake - Mr Money With The Vibe
Rema - Raves & Roses
Omah Lay - Boy Alone
Victony - Outlaw
Davido - Timeless
Song of the Year
Rema - Calm Down
Burna Boy - Last Last
Oxlade - Ku Lo Sa
Kizz Daniel & Tekno - Buga
Pheelz & BNXN - Finesse
Asake ft Burna Boy - Sungba Remix
Best Female Artiste
Tems
Simi
Tiwa Savage
Ayra Starr
Best Male Artiste
Asake
Rema
Kizz Daniel
Ruger
Omah Lay
Burna Boy
Next Rated
Young Jonn
Seyi Vibez
Asake
Victony
Spyro
African Artiste of the Year
Rema (Nigeria)
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Marwa Loud (Morocco)
Black Sherif (Ghana)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
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
International Artiste Recognition
Sean ‘Love’ Combs
Hall of Fame
Youssou N’dour
Best Inspirational Single
Davido ft Sunday Service Choir - Stand Strong
Limoblaize, Lecrae & Happi Music - Jireh (My Provider)
Victor Thompson & Ehis ‘D’ Greatest - This Year
Neon Adejo - Eze Ebube
Nathaniel Bassey & Mercy Chinwo - Tobechukwu
Victoria Orenze - I Get Backing
Digital Artiste of the Year
Burna Boy
Ayra Starr
Rema
Omah Lay
Kizz Daniel
Asake
Special Recognition
Sound Sultan
International Artiste of the Year
Drake
Future
Selena Gomez
Don Toliver
Ed Sheeran