Asake vs Burna Boy, Kizz Daniel, Rema, Pheelz — All you need to know ahead of 16th Headies Awards
Adegboyega Adeleye's
The stage is ready for the 16th edition of the biggest music award ceremony celebrating Afrobeats and African culture, which will take place on Sunday, September 3rd, at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta.
The 16th annual Headies Awards will be hosted by award-winning actress and producer Osas Ighodaro and American actor, TV presenter, and model Terrence J.
The event, titled 'Celebrating African Renaissance,' acknowledges the greatest in Afrobeats and African music and highlights the originality of Pan-African talent.
Asake, Burna Boy, Simi, Wizkid, Davido, Odumodublvck, Adekunle Gold, Fireboy DML, Nathaniel Bassey, Mercy Chinwo, Victoria Orenze, Simi, Guchi, Niniola, Liya, Black Sherif, Diamond Platnumz, and many more will be honored.
The show will be broadcast live on YouTube in the United States and HipTV in Africa.
The Headies Awards, formerly known as the Hip Hop World Awards, were founded in 2006 by Nigeria's Hip Hop World Magazine to honour outstanding achievements in the Nigerian music business.
The show will be in its second year at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Every year from 2006 to 2021, it was hosted in Lagos or Nigeria (except in 2017 and 2020, when there was no ceremony).
A terrific collection of performers, including Ayra Starr, Rema, Asake, Oxlade, Johnny Drille, Blaqbonez, Spyro, Seyi Vibez, FireBoyDML, KCee, and Victony, will light up the stage.
The show's organizers had already revealed the nomination list for this year's award presentation in June, heightening excitement for the event. Nominations are accepted from January 2022 through March 2023.
They also added an intriguing twist by revealing that the 'Rookie of the Year' category winner will receive a solar-powered, two-bedroom, fully furnished house.
Kizz Daniel and Tekno's 'Buga' with Burna Boy's 'Last Last,' Ku Lo Sa by Oxlade, 'Calm Down' by Rema, 'Finesse' by Pheelz ft. BNXN, and 'Sungba (remix)' by Asake ft. Burna Boy are among the nominees for song of the year.
Tems, Burna Boy, Victony & Tempoe, Omah Lay, and Davido starring the Sunday Service Choir are among the exciting competitors for Best Recording of the Year.
Burna Boy - Love, Damini, Asake - Mr. Money With The Vibe, Rema - Rave & Roses, Omah Lay - Boy Alone, Victony - Outlaw, and Davido - Timeless have all been nominated for album of the year.
Burna Boy is the leading nominee for the 2023 Headies Awards, which honor Pan-African and Afrobeats artists. He was nominated for ten awards, including African Artiste of the Year, Best Afrobeats Album, Best Male Artiste, and Song of the Year.
Asake was nominated for eight awards. Best Male Artiste, Best Collaboration, Best Album, Best Street Hop Artiste, Song of the Year, Next Rated, and Headies Viewers' Choice are among the categories.
Rema won five nominations for her work on the global smash tune "Calm Down" with Selena Gomez.
Omah Lay, Victony, Simi, Kizz Daniel, and Pheelz also garnered five nominations. Oxlade received four votes, while Ruger received three.
Drake, Future, Selena Gomez, Don Toliver, and Ed Sheeran are competing for International Artist of the Year.
Sean "Love" Combs will receive an International Artiste Recognition award, while Youssou N'dour will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Sound Sultan, a late Nigerian music legend, would receive the 'Headies Special Recognition Award.'
Next Rated Prize
Hitmakers Asake, Seyi Vibez, Young John, Victony, and Spyro were nominated for the 2023 Headies Award's prized Next-rated category. The award is granted to the most promising new artist in the previous year.
The award was originally given to Aa in 2006, and recipients of the Next Rated Award are usually given a car in addition to the award plaque. Last year's winner, BNXN aka Buju, earned a brand new 2022 Bentley Bentayga worth over N300 million.
The renowned award has delivered on its promise of determining the future of Nigeria's music industry.
Previous winners of the awards since their establishment in 2006 have all proven to be superstars, as have their competitors.
Asa, Overdose, Wande Coal, Omawunmi, Skuki, Wizkid, Davido, Sean Tizzle, Patoranking, Reekado Banks, Mr Eazi, Mayorkun, Rema, Omah Lay, BNXN fka Buju are previous winners of the award.
After a spectacular and golden run in 2022, Asake is the favorite to win the prize. He may be 'lonely at the top,' but he is up against music sensations like as Young John, Victony, Seyi Vibez, and Spyro.
The 'Omo Ope' singer received a slew of nominations for the 2023 Headies Awards. Best Male Artiste, Best Collaboration, Best Album, Best Street Hop Artiste, Song of the Year, Next Rated, and Headies Viewers' Choice are among the categories.
Asake joins the list of noteworthy YBNL superstars to receive a Next Rated Award nomination, and he is in pole position to clinch the laurel for his music label boss, Olamide, after Fireboy DML lost to Rema in 2019, and Lil Kesh lost to Reekado Banks in 2015.
The following is the complete list of nominees for the 16th Headies Awards:
Best Recording of the Year
Burna Boy – Alone
Victony, Tempoe – Soweto
Omah Lay – I’m a mess
Oxlade – Ku Lo Sa
Davido, SSC – Stand Strong
Tems – No Woman, No Cry
Album Of The Year
Burna Boy – Love, Damini
Asake – Mr. Money With The Vibe
Rema – Rave & 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, Burna Boy – Sungba Remix
Best Male Artiste
Asake
Rema
Burna Boy
Ruger
Kizz Daniel
Omah Lay
Best Female Artiste
Tems
Simi
Tiwa Savage
Ayra Starr
Next Rated
Spyro
Seyi Vibez
Young Jonn
Asake
Victony
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
Producer of The Year
Magicsticks – Sungba Remix
Pheelz – Electricity
Andre Vibez, London – Calm Down
Tempoe – Soweto
Kel P – Kpe Paso
Rexxie – Abracadabra Remix
Afrobeats Single of The Year
Burna Boy – Last Last
Ayra Starr – Rush
Kizz Daniel, Tekno – Buga
Pheelz, BNXN – Finesse
Spyro – Who’s Your Guy
Ruger – Asiwaju
Best RnB Single
Burna Boy, Ed Sheeran – For my mind
Ckay – Mmadu
Dami Oniru – Just 4 U
Preye – Red Wine
Chike, Flavour – Hard to find
Simi, Fave – Loyal
Best Rap Single
Reminisce – Hustle
Ladipoe – Big Energy
Blaqbonez – Back in Uni
Psycho YP – Bando Diaries
OdumoduBlvck – Declan Rice
Jeriq, Phyno – My Bro
Best Alternative Song
Wizard Chan – Earth song
Cruel Santino – Final champion
Basketmouth, The Cavemen – The Traveller
Boj, Moliy, Mellissa – In a loop
Flavour – Game Changer (Dike)
Obongjayar – Tinko Tinko
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 Vocal Performance (Female)
Niniola – Memories
Simi – Loyal
Liya – Adua Remix
Waje – In Between
Preye – Red wine
Dami Oniru – Just 4 U
Best Music Video
Blaqbonez, Perliks – Back in Uni
TG Omori – PBUY
Director Pink – Spell Remix
Director K – Common Person
TG Omori – Bandana
Director K – Calm Down
Best Collaboration
Asake, Burna Boy – Sungba Remix
BNXN, Kizz Daniel, Seyi Vibez – Gwagwalada
Pheelz, BNXN – Finesse
Spyro, Tiwa Savage – Who’s Your Guy Remix
Pheelz, Davido – Electricity
Wande Coal, Olamide – Kpe Paso
Best Street-Hop Artiste
Rexxie, Naira Marley, Skiibii – Abracadabra
Seyi Vibez – Chance (Na Ham)
Asake – Joha
Poco Lee, HotKid – Otilo
Zlatan, Young Jonn – Astalavista
Mohbad – Peace
Headies Viewers’ Choice
Ruger – Asiwaju
Victony, Tempoe – Soweto
Fireboy DML, Asake – Bandana
Ayra Starr – 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 (Liberia)
Camidoh (Ghana)
Best East African artiste of the year
Zuchu (Tanzania)
Hewan Gebreworld (Ethiopia)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Eddy Kenzo (Uganda)
Rayvanny (Tanzania)
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 (Eswatini)
Focalistic (South Africa)
DJ Tarico (Mozambique)
Best Central African Artiste of The Year
Fally Ipupa (DR Congo)
Gaz Mawete (DR Congo)
Matias Damiaso (Angola)
Emma’A (Gabon)
Libianca (Cameroon)
African Artiste Of The Year
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Marwa Loud (Morocco)
Black Sherif (Ghana)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Rema (Nigeria)
Digital Artiste Of The Year
Burna Boy
Ayra Starr
Rema
Omah Lay
Kizz Daniel
Asake
International Artiste Of The Year
Drake
Future
Selena Gomez
Don Toliver
Ed Sheeran
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
Best Rap Album
Payper Corleone – Fly Talk Only
Show Dem Camp – Palmwine Music Vol. 3
Blaqbonez – Young Preacher
Psycho YP – YPSZN3
Vector – TESLIM
Jeriq – Billion Dollar Dream
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 RnB Album
Johnny Drille – Home
Chike – The Brother’s Keeper
Praiz – Reckless
Waje – Waje 2.0
Dami Oniru – Matter of Time
Simi – To Be Honest
Special Recognition Award
