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