The much-anticipated nominees for the 17th Headies Awards (Back to Base) were officially unveiled yesterday, with the view of honouring the best of Nigerian music over the year in review.
With a mix of seasoned stars and exciting new faces, the nominees have impressed judges and fans alike with their innovative sounds and artistic vision. Among the nominees, Ayra Starr, Rema, and Tems lead the nominations with six each while Asake was nominated in 5 different categories
The awards, which celebrate excellence in various musical categories, considered various music materials—including singles, videos, live recordings, EPs, albums released on digital streaming platforms, and physical media (cassettes, CDs, and vinyl).
The eligibility period spanned from April 1, 2023, to July 31, 2024.
Below is the full list of nominees for the 17th Headies Awards:
Only music materials including singles, videos, video live recordings, EPs, and albums released and distributed on digital streaming platforms, and physical music media (cassettes, CDs, and vinyl) within the year in review (April 1, 2023 – July 31, 2024) were considered for nomination.
ROOKIE OF THE YEARA voting category for the rookie of the year who has had a successful year musically with the absence of an album in the year under review.
ZERRY DL
TAVES
KAESTYLE
LLONA
BEST RECORDING OF THE YEARA non-voting category for the best recording (that meets the judges’ requirements of excellence; songwriting, production, rendition) by an artiste or group in the year under review.
TEMS – BURNING
DIFFERENT PATTERN – SEYI VIBEZ*
HIGHER – BURNA BOY
LAST HEARTBREAK SONG – AYRA STARR & GIVEON
BILLIONS – SARZ FEATURING LOJAY
SONGWRITER OF THE YEARA non-voting category for the writer of a song (that meets the judges’ requirements of excellence, composition, arrangement, rendition) in the year under review.
SIMISOLA KOSOKO – STRANGER (SIMI)
CHIMAMANDA PEARL CHUKWUMA – VISION (QING MADI)
MICHAEL AJUMA ATTAH – CAN’T BREATHE (LLONA)
EMOSEH KHAMOFU – FAMILY MEETING (BLOODY CIVILIAN)
FUAYEFIKA MAXWELL – STAGES OF LIFE (WIZARD CHAN)
BEST R&B SINGLEA category for the best R&B single in the year under review (by a single individual or group).
QING MADI – VISION
JOHNNY DRILLE – FOR YOU
SIMI – STRANGER
TEMS – BURNING
AYRA STARR – LAST HEARTBREAK SONG FT. GIVEON
PRODUCER OF THE YEARAn individual or collection of people responsible for producing the most acclaimed song or album in the year under review.
SARZ – HAPPINESS
LONDON – OZEBA
MAGICSTICK – BASQUIAT
REMA/PRODUCER X/CUBEATZ/DEATZ/KILMBERBOY – HEHEHE
DIBS – DIFFERENT PATTERN
BEST RAP SINGLEA voting category for a single (released on-air and streaming platforms) recording of a rap song.
CAST FEAT ODUMODUBLVCK – SHALLIPOPPI
BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR FEAT BLOODY CIVILIAN & WALE – ODUMODUBLVCK
HALLELUJAH – LADIPOE, ROZZZ & MORRELO
CANADA – MAGNITO
IJE NWOKE – JERIQ
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)A non-voting category for the single female artiste with the most outstanding vocal performances on a single or album.
AYRA STARR – LAST HEARTBREAK SONG
NINIOLA – LEVEL
SIMI – STRANGER
LIYA – I’M DONE
TOMORROW – YEMI ALADE
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE)A non-voting category for the single male artiste with the most outstanding vocal performance on a single song or album.
LOJAY – BILLIONS
OMAH LAY – MOVING
ANENDLESSOCEAN – GRATITUDE
JOHNNY DRILLE – FOR YOU
TIMI DAKOLO – KE NA KE SO
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEARA voting category for the best conceptualist, best directed and most exciting video in the year under review. This award goes to the video director.
CHARM – REMA (REMA X PERLIKS X FOLARIN OLUDARE)
METAVERSE – OLAMIDE (JYDE AJALA)
LIKE ICE SPICE – BLAQBONEZ (PERLIKS & EMEKA SHINE SHINE)
OJAPIANO – KCEE (MATTMAX)
EGWU – CHIKE & MOHBAD (DIRECTOR PINK)
SHOWA – KIZZ DANIEL (TG OMORI)
NA MONEY – DAVIDO FT. CAVEMEN, ANGELIQUE KIDJO (DAMMY TWITCH)
BEST COLLABORATIONA voting category for the best R&B, pop, hip-hop or Afrobeats collaborative track (including cameos).
EMOTIONS – TIWA SAVAGE FEAT. ASA
BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR ODUMODUBLVCK, BLOODY CIVILIAN, AND WALE CAST – SHALLIPOPPI FT ODUMODUBLVCK
EGWU – CHIKE AND MOHBAD
OLE – QING MADI AND BNXN
TWE TWE REMIX – KIZZ DANIEL AND DAVIDO
IDK – WIZKID FT. ZLATAN
BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTEA voting category for the artiste whose songs are inspired by the streets. Such song should captain lingua, which may also be originated by the artiste and popular on the street.
SEYI VIBEZ – “DIFFERENT PATTERNS”
AYO MAFF – DEALER (FT. FIREBOY DL)
SHALLIPOPPI – CAST (FT. ODUMODUBLVCK)
ZHUS JDO – JOHNBULL
MOHBAD – ASK ABOUT ME
AFROBEATS SINGLE OF THE YEARA voting category for the best Afrobeats single in the year under review (by a single individual or group).
BIG BIG THINGS – YOUNG JONN FT. KIZZ DANIEL AND SEYI VIBEZ
TWE TWE REMIX – KIZZ DANIEL
EGWU FEAT. MOHBAD – CHIKE
REMEMBER – ASAKE
OGECHI REMIX – HYCE, BOYPEE, AND BROWN JOEL FT. DAVIDO
BIG BALLER – FLAVOR
LYRICIST ON THE ROLLA non-voting category for the rapper with the best lyrical depth and performance on a single song or album in the year under review.
MOGADISHU – A-Q
CHOCOLATE CITY CYPHER – M.I ABAGA
CHOCOLATE CITY CYPHER – BLAQBONEZ
HALLELUJAH – LADIPOE
EFELEME – ALPHA OJINI
BEST INSPIRATIONAL SINGLEA voting award category for the best inspirational single in the year under review (by an individual or group).
GRATITUDE – ANENDLESSOCEAN
WORTHY OF MY PRAISE – DUNSIN OYEKAN FT. LAWRENCE OYOR
GOOD GOD 2 – LIMOBLAZE FT. NAOMI RAINE
PARTICULARLY – GAISE BABA FT. TOPE ALABI
YOU DO THIS ONE – MERCY CHINWO
HEADIES’ VIEWERS’ CHOICEA voting category to award the fans’ favorite artiste with the most digital tractions (downloads, views, streams) in the year under review.
BIG BIG THINGS FT. KIZZ DANIEL AND SEYI VIBEZ – YOUNG JONN
OGECHI REMIX FT. DAVIDO – HYCE, BOYPEE, AND BROWN JOEL
EGWU – CHIKE & MOHBAD
SHOWA – KIZZ DANIEL
DIFFERENT PATTERN – SEYI VIBEZ
OZEBA – REMA
LOVE ME JEJE – TEMS
CAST FT. ODUMODUBLVCK – SHALLIPOPPI
DEALER FT. FIREBOY DML – AYO MAFF
BIG BALLER – FLAVOUR
BEST WEST AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEARA voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Western African descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.
BLACK SHERIF (GHANA)
KING PROMISE (GHANA)
HIMRA (IVORY COAST)
JOSEY (IVORY COAST)
TOOFAN (TOGO)
BEST EAST AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEARA voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Eastern African descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.
BIEN (KENYA)
DIAMOND PLATNUMZ (TANZANIA)
JUMA JUX (TANZANIA)
BRUCE MELODIE (RWANDA)
AZAWI (UGANDA)
BEST NORTH AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEARA voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Northern African descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.
MOHAMED RAMADAN (EGYPT)
ELGRANDE TOTO (MOROCCO)
SOOLKING (ALGERIA)
BALTI (TUNISIA)
ABU (EGYPT)
BEST SOUTHERN AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEARA voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Southern African descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.
TITOM (SOUTH AFRICA)
YUPPE (SOUTH AFRICA)
TYLA (SOUTH AFRICA)
KELLY KAY (MALAWI)
PLUTONIO (MOZAMBIQUE)
ZEE NXUMALO (SOUTH AFRICA)
BEST CENTRAL AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEARA voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Central African descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.
INNOSS’B (DRC)
GAZ MAWETE (DRC)
EMMA’A (GABON)
EBOLOKO (GABON)
SINGUILA. (CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC)
KOCEE (CAMEROUN)
INTERNATIONAL ARTISTE OF THE YEARA voting award category for a non-African artiste or group with the most outstanding achievement and impact on Afrobeats.
WALE – BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR (ODUMODUBLVCK)
SKEPTA – TONY MONTANA (FT. PORTABLE)
CHRIS BROWN – HMMM (FT. DAVIDO)
TRAVIS SCOTT – ACTIVE (ASAKE)
CHLOE BAILEY – VISION REMIX (QING MADI)
BEST RAP ALBUMA non-voting category for the best album by a rap artiste or group in the year under review.
SIDEH KAI – ILLBLISS
EZIOKWU – ODUMODUBLVCK
ALAYE TOH SE GOGO VOL. 1 – REMINISCE
FAMILY TIME – ERIGGA
SHINY OBJECT SYNDROME – MODENINE
FULL TIME JOB – PHYNO
SOUNDTRACK OF THE YEARA non-voting category for a song written and composed originally for use in a motion picture or series.
ELEDUMARE – TELEDALESE (ANIKULAPO: RISE OF THE SPECTRE)
LOSE TO GAIN – KALINE (BREATH OF LIFE)
KILL BORO – NATIVE FILMWORKS & WIZARD CHAN (KILL BORO)
ORISA – BERIOLA (ORISA)
EMOTIONS – TIWA SAVAGE & ASA (WATER AND GARRI)
TRIBE CALLED JUDAH SOUNDTRACK – TCJ & ABBEY WONDER (A TRIBE CALLED JUDAH)
NEXT RATEDA voting category for the most promising act (with a single, EP or Album) in the year under review.
QING MADI
SHALLIPOPPI
ODUMODUBLVCK
AYO MAFF
NASBOI
AFROBEATS ALBUM OF THE YEARA voting category for the best Afrobeats album in the year under review (by a single individual or group).
STUBBORN – VICTONY
WORK OF ART – ASAKE
THE YEAR I TURN 21 – AYRA STARR
HEIS – REMA
JIGGY FOREVER – YOUNG JONN
BEST PERFORMER (LIVE)A non-voting category for the artiste with the most outstanding live performance in front of an audience (recorded and officially released in video format).
REMA – RAVAGE UPRISING: REMA LIVE FROM THE O2, LONDON
OMAH LAY – LIVE AT L’OLYMPIA PARIS
FLAVOUR – CELEBRATING YOU 2023
WIZARD CHAN – LIVE IN CONCERT PORT HARCOURT
BURNA BOY – AFRICAN GIANT LIVE FROM LONDON
FEMI KUTI & THE POSITIVE FORCE – NUITS DE FOURVIÈRE (ARTE CONCERT)
SPECIAL RECOGNITIONA special recognition to an individual(s) for excellence and outstanding impact to the entertainment industry.
KINGSLEY CHINWEIKE OKONKWO a.k.a KCEE
DIGITAL ARTISTE OF THE YEARA voting award category for an individual Nigerian artiste or group with the most outstanding digital achievement and impact in the year under review.
AYRA STARR
REMA
SHALLIPOPPI
TEMS
DAVIDO
KIZZ DANIEL
ASAKE
SONG OF THE YEARA voting category for the most popular song in the year under review.
SHOWA – KIZZ DANIEL
COMMAS – AYRA STARR
EGWU – CHIKE AND MOHBAD
LONELY AT THE TOP – ASAKE
OZEBA – REMA
BIG BALLER – FLAVOUR
ALBUM OF THE YEARA voting category for the best album (solo or group) in the year under review that meets the judges’ requirements of excellence (songwriting, production, rendition, and impact).
BORN IN THE WILD – TEMS
HEIS – REMA
THE YEAR I TURNED 21 – AYRA STARR
STUBBORN – VICTONY
WORK OF ART – ASAKE
ARTISTE OF THE YEARA voting category for the most critically and commercially adjudged artiste in the year under review.
BURNA BOY
DAVIDO
AYRA STARR
ASAKE
REMA
TEMS
