Full: Headies Award 2023 Nominees List

On Wednesday July 12, 2023, the 16th edition of The Headies, Nigeria’s highly esteemed music award show, unveiled its long-awaited nominations list. The list showcases a diverse range of both local and international artists who have made significant contributions to the music scene over the past year.

A notable standout is Damini Ogulu, also known as Burna Boy, a Grammy award-winning artist, who garnered the highest number of nominations with a remarkable total of 11.

One of the highly anticipated categories, Album of the Year, features fierce competition between Burna Boy, Davido, Rema, Asake, Omah Lay, and Victony.

This year’s awards will also acknowledge international artists who have left an indelible mark on the Nigerian music industry. The nominees for the coveted 2023 International Artiste of the Year category include Drake, Future, Selena Gomez, Don Toliver, and Ed Sheeran.

Below is the full nominations list of the 16th Headies awards;

BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR

• “Alone” – Burna Boy
• “Soweto” – Victony and Tempoe
• “I’m a Mess” – Omah Lay
• “Ku lo sa” – Oxlade
• “Stand Strong” – Davido
• “No Woman, No Cry” – Tems

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

• Magicstickz – “Sungba Remix”
• Pheelz – “Electricity”
• Andrevibez & London – “Calm Down”
• Tempoe – “Soweto”
• Kel-P – “Kpe Paso”
• Rexxie – “Abracadabra”

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

• “Loyal” – Simi
• “I’m a Mess” – Omah Lay
• “Lift Me Up” – Tems
• “Alone” – Burna Boy
• “In My Mind” – BNXN
• “Earth Song” – Wizard Chan

Best R&B Single

• “For My Hand” – Burna Boy ft ED Sheeran
• “Mmadu” – CKay
• “Just 4 u” – Dami Oniru
• “Red Wine” – Preye
• “Hard to Find” – Chike ft Flavour
• “Loyal” – Simi ft Fave

Best Rap Single

• “Hustle” – Reminisce ft BNXN
• “Big Energy” – Ladi Poe
• “Back in Uni” – Blaq Bonez
• “Bando Diaries” – Psycho YP ft Odumodublvck
• “Declan Rice” – Odumodublvck
• “My Bro” – Jeriq the Hussla ft Phyno

Best Vocal Performance (Female)

• “Loyal” – Simi
• “In Between” – Waje
• “Memories” – Niniola
• “Adua Remix” – Liya
• “Red Wine” – Preye Itams
• “Just 4 U” – Dami Oniru

Best Vocal Performance (Male)

• “KU LO SA” Oxlade
• “My Only Baby” Ric Hassani
• “Love Don’t Cost a Dime” Magixx
• “Spell Remix” Chike
• “Reckless” Praiz
• “Kpe Paso” Wande Coal

Best Alternative Song

• “Earth Song” – Wizard Chan
• “Final Champion” – Cruel Santino
• “The Traveller” – Basketmouth and The Cavemen
• “In a Loop” By BOJ – Mellissa
• “Game Changer” – Flavour
• “Tinko Tinko” – Obongjayar

Best Music Video

• “Back in Uni” –Blaqbonez Perliks
• “PBUY” By TG Omori
• “Spell (Remix)” – Director Pink
• “Common Person” – Director K
• “Bandana” by TG Omori
• “Calm Down (Remix)” – Director K

Best Collaboration

• Asaka FT. Burna Boy – “Sungba Remix”
• Bnxn ft. Kizz Daniel & Seyi Vibes – “Gwagwalada”
• Pheelz ft Bnxn – “Finesse”
• Spyro ft. Tiwa Savage – “Who’s 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 & Hotkid – “Otilo”
• Mohbad – “Peace”

Afrobeats Single Of The Year

• “Last Last” – Burna Boy
• “Rush” – Ayra Starr
• “Buga” – Kizz Daniel & Tekno
• “Finesse” – Pheelz ft Bnxn
• “Who’s Your Guy?” – Spyro
• “Asiwaju” – Ruger

Headies’ Viewers’

• Choice Ruger – “Asiwaju”
• Victony & Tempoe – “Soweto”
• Fireboy Dml & Asake – “Bandana”
• Ayra Star – “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
• Diamond Platinumz
• Rayvanny
• Eddy Kenzo
• Hewan Gebreworld

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 – South Africa
• Focalistic – South Africa
• Dj Tarico – Mozambique

Best Central African Artiste Of The Year

• Fally Ipupa – Democratic Republic Of Congo
• Gaz Mawete – Democratic Republic Of Congo
• Matias Damasio – Angola
• Emma’a – Gabon
• Libianca – Cameroon

Best R&B Album

• Home – Johnny Drille
• The Brother’s Keeper – Chike
• Reckless – Praiz
• Waje 2.0 – Waje
• Matter Of Time – Dami Oniru
• To Be Honest (Tbh) – Simi

Best Alternative Album

• Horoscopes – Basketmouth
• Gbagada Express – Boj
• Some Nights I Dream Of Doors – Obongjayar
• Subaru Boys: Final Heaven – Cruel Santino
• Heart Of The Heavenly Undeniable – Somadina
• Native World – Native Sound System

Best Rap Album

• Fly Talk Only – Payper Corleone
• Palmwine Music Vol 3 – Show Dem Camp
• Young Preacher – Blaqbonez
• Ypszn3 – Psychoyp
• Teslim: The Energy Still Lives In Me – Vector
• Billion Dollar Dream – Jeriq

Album Of The Year

• Love, Damini – Burna Boy
• Mr Money With The Vibe – Asake
• Rave And Roses – Rema
• Boy Alone – Omah Lay
• Outlaw – Victony
• Timeless – Davido

Song Of The Year

• “Calm Down” – Rema
• “Last Last” – Burna Boy
• “Ku Lo Sa” – Oxlade
• “Buga” – Kizz Daniel & Tekno
• “Finesse” – Pheelz Ft. Bnxn
• “Sungba Remix” – Asake Ft. Burna Boy

Best Female Artiste

• Tems
• Simi
• Ayra Starr
• Tiwa Savage

Best Male Artiste

• Asake
• Rema
• Kizz Daniel
• Ruger
• Omah Lay
• Burna Boy

Next Rated

• Young Jonn
• Seyi Vibez
• Asake
• Victony
• Spyro

Rookie of the Year

• Odumodu Blvck
• Bloody Civilian
• Bayyani
• Guchi
• Eltee Skillz
• Khaid

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

• “Stand Strong” – Davido Ft Sunday Service Choir
• “Jireh (My Provider)” – Limoblaze, Lecrae & Happi Music
• “This Year” – Victor Thompson & Ehis ‘d’ Greatest
• “Eze Ebube” – Neon Adejo
• “Tobechukwu” – Nathaniel Bassey And Mercy Chinwo
• “I Get Backing” – Victoria Orenze

Digital Artiste Of The Year

• Burna Boy
• Ayra Starr
• Rema
• Omah Lay
• Kizz Daniel
• Asake

Special Recognition

• Sound Sultan

International Artist Of The Year

• Drake
• Future
• Selena Gomez
• Don Toliver
• Ed Sheeran