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  • The Headies Awards are back, and with them comes the ultimate celebration of Nigerian music, talent, and entertainment, after a two-year stint in the U.S. According to executive producer Ayo Animashaun, two award ceremonies will be held in 2025: the 17th edition, which was postponed last year, will take place on April 27, while the 18th edition is scheduled for December. It was initially scheduled for April 5, but the organizers announced the rescheduling in March.

    As the industry continues to evolve, the 2025 nominations reflect a dynamic mix of established stars and rising talents ready to leave their mark.

    From chart-topping hits to genre-defying collaborations, this year’s nominations span a variety of categories, giving fans and industry insiders plenty to talk about.

    Whether you’re rooting for your favourite artist or curious about who made the cut, here’s your complete list of the 17th Headies Awards nominees.

    Rookie of the Year

    Zerry DL 

    taves 

    Kaestyle

    Llona

    Next Rated

    Qing Madi

    Shallipopi

    OdumoduBlvck

    Ayo Maff

    Nasboi

    Artiste of the Year

    Davido

    Ayra Starr

    Asake

    Rema

    Tems

    Burna Boy

    Best Recording of the Year

    “Burning” – Tems

    “Different Patterns” – Seyi Vibez

    “Higher” – Burna Boy

    “Last Heartbreak Song” – Ayra Starr and Giveon

    “Billions” – Sarz and Lojay

    Producer of the Year

    “Happiness” – Sarz

    “OZEBA” – London

    “Basquiat” – Magicsticks 

    “HEHEHE” – Rema, Producer X, Cubeatz, Deatz and Klimperboy

    “Different Patterns” – Dibs

    Song of the Year

    “Commas” – Ayra Starr

    “Big Baller” – Flavour

    “Lonely At The Top” – Asake

    “OZEBA” – Rema

    “EGWU” – Chike (ft. Mohbad)

    “Showa” – Kizz Daniel

    Songwriter of the Year

    “Stranger” – Simisola Kosoko (Simi)

    “Vision” – Chimamanda Pearl Chukwuma (Qing Madi)

    “Can’t Breathe” – Michael Ajuma Attah (Llona)

    “Family Meeting” – Emoseh Khamofu (Bloody Civilian)

    “Stages of Life” – Fuayefika Maxwell (Wizard Chan)

    Best R&B Single

    “Vision” – Qing Madi 

    “For You” – Johnny Drille

    “Stranger” – Simi

    “Burning” – Tems

    “Last Heartbreak Song” – Ayra Starr (ft. Giveon)

    Best Rap Single 

    “Cast” – Shallipopi (ft. OdumoduBlvck)

    “Blood On the Dance Floor” – OdumoduBlvck (ft. Bloody Civilian and Wale)

    “Hallelujah” – Ladipoe (ft. Rozzz and Morello)

    “Canada” – Magnito

    “Ije Nwoke” – Jeriq

    Best Vocal Performance (Female)

    “Last Song Heartbreak” – Ayra Starr 

    “Level” – Niniola

    “Stranger” – Simi

    “I’m Done” – Liya

    “Tomorrow” – Yemi Alade

    Best Vocal Performance (Male)

    “Billions” – Lojay 

    “Moving” – Omah Lay

    “Gratitude” – Anendlessocean

    “For You” – Johnny Drille

    “Ke Na Ke So” – Timi Dakolo

    Music Video of the Year

    “Charm” – Rema, Perliks and Folarin Oludare

    “Metaverse” – Jyde Ajala

    “Like Ice Spice” – Perliks and Emeka Shine Shine

    “Ojapiano” – Mattmax

    “EGWU” – Director Pink

    “Showa” – TG Omori

    “Na Money” – Dammy Twitch

    Best Collaboration

    “Emotions” – Tiwa Savage (ft. Asa)

    “Blood On the Dance Floor” – OdumoduBlvck (ft. Bloody Civilian and Wale)

    “Cast” – Shallipopi (ft. OdumoduBlvck)

    “Egwu” – Chike (ft. Mohbad)

    “Ole” – Qing Madi (ft. BNXN)

    “Twe Twe (Remix)” – Kizz Daniel (ft. Davido)

    “IDK” – Wizkid (ft. Zlatan)

    Best Street-Hop Artiste

    “Different Patterns” – Seyi Vibez

    “Dealer” – Ayo Maff (ft. Fireboy DML)

    “Cast” – Shallipopi (ft. Odumodublvck)

    “Johnbull” – Zhus Jdo

    “Ask About Me” – Mohbad

    Afrobeats Single of the Year

    “Big Big Things” – Young Jonn (ft. Kizz Daniel and Seyi Vibez)

    “Twe Twe Remix” – Kizz Daniel

    “Egwu” – Chike (ft. Mohbad)

    “Remember” – Asake

    “Ogechi Remix” – Hyce, Boypee, and Brown Joel (ft. Davido)

    “Big Baller” – Flavour

    Afrobeats Album of the Year

    Stubborn – Victony

    Work of Art – Asake

    The Year I turned 21 – Ayra Starr

    HEIS – Rema

    Jiggy Forever – Young Jonn

    Best Digital Artiste of the Year

    Ayra Starr

    Rema

    Shallipopi

    Tems

    Davido

    Kizz Daniel

    Asake

    Lyricist on the Roll

    “Efeleme” – Alpha Ojini

    “Mogadishu” – A-Q

    “Chocolate City Cypher” – M.I Abaga

    “Chocolate City Cypher” – Blaqbonez

    “Hallelujah” – Ladipoe

    Best Rap Album

    Sideh Kai – iLLBliss

    Eziokwu – OdumoduBlvck

    Alaye Toh Se Gogo Vol. 1 – Reminisce

    Family Time – Erigga

    Shine Object Syndrome – Modenine

    Best Inspirational Single

    “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

    Album of the Year

    Stubborn – Victony

    Work of Art – Asake

    The Year I turned 21 – Ayra Starr

    HEIS – Rema

    Born In the Wild – Tems

    Headies’ Viewers’ Choice

    “Big Baller” – Flavour

    “Big Big Things” – Young Jonn (ft. Kizz Daniel and Seyi Vibez)

    “Ogechi Remix” – Hyce, Boypee, and Brown Joel (ft. Davido)

    “Egwu” – Chike & Mohbad

    “Showa” – Kizz Daniel

    “Different Pattern” – Seyi Vibez

    “OZEBA” – Rema

    “Love Me Jeje” – Tems

    “Cast” – Shallipopi (ft. Odumodublvck)

    “Dealer” – Ayo Maff (ft. Fireboy DML)

    Soundtrack of the Year

    “Eledumare” – Teledalase (Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre)

    “Lose to Gain” – Kaline (Breathe of Life)

    “Kill Boro” – Native Filmworks and Wizard Chan (Kill Boro)

    “Orisa” – Beriola (Orisa)

    “Emotions” – Tiwa Savage and Asa (Water and Garri)

    “Tribe Called Judah Soundtrack” – TCJ and Abbey Wonder (A Tribe Called Judah Soundtrack)

    Best West African Artiste of the Year

    Black Sherif (Ghana)

    King Promise (Ghana)

    Himra (Ivory Coast)

    Josey (Ivory Coast)

    Toofan (Togo)

    Best East African Artiste of the Year

    Bien (Kenya)

    Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

    Juma Jux (Tanzania)

    Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)

    Azawi (Uganda)

    Best North African Artiste of the Year

    Mohamed Ramadan (Egypt)

    Elgrande Toto (Morocco)

    Soolking (Algeria)

    Balti (Tunisia)

    Abu (Egypt)

    Best South African Artiste of the Year

    Titom (South Africa)

    Yuppe (South Africa)

    Tyla (South Africa)

    Kelly Kay (Malawi)

    Plutonio (Mozambique)

    Zee Nxumalo (South Africa)

    Best Central African Artiste of the Year

    Innoss’B (DRC)

    Gaz Mawete (DRC)

    Emma’A (Gabon)

    Singuila (Central African Republic)

    Kocee (Cameroon)

    International Artiste of the Year

    Wale – “Blood On The dance Floor” (OdumoduBlvck)

    Skepta – “Tony Montana” (ft. Portable)

    Chris Brown – “Hmm” (ft. Davido)

    Travis Scott – “Active” (Asake)

    Chloe Bailey – “Vision (Remix)” (Qing Madi)

    ALSO READ: The Headies: A History of Highs, Lows and Controversies

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  • Nigeria’s most prestigious music award, The Headies, has supported local musicians since it launched in 2007 rewarding hard work, passion and consistency. 

    However, the nominees list for its 16th edition came out on July 12, 2023, and it doesn’t look as rewarding as it could be. 

    The Headies arguably get things wrong — ignoring better quality music like CKay’s Love Nwantiti in 2022, overlooking Arya Starr for “Female Artist of the Year” in 2022, and lack of attention to details (like nominating projects that were released outside the eligibility period). One can also say the award organisers favour the mainstream musicians over niche creators.

    Take the “Rookie of the Year” category, for example. It should celebrate the new music artists on the scene who haven’t dropped albums yet. Khaid, Guchi, Bloody Civilian, Bayani, Eltee Shkillz all fit the bill. But interestingly, they also nominated OdumoduBlvck, who has over four full-length projects to his name. What metrics did the organisers apply here?

    For “Producer of the Year”, Dibs, who’s been churning out street bangers like Bullion Van and Chance (Na Ham), shouldn’t be missing on the list. And the “Best Rap Single” category seemed to mistake Back In Uni by BlaqBonez for a rap song yet The Guy by M.I Abaga was left out? The “Best Rap Album” category is also not complete without The Guy and Lost Boy by Erigga.

    Despite the impact T.I Blaze’s Sometimes had on the Nigerian streets and general pop culture, it went without recognition on The Headies’ list. Meanwhile, let’s call the “Best West African Artiste of the Year” category what it really looks like — a Ghanaian musician list. West Africa has 18 countries, but as usual, only two have artists on Headies’ radar this year. They even misidentified The Therapist’s nationality as Liberia, instead of Sierra Leone. 

    Overlooking the release of Bandana, one of Afrobeats’s biggest moments of 2022, Asake was absent from the “Afrobeats Song of the Year” nominees list. Asake, who’s been Afrobeats’ biggest artist since his debut with Mr. Money With Vibes?

    Why is the “Best Inspirational Single” category called that if the nomination list will just be filled with gospel artists like Nathaniel Bassey, Mercy Chinwo and Victoria Orenze? They even slipped Davido (who released Stand Strong outside the eligibility period) in the middle like we wouldn’t notice. Why not just call the category what it looks like — a gospel music category? 

    For the love of music, we call for The Headies to replace surface-level inclusivity with deeper research into Nigeria’s rich and varied music scene. What’s an industry celebration without proper representation of its constituents?