2023 Headies: Wizkid snubbed as Burna Boy bags 11 nominations, Davido 5

The organizers of Nigeria’s most prestigious music award, the Headies, have released the full list of nominees for the 16th edition of the highly coveted award.

The nomination process for the 16th edition of the award, which started on May 22 and ended on Friday, June 16, 2023, covers awards for musical acts and songs that were released between January 2022 and March 2023.

Grammy Award winner Damini Ogulu, better known as Burna Boy, has received the most nominations with an impressive total of 11, while his counterpart Davido was nominated in 5 categories.

Surprisingly, Wizkid, who holds the record for the most Headies Awards won with 20, failed to register a single nomination at the Headies for the first time in years.

For the highly regarded “Next Rated” award at this year’s ceremony, the “Sungba” crooner Asake will compete against Young Jonn, Seyi Vibez, Victony, and Spyro.

In the International Artiste of the Year category, Drake, Future, Selena Gomez, Don Toliver, and Ed Sheeran will vie for the prestigious title.

See the full nominations list of the 16th Headies Awards below.

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