Burna Boy, Rema, Ruger, Asake lead 2023 Headies nomination list [Full Nomination List]

Since its inception in 2006, the Headies has played a prominent role in the documentation of the strides recorded in the Nigerian music industry through its award which has now become the biggest prize in Nigerian music.

On July 11, 2023, The Headies Academy released the nomination list for the 2023 Rookie of the Year.

The list features fast-rising rapper Odumodu Blvck who has had an impressive 2023. Other artists on the list include Bloody Civilian who featured in the 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever', Mavin Records' fast-rising star Bayyani, Singer Guchi, Eltee Skillz who scored a smash hit with his 2022 record 'ODG', and fast-rising act Khaid.

On July 12, the Headies has continued the nomination roll out for the 2023 edition.

Below is a list of the nominees for the 2023 Headies Award.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

• Odumodu Blvck
• Bayyani
• Guchi
• Eltee
• Khaid

BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR

• “ALONE” - BURNA BOY
• “SOWETO” – VICTONY & TEMPOE
• “I'M A MESS” – OMAH LAY
• “KU LO SA” – OXLADE
• “STAND STRONG” – DAVIDO FT. SUNDAY SERVICE CHOIR
• “NO WOMAN, NO CRY” – TEMS

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

• MAGICSTICKS – “SUNGBA REMIX” (ASAKE)
• PHEELZ – “ELECTRICTY” (PHEELZ FT DAVIDO)
• ANDRE VIBEZ & LONDON – “CALM DOWN” (REMA)
• TEMPOE – “SOWETO” (VICTONY & TEMPOE)
• KEL-P – “KPE PASO” (WANDE COAL & OLAMIDE)
• REXXIE – “ABRACADABRA” (REXXIE, NAIRA MARLEY, SKIIBII & WIZKID)

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

• SIMI KOSOKO, GODSFAVOUR CHIDOZIE, KOSOKO ADEKUNLE, MARCEL AKUNWATA – “LOYAL” (SIMI)
• STANLEY DIDIA, ADEBAJO ADEBANJO - “I'M A MESS” (OMAH LAY)
• TEMS, LUDWIG GORANSSON, ROBYN RIHANNA FENTY, RYAN COOGLER – “LIFT ME UP” (RIHANNA)
• DAMINI EBUNOLUWA OGULU, AUSTIN JNR IORNONGU IWAR, PEACE OREDOPE, LUDWIG GORANSSON – “ALONE” (BURNA BOY)
• DANIEL BENSON - “IN MY MIND” (BNXN)
• FUAYEFIKA MAXWELL - "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
• “BIG ENERGY” – LADIPOE
• “BACK IN UNI” - BLAQBONEZ
• “BANDO DIARIES” – PSYCHOYP
• “DECLAN RICE” – ODUMODUBLVCK
• “MY BRO” – JERIQ FT. PHYNO

BEST ‘ALTERNATIVE’ SONG

• “EARTH SONG” – WIZARD CHAN
• “FINAL CHAMPION” – CRUEL SANTINO
• “THE TRAVELLER” – BASKETMOUTH FT THE CAVEMEN
• “IN A LOOP” – BOJ FT MOLIY & MELLISSA
• “GAME CHANGER” (DIKE) – FLAVOUR
• “TINKO TINKO” – OBONGJAYAR

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)

• NINIOLA – “MEMORIES”
• SIMI - “LOYAL”
• WAJE – “IN BETWEEN“
• LIYA – “ADUA REMIX”
• PREYE – “RED WINE”
• DAMI ONIRU – “JUST 4 U”

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 MUSIC VIDEO

• BLAQBONEZ & Perliks – “BACK IN UNI”
• TG OMORI – “PBUY” (ASAKE)
• DIRECTOR PINK – “SPELL REMIX” (CHIKE & OXLADE)
• TG OMORI – “BANDANA” (FIREBOY & ASAKE)
• DIRECTOR K – “COMMON PERSON” (BURNA BOY)
• DIRECTOR K – “CALM DOWN” (REMA

BEST COLLABORATION

• ASAKE FT. BURNA BOY – “SUNGBA REMIX”
• BNXN FT KIZZ DANIEL & SEYI VIBEZ – “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

AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

• REMA (NIGERIA)
• BURNA BOY (NIGERIA)
• MARWA LOUD (MOROCCO)
• BLACK SHERIF (GHANA)
• DIAMOND PLATNUMZ (TANZANIA)

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST 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 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

INTERNATIONAL ARTISTE RECOGNITION

• SEAN ‘LOVE’ COMBS

HALL OF FAME

• YOUSSOU N'DOUR

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

• SOUND SULTAN