Nigeria’s most prestigious music award show, The Headies, has announced its highly anticipated 17th edition of the awards, marking a return after a year’s hiatus.
The list released on Wednesday features an array of both local and international artists who have been recognised for their contribution to the music scene in the past year.
According to the organisers, this edition will take place on April 5, 2025
They also said that the awards will be held in Lagos, Nigeria after criticisms from several quarters over it being held in the United States.
Hip Hop artiste Tochukwu Ojogwu, aka Odumodu Blvck, dominated the nominations on the list with a total of five.
A surprise entry was the late Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, who bagged three nominations.
This is almost two years after his tragic death in September 2023.
Ayra Starr will be hoping to add to her 2022 accolade with her three nods this year while one of the break-out stars of last year Crown Uzama, aka Shallipopi, also received three nominations.
Taves, Zerrydl, Kaestyle, and Llona were also shortlisted in the Rookie of the Year category
Though the event is an annual one in Nigeria, it wasn’t held in 2024 as the organisers postponed it to February 2025.
See the full nominations list below:
BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR
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TEMS – BURNING
SEYI VIBEZ – DIFFERENT PATTERN
BURNA BOY – HIGHER
AYRA STARR & GIVEON – LAST HEARTBREAK SONG
SARZ FEATURING LOJAY – BILLIONS
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
SARZ – HAPPINESS
LONDON – OZEBA
MAGICSTICKS – BASQUIAT
REMA/PRODUCER X/CUBEATZ/DEATZ/KLIMPERBOY – HEHEHE
DIBS – DIFFERENT PATTERN
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
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 SINGLE
QING MADI – VISION
JOHNNY DRILLE – FOR YOU
SIMI – STRANGER
TEMS – BURNING
AYRA STARR – LAST HEARTBREAK SONG FT. GIVEON
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
LLONA
KAESTYLE
TAVES
ZERRYDL
BEST RAP SINGLE
CAST – ODUMODUBLVCK FEAT SHALLIPOPI
BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR – ODUMODUBLVCK FEAT BLOODY CIVILIAN & WALE –
HALLELUJAH – LADIPOE, ROZZZ & MORRELO
CANADA – MAGNITO
IJE NWOKE – JERIQ
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)
AYRA STARR – LAST HEARTBREAK SONG
NINIOLA – LEVEL
SIMI – STRANGER
LIYA – I’M DONE
TOMORROW – YEMI ALADE
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
CHARM – (REMA X PERLIKS X FOLARIN OLUDARE)
METAVERSE – (JYDE AJALA)
LIKE ICE SPICE – (PERLIKS & EMEKA SHINE SHINE)
OJAPIANO – (MATTMAX)
EGWU – (DIRECTOR PINK)
SHOWA – (TG OMORI)
NA MONEY – (DAMMY TWITCH)
BEST COLLABORATION
EMOTIONS – TIWA SAVAGE FEAT. ASA
BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR – ODUMODUBLVCK, BLOODY CIVILIAN, AND WALE
CAST – SHALLIPOPI FT ODUMODUBLVCK
EGWU – CHIKE & MOHBAD
OLE – QING MADI & BNXN
TWE TWE REMIX – KIZZ DANIEL & DAVIDO
IDK – WIZKID FT. ZLATAN
BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTE
SEYI VIBEZ – “DIFFERENT PATTERNS”
AYO MAFF – DEALER (FT. FIREBOY DML)
SHALLIPOPI – CAST (FT. ODUMODUBLVCK)
ZHUS JDO – JOHNBULL
MOHBAD – ASK ABOUT ME
AFROBEATS SINGLE OF THE YEAR
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 ROLL
MOGADISHU – A-Q
CHOCOLATE CITY CYPHER – M.I ABAGA
CHOCOLATE CITY CYPHER – BLAQBONEZ
HALLELUJAH – LADIPOE
EFELEME – ALPHA OJINI
BEST INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE ARE
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
VIEWERS CHOICE AWARDS
BIG BIG THINGS – YOUNG JONN FT. KIZZ DANIEL AND SEYI VIBEZ
OGECHI REMIX – HYCE, BOYPEE, AND BROWN JOEL FT. DAVIDO
EGWU – CHIKE & MOHBAD
OZEBA – REMA
DIFFERENT PATTERN – SEYI VIBEZ
SHOWA – KIZZ DANIEL
LOVE ME JEJE – TEMS
CAST – SHALLIPOPI FT. ODUMODUBLVCK
DEALER – FLAVOUR FT. FIREBOY
BIG BALLER – FLAVOUR
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 (EYGPT)
BEST SOUTHERN AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
TITOM (SOUTH AFRICA)
YUPPE (SOUTH AFRICA)
TYLA (SOUTH AFRICA)
KELLY KAY (MALAWI)
PLUTONIO (MOZAMBIQUE)
ZEE NXUMALO (SOUTH AFRICA)