This year’s Headies Awards, themed “Back to Base”, marked a significant return to Nigerian soil after recent editions were held abroad.
By Abioye Damilare Samson
Nigerian artistes, Rema, Davido, Tems, Odumodublvck, and others were among the big winners at the 17th edition of the Headies Awards, held at the Landmark Event Centre in Victoria Island on Sunday, April 27.
This year’s edition, themed “Back to Base”, marked a significant return to Nigerian soil after recent editions were held abroad. The event focused on celebrating the outstanding achievements in Nigerian music that would have been honored in 2024, a year in which the awards were not held.
Rema took home the Afrobeats Album of the Year award for his genre-defying sophomore album, HEIS. Tems’ hit single soul-stirring “Burning” won Best Recording of the Year in a competitive category, besting tracks like Seyi Vibez’s “Different Pattern”, Burna Boy’s “Higher”, Ayra Starr & Giveon’s “Last Heartbreak Song”, and Sarz & Lojay’s “Billions”.
Afro-Pop superstar, Davido, also emerged as the Best Digital Artiste of the Year, while Zerry DL claimed the Rookie of the Year award. The most anticipated award of the night, the Next Rated category, was won by rapper and singer, Odumodublvck.
The Headies, an annual award recognising exceptional achievements in the Nigerian music industry, was hosted by Nigerian actress and media personality, Nancy Isime, alongside influencer, Enioluwa Adeoluwa. The evening was filled with electrifying performances from Odumodublvck, Kcee, Flavour, Nasboi, and many others.
The ceremony was broadcast live on HipTV, reaching viewers across Nigeria, as it celebrated the vibrant and diverse talents of the Nigerian music scene.
Here’s the full list of winners announced at the 17th Headies Awards:
Rookie of the Year
Zerry DL — Winner
Taves
Kaestyle
Llona
Soundtrack of the Year
“Tribe Called Judah Soundtrack” – TCJ and Abbey Wonder (A Tribe Called Judah Soundtrack) — Winner
“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)
International Artiste of the Year
Travis Scott – “Active” (Asake) — Winner
Wale – “Blood On The dance Floor” (OdumoduBlvck)
Skepta – “Tony Montana” (ft. Portable)
Chris Brown – “Hmm” (ft. Davido)
Chloe Bailey – “Vision (Remix)” (Qing Madi)
Best Street-Hop Artiste
“Ask About Me” – Mohbad — Winner
“Different Patterns” – Seyi Vibez
“Dealer” – Ayo Maff (ft. Fireboy DML)
“Cast” – Shallipopi (ft. Odumodublvck)
“Johnbull” – Zhus Jdo
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) — Winner
“Blood On the Dance Floor” – OdumoduBlvck (ft. Bloody Civilian and Wale)
“Hallelujah” – Ladipoe (ft. Rozzz and Morello)
“Canada” – Magnito
“Ije Nwoke” – Jeriq
Best Rap Album
Family Time – Erigga — Winner
Sideh Kai – iLLBliss
Eziokwu – Odumodublvck
Alaye Toh Se Gogo Vol. 1 – Reminisce
Shine Object Syndrome – Modenine
Best Recording of the Year
“Burning” – Tems — Winner
“Different Patterns” – Seyi Vibez
“Higher” – Burna Boy
“Last Heartbreak Song” – Ayra Starr and Giveon
“Billions” – Sarz and Lojay
Best Vocal Performance (Male)
“Billions” – Lojay — Winner
“Moving” – Omah Lay
“Gratitude” – Anendlessocean
“For You” – Johnny Drille
“Ke Na Ke So” – Timi Dakolo
Best Vocal Performance (Female)
“I’m Done” – Liya — Winner
“Last Song Heartbreak” – Ayra Starr
“Level” – Niniola
“Stranger” – Simi
“Tomorrow” – Yemi Alade
Special Recognition Award Recipients
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State
Alex Okosi
Amaju Pinnick
Kcee
Lyrics on the Roll
“Efeleme” – Alpha Ojini
“Mogadishu” – A-Q
“Chocolate City Cypher” – M.I Abaga
“Chocolate City Cypher” – Blaqbonez
“Hallelujah” – Ladipoe
Best Performer (LIVE)
Burna Boy — Winner
Rema
Omah Lay
Flavour
Wizard Chan
Femi Kuti & The Positive Force
Songwriter of the Year
“Vision” – Chimamanda Pearl Chukwuma (Qing Madi) — Winner
“Stranger” – Simisola Kosoko (Simi)
“Can’t Breathe” – Michael Ajuma Attah (Llona)
“Family Meeting” – Emoseh Khamofu (Bloody Civilian)
“Stages of Life” – Fuayefika Maxwell (Wizard Chan)
Humanitarian Award Recipients
Temitola Adekunle Johnson
Michelle Mukoro (King Mitchy)
Producer of the Year
“OZEBA” – London — Winner
“Happiness” – Sarz
“Basquiat” – Magicsticks
“HEHEHE” – Rema, Producer X, Cubeatz, Deatz, and Klimperboy
“Different Patterns” – Dibs
Afrobeats Album of the Year
HEIS – Rema — Winner
Stubborn – Victony
Work of Art – Asake
The Year I Turned 21 – Ayra Starr
Jiggy Forever – Young Jonn
Music Video of the Year
“EGWU” – Director Pink — Winner
“Charm” – Rema, Perliks, and Folarin Oludare
“Metaverse” – Jyde Ajala
“Like Ice Spice” – Perliks and Emeka Shine Shine
“Ojapiano” – Mattmax
“Showa” – TG Omori
“Na Money” – Dammy Twitch
Afrobeats Single of the Year
“Big Baller” – Flavour — Winner
“Big Big Things” – Young Jonn (feat. Kizz Daniel and Seyi Vibez)
“Twe Twe Remix” – Kizz Daniel
“Egwu” – Chike (feat. Mohbad)
“Remember” – Asake
“Ogechi Remix” – Hyce, Boypee, and Brown Joel (feat. Davido)
Song of the Year
“Lonely At The Top – Asake — Winner
“Showa” – Kizz Daniel
“Commas” – Ayra Starr
“Egwu” – Chike ft. Mohbad
“Ozeba” – Rema
“Big Baller” – Flavour
Best Collaboration
“Egwu” – Chike (ft. Mohbad) — Winner
“Emotions” – Tiwa Savage (ft. Asa)
“Blood On the Dance Floor” – OdumoduBlvck (ft. Bloody Civilian and Wale)
“Cast” – Shallipopi (ft. OdumoduBlvck)
“Ole” – Qing Madi (ft. BNXN)
“Twe Twe (Remix)” – Kizz Daniel (ft. Davido)
“IDK” – Wizkid (ft. Zlatan)
Headies’ Viewers’ Choice
“Egwu” – Chike & Mohbad — Winner
“Big Baller” – Flavour
“Big Big Things” – Young Jonn (feat. Kizz Daniel and Seyi Vibez)
“Ogechi Remix” – Hyce, Boypee, and Brown Joel (feat. Davido)
“Showa” – Kizz Daniel
“Different Pattern” – Seyi Vibez
“OZEBA” – Rema
“Love Me Jeje” – Tems
“Cast” – Shallipopi (feat. Odumodublvck)
“Dealer” – Ayo Maff (feat. Fireboy DML)
Headies Next Rated
Odumodublvck — Winner
Qing Madi
Shallipopi
Ayo Maff
Nasboi
Best Inspirational Single
“You Do This One” – Mercy Chinwo — Winner
“Gratitude” – Anendlessocean
“Worthy of My Praise” – Dunsin Oyekan ft. Lawrence Oyor
“Good God” – Limoblaze ft. Naomi Raine
“Particularly” – 2Gaise Baba ft. Tope Alabi
Best Digital Artiste of the Year
Davido — Winner
Ayra Starr
Rema
Shallipopi
Tems
Kizz Daniel
Asake
Best Southern African Artiste of the Year
TitoM (South Africa) — Winner
Yuppe (South Africa)
Tyla (South Africa)
Kelly Kay (Malawi)
Plutonio (Mozambique)
Zee Nxumalo (South Africa)
Best North African Artiste of the Year
Soolking (Algeria) — Winner
Mohamed Ramadan (Egypt)
ElGrandeToto (Morocco)
Balti (Tunisia)
Abu (Egypt)
Best East African Artiste of the Year
Juma Jux (Tanzania) — Winner
Bien (Kenya)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)
Azawi (Uganda)
Best West African Artiste of the Year
Himra (Ivory Coast) — Winner
Black Sherif (Ghana)
King Promise (Ghana)
Josey (Ivory Coast)
Toofan (Togo)
Best Central African Artiste of the Year
Innoss’B (DRC) — Winner
Gaz Mawete (DRC)
Emma’ a (Gabon)
Eboloko (Gabon)
Singuila (Central African Republic)
Kocee (Cameroon)