The 17th Headies Awards nominations have been unveiled, and Ayra Starr has emerged as the top contender with an impressive eight nominations.
She is nominated in categories, including Best Recording of the Year, Best Female Vocal Performance, and Best R&B Single, amongst others.
Following closely behind Ayra Starr are REMA with seven nominations and Tems with six.
The Headies Awards, which celebrate excellence in Nigerian and African music, cover the year in review from April 1, 2023, to July 31, 2024.
This year’s awards feature over 31 categories, including two new categories: ‘Soundtrack of the Year’ and ‘Best Performer Live’.
The ‘Soundtrack of the Year’ category recognizes a song written and composed originally for use in a motion picture or series, while the ‘Best Performer Live’ category honours the artiste with the most outstanding live performance, as captured in a recorded and officially released video.
The 17th Headies Awards will take place on April 5, 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria, under the theme “Back to Base”.
The full list of nominees are.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
ZERRY DL
TAVES
KAESTYLES
LLONA
BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR
TEMS – BURNING
DIFFERENT PATTERN – SEYI VIBEZ*
HIGHER – BURNA BOY
LAST HEARTBREAK SONG – AYRA STARR & GIVEON
BILLIONS – SARZ FEATURING LOJAY
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
SARZ – HAPPINESS
LONDON – OZEBA
MAGICSTICK – BASQUIAT
REMA/PRODUCER X/CUBEATZ/DEATZ/KILMBERBOY – 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
BEST RAP SINGLE
CAST FEAT ODUMODUBLVCK – SHALLIPOPPI
BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR FEAT BLOODY CIVILIAN & WALE – ODUMODUBLVCK
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
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE)
LOJAY – BILLIONS
OMAH LAY – MOVING
ANENDLESSOCEAN – GRATITUDE
JOHNNY DRILLE – FOR YOU
TIMI DAKOLO – KE NA KE SO
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
CHARM – REMA (REMA X PERLIKS X FOLARIN OLUDARE)
METAVERSE – OLAMIDE (JYDE AJALA)
LIKE ICE SPICE – BLAQBONEZ (PERLIKS & EMEKA SHINE SHINE)
OJAPIANO – KCEE (MATTMAX)
EGWU – CHIKE & MOHBAD (DIRECTOR PINK)
SHOWA – KIZZ DANIEL (TG OMORI)
NA MONEY – DAVIDO FT. CAVEMEN, ANGELIQUE KIDJO (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 AND MOBAHD
OLE – QING MADI AND BNXN
TWE TWE REMIX – KIZZ DANIEL AND DAVIDO
IDK – WIZKID FT. ZLATAN
BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTE
SEYI VIBEZ – “DIFFERENT PATTERNS”
AYO MAFF – DEALER (FT. FIREBOY DL)
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
AFROBEATS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
STUBBORN – VICTONY
WORK OF ART – ASAKE
THE YEAR I TURN 21 – AYRA STARR
HEIS – REMA
JIGGY FOREVER – YOUNG JONN
HEADIES’ VIEWERS’ CHOICE
BIG BIG THINGS FT. KIZZ DANIEL AND SEYI VIBEZ – YOUNG JONN
OGECHI REMIX FT. DAVIDO – HYCE, BOYPEE, AND BROWN JOEL
EGWU – CHIKE & MOHBAD
SHOWA – KIZZ DANIEL
DIFFERENT PATTERN – SEYI VIBEZ
OZEBA – REMA
LOVE ME JEJE – TEMS
CAST FT. ODUMODUBLVCK – SHALLIPOPI
DEALER FT. FIREBOY DML – AYO MAFF
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)
BEST CENTRAL AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
INNOSS’B (DRC)
GAZ MAWETE (DRC)
EMMA’A (GABON)
EBOLOKO (GABON)
SINGUILA. (CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC)
KOCEE (CAMEROUN)
BEST RAP ALBUM
SIDEH KAI – ILLBLISS
EZIOKWU – ODUMODUBLVCK
ALAYE TOH SE GOGO VOL. 1 – REMINISCE
FAMILY TIME – ERIGGA
SHINY OBJECT SYNDROME – MODENINE
FULL TIME JOB – PHYNO
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
BORN IN THE WILD – TEMS
HEIS – REMA
THE YEAR I TURNED 21 – AYRA STARR
STUBBORN – VICTONY
WORK OF ART – ASAKE
SONG OF THE YEAR
SHOWA – KIZZ DANIEL
COMMAS – AYRA STARR
EGWU – CHIKE AND MOHBAD
LONELY AT THE TOP – ASAKE
OZEBA – REMA
BIG BALLER – FLAVOUR
ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
BURNA BOY
FLAVOUR
KIZZ DANIEL
DAVIDO
AYRA STARR
ASAKE
REMA
NEXT RATED
QING MADI
SHALLIPOPI
ODUMODUBLVCK
AYO MAFF
NASBOI
LYRICIST ON THE ROLL
MOGADISHU – A-Q
CHOCOLATE CITY CYPHER – M.I ABAGA
CHOCOLATE CITY CYPHER – BLAQBONEZ
HALLELUJAH – LADIPOE
EFELEME – ALPHA OJINI
INTERNATIONAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
WALE
SKEPTA
CHRIS BROWN
TRAVIS SCOTT
CHLOE BAILEY
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
DIGITAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
AYRA STARR
REMA
SHALLIPOPI
TEMS
DAVIDO
KIZZ DANIEL
ASAKE
BEST PERFORMER (LIVE)
REMA – RAVAGE UPRISING: REMA LIVE FROM THE O2, LONDON
OMAH LAY – LIVE AT L’OLYMPIA PARIS
FLAVOUR – CELEBRATING YOU 2023
WIZARD CHAN – LIVE IN CONCERT PORT HARCOURT
BURNA BOY – AFRICAN GIANT LIVE FROM LONDON
FEMI KUTI & THE POSITIVE FORCE – NUITS DE FOURVIÈRE (ARTE CONCERT)
SOUNDTRACK OF THE YEAR
ELEDUMARE – TELEDALESE (ANIKULAPO: RISE OF THE SPECTRE)
LOSE TO GAIN – KALINE (BREATH OF LIFE)
KILL BORO – NATIVE FILMWORKS & WIZARD CHAN (KILL BORO)
ORISA – BERIOLA (ORISA)
EMOTIONS – TIWA SAVAGE & ASA (WATER AND GARRI)
TRIBE CALLED JUDAH SOUNDTRACK – TCJ & ABBEY WONDER (A TRIBE CALLED JUDAH)
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
KINGSLEY CHINWEIKE OKONKWO a.k.a KCEE
