The nominees for the 2023 Headies were unveiled on Tuesday ahead of the main ceremony later this year. 


Afrobeats star Burna Boy is the most nominated act this year. Photo: Instagram
Established by Hip Hop World Magazine in 2006, the Headies are Nigeria’s top music awards honouring outstanding feats at home and across Africa. 

This year’s awards will reward works released between January 2022 and March 2023. Among the most nominated acts at the upcoming ceremony are Burna Boy with 10, Asake with nine and Pheelz and Bnxn with six each. Last year’s big winner Wizkid is absent from the 2023 list. 

Below are the nominees: 

Best Recording of the Year

‘Alone’ by Burna Boy
‘Soweto’ by Victony and Tempoe
‘I’m a Mess’ by Omah Lay
‘Ku Lo Sa’ by Oxlade
‘Stand Strong’ by Davido
‘No Woman, No Cry’ by 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’ by Simi
‘I’m a Mess’ by Omah Lay
‘Lift Me Up’ by Tems
‘Alone’ by Burna Boy
‘In My Mind’ by BNXN fka Buju
‘Earth Song’ by Wizard Chan

Best R&B Single

‘For My Hand’ by Bruna Boy ft. ED Sheeran
‘Mmadu’ by CKay
‘Just 4 u’ by Dami Oniru
‘Red Wine’ By Preye
‘Hard to Find’ by Chike ft. Flavour
‘Loyal’ by Simi ft. Fave

Best Rap Single

‘Hustle’ by Reminisce ft. BNXN
‘Big Energy’ by Ladi Poe
‘Back in Uni’ by Blaq Bonez
‘Bando Diaries’ by Psycho YP ft. Odumodublvck
‘Declan Rice’ by Odumodublvck
‘My Bro’ by 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’ by Wizard Chan
‘Final Champion’ by Cruel Santino
‘The Traveller’ by Basketmouth and The Cavemen
‘In a Loop’ By BOJ ft. Mellissa
‘Game Changer’ by Flavour
‘Tinko Tinko’ by Obongjayar

Best Music Video

‘Back in Uni’ by Blaq Bonez Perliks
‘PBUY’ by TG Omori
‘Spell (Remix)’ by Director Pink
‘Common Person’ By Director K
‘Bandana’ by TG Omori
‘Calm Down (Remix)’ by Director K

Best Collaboration

‘Sungba Remix’ by Asake ft. Burna Boy
‘Gwagwalada’ by Bnxn ft. Kizz Daniel & Seyi Vibez 
‘Finesse’ by Pheelz ft. Bnxn 
‘Who’s Your Guy Remix’ by Spyro ft. Tiwa Savage 
‘Electricity’ By Pheelz ft. Davido
‘Kpe Paso’ By Wande Coal ft. Olamide 

Best Street-Hop Artist

Rexxie ft. Naira Marley & Skiibii – ‘Abracadabra’
Seyi Vibez  –  ‘Chance’
Asake  –  ‘Joha’
Zlatan ft. Young Jonn –  ‘Astalavista’
Poco Lee & Hotkid  – ‘Otilo’
Mohbad – ‘Peace’

Digital Artist of the Year

Burna Boy
Ayra Starr 
Rema
Omah Lay
Kizz Daniel
Asake 

International Artist of the Year

Drake 
Future 
Selena Gomez 
Don Toliver
Ed Sheeran 

Afrobeats Single of the Year

‘Last Last’ by Burna Boy
‘Rush’ by Ayra Starr
‘Buga’ by Kizz Daniel & Tekno
‘Finesse’ by Pheelz ft. Bnxn
‘Who’s Your Guy?’ by Spyro
‘Asiwaju’ by Ruger

Headies’ Viewers’ Choice

Ruger – ‘Asiwaju’
Victony & Tempoe – ‘Soweto’
Fireboy DML & Asake – ‘Bandana’
Ayra Star – ‘Rush’
Asake – Terminator’
Mavins – ‘Overloading’
Crayon – ‘Ijo (Laba Laba)’
Oxlade – ‘Ku Lo Sa’
Kizz Daniel & Tekno  – ‘Buga’
Pheelz & Davido  – ‘Electricity’

Best West African Artist of the Year

Gyakie (Ghana)
Black Sherif (Ghana)
The Therapist (Liberia)
Camidoh (Ghana)

Best East African Artist of the Year

Zuchu
Diamond Platinumz
Rayvanny
Eddy Kenzo
Hewan Gebreworld

Best North African Artist of the Year

Marwa Loud  (Morocco)
Wegz  (Egypt)
El Grande Toto  ( Morocco)
Soolking  ( Algeria)

Best Southern African Artist 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 Artist of the Year

Fally Ipupa  (DRC)
Gaz Mawete  (DRC)
Matias Damasio  (Angola)
Emma’a  ( Gabon)
Libianca  (Cameroon)

African Artist of the Year

Rema (Nigeria)
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Marwa Loud (Morocco) 
Black Sherif (Ghana) 
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Best R&B Album

Home  by Johnny Drille
The Brother’s Keeper  by Chike
Reckless  by Praiz
Waje 2.0  by Waje
Matter of Time  by  Dami Oniru
To Be Honest by Simi
Best Alternative Album

Horoscopes  by  Basketmouth
Gbagada Express  by BOJ
Some Nights I Dream Of Doors  by  Obongjayar
Subaru Boys: Final Heaven  by Cruel Santino
Heart Of The Heavenly Undeniable  by Omadina
Native World  by Native Sound System
Best Rap Album

Fly Talk Only  by  Payper Corleone
Palmwine Music Vol 3  by Show Dem Camp
Young Preacher  by  Blaqbonez
YP SZN 3  by Psycho YP
Teslim: The Energy Still Lives In Me  by Vector
Billion Dollar Dream  by Jeriq
Lyricist on the Roll

Ladipoe 
Vector
Payper Corleone
Alpha Ojini 
A-Q 
TEC (SDC) 
Best Inspirational Single

‘Stand Strong’ by Davido ft. Sunday Service Choir
‘Jireh (My Provider)’ by Limoblaze, Lecrae & Happi Music
‘This Year’ by Victor Thompson & Ehis D’ Greatest
‘Eze Ebube’ by Neon Adejo
‘Tobechukwu’ by Nathaniel Bassey & Mercy Chinwo
‘I Get Backing’ – Victoria Orenze
Album of the Year

Love, Damini  by Burna Boy
Mr Money With The Vibe  by Asake
Rave & Roses  by Rema
Boy Alone  by Omah Lay
Outlaw  by Victony
Timeless  by  Davido
Song of the Year

‘Calm Down’  by Rema
‘Last Last’  by  Burna Boy
‘Ku Lo Sa’  by  Oxlade
‘Buga’  by  Kizz Daniel & Tekno
‘Finesse’ by Pheelz ft. Bnxn
‘Sungba Remix’  by  Asake ft. Burna Boy
Best Female Artist

Tems
Simi
Ayra Starr
Tiwa Savage
Best Male Artist

Asake
Rema
Kizz Daniel
Ruger
Omah Lay
Burna Boy
Next Rated

Young Jonn
Seyi Vibez
Asake
Victony
Spyro
International Artist Recognition

Sean ‘Love’ Combs
Hall of Fame 

Youssou N'Dour
Special Recognition

Sound Sultan