The Headies 2023

The Headies 2023 was the 16th edition of Nigerian music awards The Headies. It was held at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, United States on 3 September 2023. Hosted by Osas Ighodaro & Terrence J.^[1] The ceremony was to be aired live on HipTV. Burna Boy lead nominations with ten,^[2] Asake with eight, Rema, Omah Lay, Victony, Simi, Kizz Daniel, and Pheelz received five each.^[2] While Oxlade received four,^[2] and Ruger with three.^[2] Rema, and Burna Boy received three awards each.^[3]

The 16th Headies
Date	3 September 2023
Location	Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia
Hosted by	Osas Ighodaro & Terrence J
Most awards	Rema (3) & Burna Boy (3)
Most nominations	Burna Boy (10)
Website	theheadies.com
Television/radio coverage
Network	HipTV
← 2022 · The Headies · 2024 →

Background

On 1 June 2023, the executive held a stakeholder brunch in Nigeria.^[4] On 11 July 2023, the organizers announced the Rookie category of the year, being the first batch of nominees unveiled.^[5] On 12 July 2023, the remain categories was released to the public on its website.^[2] On 28 July 2023, the United States Consulate Lagos, hosted a reception in honour of the award.^[6][7]

Performers

On 16 August 2023, the organizers confirmed the following acts to perform at the event.^[8]

• Rema
• Asake
• Ayra Starr
• Johnny Drille
• Fireboy DML
• Seyi Vibez
• Wande Coal
• Kcee
• Oxlade
• Victony
• Spyro
• Blaqbonez

Winners and nominees

Below list are nominees and winners.^[2] winners are listed first in bold.^[9]

Afrobeats Single of the Year	Best Recording 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	"Soweto" – Victony "Alone" - Burna Boy "Stand Strong" - Davido "No Woman No Cry" - Tems "I'm a Mess" - Omah Lay "Ku Lo Sa - Oxlade
Producer of the Year	Songwriter of the Year
Magicsticks – "Sungba (remix)" (Asake Ft. Burna Boy) Pheelz - "Electricity" - (Pheelz) Andre Vibez & London - "Calm Down" (Rema) Tempoe - "Soweto" (Victony Ft. Tempoe) Kel-P - "Kpe Paso" (Wande Coal) Rexxie - "Abracadabra" (Rexxie Ft. Naira Marley & Skiibi)	Simi, Fave, Adekunle Gold, Blaise Beatz – "Loyal" Bnxn - "In My Mind" Wizard Chan - "Earth Song" Omah Lay, Niphkeys - "I'm a Mess" Rihanna, Tems, Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson - "Lift Me Up" Omah Lay - I'm a Mess Burna Boy,Tay Iwar, Ludwig Göransson, P.Priime - "Alone"
Best R&B Single	Best Rap Single
"For My Hand" – Burna Boy ft. Ed Sheeran "mmadu" - CKay "Red Wine" - Preyé "Loyal" - Simi Ft. Fave "Just 4 U" - Dami Oniru "Hard to Find" - Chike	"Declan Rice" – Odumodublvck "Hustle" - Reminisce Ft. D Smoke & Bnxn "Big Energy" - Ladipoe "Back in Uni" - Blaqbonez "Bando Diaries" - PsychoYP Ft. Odumodublvck "My Bro" - Jeriq Ft. Phyno
Best Alternative Song	Best Street-Hop Artist
"Tinko Tinko (Don't Play Me for a Fool)" - Obongjayar "Earth Song" - Wizard Chan "Final Champion" - Cruel Santino "The Traveller" - Basketmouth Ft. The Cavemen. & Kwabena Kwabena "In a Loop" - BOJ Ft. Mellissa "Game Changer (Dike)" - Flavour	Seyi Vibez - "Chance (Na Ham)" Rexxie, Naira Marley & Skiibii – "Abracadabra" Asake – "Joha" Zlatan - "Astalavista" Poco Lee – "Otilo (Izz Gone)" MohBad – "Peace"
Best Vocal Performance (Male)	Best Vocal Performance (Female)
"Kpe Paso" - Wande Coal "Ku Lo Sa" - Oxlade "My Only Baby" - Ric Hassani "Love Don't Cost a Dime" - Magixx "Spell (remix)" - Chike "Reckless" - Praiz	"In Between" - Waje "Loyal" - Simi "Memories" - Niniola "Adua (remix)" - Liya "Red Wine" - Preye Itams "Just 4 U" - Dami Oniru
Best Music Video	Best Collaboration
Director K - "Calm Down (remix)" (Rema & Selena Gomez) Blaqbonez, Perliks - "Back in Uni" (Blaqbonez) TG Omori - "Peace Be Unto You (PBUY)" (Asake) Director Pink - "Spell (Remix)" (Chike & Oxlade) Director K - "Common Person" (Burna Boy) TG Omori - "Bandana" (Asake & Fireboy DML)	"Who’s Your Guy (remix)" - Spyro Ft. Tiwa Savage "Sungba (remix) - Asake Ft. Burna Boy "Gwagwalada" - Bnxn Ft. Kizz Daniel & Seyi Vibez  "Finesse" - Pheelz Ft. Bnxn  "Electricity" - Pheelz Ft. Davido "Kpe Paso" - Wande Coal Ft. Olamide
Rookie of the Year	Next Rated
Odumodublvck Bloody Civilian Guchi Bayanni Eltee Skhillz Khaid	Asake Young Jonn Seyi Vibez Victony Spyro
Digital Artist of the Year	International Artist of the Year
Rema Burna Boy Ayra Starr Omah Lay Kizz Daniel Asake	Selena Gomez Drake Future Don Toliver Ed Sheeran
Best Male Artist	Best Female Artist
Rema Asake Kizz Daniel Ruger Omah Lay Burna Boy	Ayra Starr Tems Simi Tiwa Savage
Best West African Artist of the Year	Best East African Artist of the Year
Black Sherif (Ghana) Gyakie (Ghana) The Therapist (Sierra Leonean) Camidoh (Ghana)	Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania) Zuchu (Tanzania) Rayvanny (Tanzania) Eddy Kenzo (Uganda) Hewan Gebrewold (Ethiopian)
Best North African Artist of the Year	Best Southern African Artist of the Year
ElGrandeToto ( Morocco) Marwa Loud (Morocco) Wegz (Egypt) Soolking (Algeria)	Focalistic (South Africa) AKA (South Africa) Nasty C (South Africa) Costa Titch (South Africa) Uncle Waffles (South Africa) DJ Tarico (Mozambique)
Best Central African Artist of the Year	African Artist of the Year
Libianca (Cameroon) Fally Ipupa (DRC) Gaz Mawete (DRC) Matias Damasio (Angola) Emma’a (Gabon)	Rema (Nigeria) Burna Boy (Nigeria) Marwa Loud (Morocco) Black Sherif (Ghana) Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Best R&B Album	Best Alternative Album
The Brother’s Keeper - Chike Home - Johnny Drille Reckless - Praiz Waje 2.0 - Waje Matter of Time - Dami Oniru To Be Honest - Simi	Gbagada Express - BOJ Horoscopes - Basketmouth 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	Album of the Year
Young Preacher - Blaqbonez Fly Talk Only - Payper Corleone Palmwine Music Vol 3 - Show Dem Camp YPSZN 3 - PsychoYP Teslìm: The Energy Still Lives in Me - Vector Billion Dollar Dream - Jeriq	Mr. Money with the Vibe - Asake Love, Damini - Burna Boy Rave & Roses - Rema Boy Alone - Omah Lay Outlaw - Victony Timeless by Davido
Headies' Viewer's Choice	Song of the Year
Victony & Tempoe – "Soweto" Ruger – "Asiwaju" Fireboy DML & Asake – "Bandana" Ayra Starr – "Rush" Asake – "Terminator" Mavins – "Overloading" Crayon – "Ijo (Laba Laba)" Oxlade – "Ku Lo Sa" Kizz Daniel & Tekno – "Buga" Pheelz & Davido – "Electricity"	"Last Last" - Burna Boy "Calm Down" - Rema "Ku Lo Sa" - Oxlade "Buga" - Kizz Daniel & Tekno "Finesse" - Pheelz Ft. Bnxn "Sungba (remix)" - Asake Ft. Burna Boy
Best Inspirational Single	Lyricist on the Roll
"Eze Ebube" - Neon Adejo "Stand Strong" - Davido Ft. Sunday Service Choir "Jireh (My Provider)" - Limoblaze, Lecrae & Happi Music "This Year" - Victor Thompson & Ehis D Greatest "Tobechukwu" - Nathaniel Bassey & Mercy Chinwo "I Get Backing" – Victoria Orenze	Payper Corleone - "Fly Talk Only" Ladipoe - "Clowns" Vector - "Clowns" Alpha Ojini - "Vigilante Bop" A-Q - "Family First" Tec - "Live Life"
International Artist Recognition	Hall of Fame
Sean Combs	Youssou N'Dour
Special Recognition
Sound Sultan

References

1. Headies, The (30 August 2023). "Meet The 16th Headies Host". The Headies. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
2. Grein, Paul (28 August 2023). "Burna Boy Leads in 2023 Headies Awards Nominations: Full List (Exclusive)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
3. Grein, Paul (4 September 2023). "Rema, Burna Boy Top 2023 Headies Awards: Full Winners List". Billboard. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
4. Headies, The (1 June 2023). "HIGHLIGHT OF THE 16TH HEADIES STAKE HOLDERS BRUNCH - The Headies". Retrieved 7 September 2023.
5. Ogunbodede, Ewaoluwa. "16th Headies: OdumoduBlvck, Bayanni, Eltee Skhillz, Others Nominated For Rookie Of The Year". Channels TV. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
6. Headies, The (31 July 2023). "United States Consul General Host Reception In Honor Of The Headies". The Headies. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
7. "Consul General lauds growing US-Nigeria pact in creative industry". Businessday NG. 4 August 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
8. "Headies confirm musical performers for 2023 edition". Music In Africa. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
9. Olabode, Taiwo. "2023 Headies Awards: Complete List of Winners". TurnTable. Retrieved 7 September 2023.