Exclusive: 12th Headies Awards 2018 Nominees | See Full List

The organizers of the prestigious Headies Award just announced the nominees for the 12th Edition. The Award will hold on the 5th of May, 2018 at
Eko Hotel & Suites while the Nominees party will hold in Abuja on April 28th, 2018.
YEAR IN REVIEW
(JULY 2016 – DECEMBER 2017)
BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR

A NON-VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE BEST RECORDING (THAT MEETS THE JUDGES REQUIREMENTS OF EXCELLENCE; SONGWRITING, PRODUCTION, RENDITION) BY AN ARTISTE OR GROUP IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

1•BUTTERFLIES – OMAWUMI
2•HALLELUYAH – FUNBI
3•PONMILE – REMINISCE
4•HEAVEN – BANKY W
5•JOROMI – SIMI

BEST POP SINGLE

A CATEGORY FOR THE BEST POP SINGLE IN YEAR UNDER REVIEW (BY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP).

1•MAD OVER YOU – RUNTOWN
2•ALL OVER – TIWA SAVAGE
3•YEBA – KISS DANIEL
4•ISKABA – WANDE COAL AND DJ TUNEZ
5•IF – DAVIDO
6•FIA – DAVIDO

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
AN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE FOR PRODUCING THE MOST ACCLAIMED SONG OR ALBUM IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

1•(FALL, MAMA) KIDOMINANT
2•(ISKABA, MALO) SPELLZ
3•(IF, RARA) TEKNO
4•(MARADONA, COME CLOSER) SARZ
5•(YAWA, VIRTUOUS WOMAN) MASTERKRAFT

BEST REGGAE/DANCEHALL SINGLE
A CATEGORY FOR THE BEST REGGAE/DANCEHALL SINGLE IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW (BY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP).

1•LOVE YOU DIE – PATORANKING FT. 2•DIAMOND PLATNUMZ
3•DANCE – TIMAYA FT. RUDEBOY
4•HOLY HOLY – 2BABA
5•ROCK YOUR BODY – BURNA BOY
6•COME CLOSER – WIZKID
7•SOFA – KISS DANIEL

BEST RAP ALBUM
A NON-VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE BEST ALBUM BY A RAP ARTISTE OR GROUP IN YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

1•27 – FALZ
2•TRIP TO THE SOUTH – ERIGGA
3•EL HADJ – REMINISCE
4•THE PLAYMAKER – PHYNO
5•THE GLORY – OLAMIDE
6•ROSE – AQ

BEST R&B/POP ALBUM
A CATEGORY FOR THE BEST R&B/POP ALBUM IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW (BY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP).

SOUNDS FROM THE OTHER SIDE – WIZKID
TIMELESS – OMAWUMI
SIMISOLA – SIMI
GOLD – ADEKUNLE GOLD
IJELE THE TRAVELER – FLAVOR
THIS IS ME – NINIOLA
BEST MUSIC VIDEO

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE BEST CONCEPTUALIST, BEST DIRECTED AND MOST EXCITING VIDEO IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW. THIS AWARD GOES TO THE VIDEO DIRECTOR.

MA LO – TIWA SAVAGE FT. WIZKID (MEJI ALABI)
FOCUS – HUMBLE SMITH (CLARENCE PETERS)
COME CLOSER – WIZKID (DAPS)
BEEN CALLING – MALEEK BERRY (MEJI ALABI)
YOLO – SEYI SHAY (MEJI ALABI)
LIKE DAT – DAVIDO (DAPS)
BEST R&B SINGLE

A CATEGORY FOR THE BEST R&B SINGLE IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW (BY A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP).

TONIGHT – NONSO AMADI
FOLASHADE – PRAIZ
LET ME KNOW – MALEEK BERRY
ROMEO & JULIET – JOHHNY DRILLE
LOVE YOU BABY – BANKY W
SMILE FOR ME – SIMI
BEST COLLABO

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE BEST R&B, POP OR HIP-HOP COLLABORATIVE TRACK (INCLUDING CAMEOS).

MA LO – TIWA SAVAGE FT. WIZKID
TEMPER REMIX – SKALES FT. BURNA BOY
JUICE – YCEE FT. MALEEK BERRY
NO FORGET – ADEKUNLE GOLD FT. SIMI
COME CLOSER – WIZKID FT. DRAKE
BEST RAP SINGLE

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR A SINGLE (RELEASED ON-AIR) RECORDING OF A RAP SONG.

YOU RAPPERS SHOULD FIX UP YOUR LIVES – MI
SOMETHING LIGHT – FALZ FT. YCEE
LINK UP – PHYNO FT. BURNA BOY, M.I.
UP TO YOU – SHOW DEM CAMP FT. FUNBI
ME VERSUS ME – ICE PRINCE

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE(MALE)
A NON-VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE SINGLE MALE ARTISTE WITH THE MOST OUTSTANDING VOCAL PERFORMANCE ON A SINGLE SONG OR ALBUM.

PERFECT WOMAN – FAZE
FOLASHADE – PRAIZ
ROMEO & JULIET – JOHNNY DRILLE
TONIGHT – NONSO AMADI
LOVE YOU BABY – BANKY W

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)
A NON-VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE SINGLE FEMALE ARTISTE WITH MOST OUTSTANDING VOCAL PERFORMANCES ON A SINGLE SONG OR ALBUM.

IN THE AIR – WAJE
GONE FOR GOOD – SIMI
JOWO – ARAMIDE
SARO – NINIOLA
WHERE IS THE LOVE – NIYOLA FT. ADEKUNLE GOLD
BUTTERFLIES – OMAWUMI

NEXT RATED

THIS CATEGORY IS A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE MOST PROMISING ACT IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

MALEEK BERRY
MAYORKUN
DICE AILES
JOHNNY DRILLE
ZORO

HIP-HOP WORLD REVELATION

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE BEST NEW ARTISTE WITH A DEBUT ALBUM ADJUDGED TO BE OUTSTANDING IN TERMS OF ARTISTIC QUALITY AND IMPACT WITHIN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

NINIOLA
ADEKUNLE GOLD
MR. EAZI
REEKADO BANKS

LYRICIST ON THE ROLL
A NON-VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE RAP ARTISTE WITH THE BEST LYRICAL DEPTH AND PERFORMANCE ON A SINGLE SONG OR ALBUM.

YOU RAPPERS SHOULD FIX UP YOUR LIVES – MI
POLITICAL SCIENCE – AQ
LIQUOR NIGHT – BOOGEY
INDUSTRY NITE – ERIGGA

BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTE

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE ARTISTE WHOSE SONGS ARE INSPIRED BY THE STREETS. SUCH SONG SHOULD CAPTAIN LINGUA, WHICH MAY ALSO BE ORIGINATED BY THE ARTISTE AND POPULAR ON THE STREET.

PENALTY – SMALL DOCTOR
WO – OLAMIDE
SAI BABA – CDQ
SHEPETERI – IDOWEST FT. DAMMY KRANE, SLIM CASE
PASS THE AGBARA – SKUKI
LEGBEGBE – MR REAL FT. IDOWEST, KELVIN CHUKS, OBADICE

BEST ‘ALTERNATIVE’ SONG

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE ARTISTE WHOSE SONGS REFLECT ANY FORM OR STYLE OF MUSIC WHICH FALLS OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM OF RECENT OR PAST POPULAR MUSICAL TRENDS.

MONEY – ADEKUNLE GOLD
RADIO – NONSO AMADI
ROMEO & JULIET – JOHNNY DRILLE
PONMILE – REMINISCE
FUN MI LOWO MI – ARAMIDE FT. SOUND SULTAN £& KOKER
LAGOS BARBIE – BANTU

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE BEST ALBUM (SOLO OR GROUP) IN YEAR UNDER REVIEW, THAT MEETS JUDGES’ REQUIREMENTS OF EXCELLENCE (SONGWRITING, PRODUCTION, RENDITION AND IMPACT).

SIMISOLA – SIMI
GOLD – ADEKUNLE GOLD
KLITORIS – BRYMO
IJELE THE TRAVELER – FLAVOUR
SOUNDS FROM THE OTHER SIDE – WIZKID
THE PLAYMAKER – PHYNO

ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

MOST CRITICALLY AND COMMERCIALLY ADJUDGED ARTISTE IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW. OVERALL MOST SUCCESSFUL ARTISTE IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

DAVIDO
WIZKID
OLAMIDE
SIMI
TIWA SAVAGE

SONG OF THE YEAR
A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE MOST POPULAR SONG IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

PENALTY – SMALL DOCTOR
WO – OLAMIDE
IF – DAVIDO
YEBA – KISS DANIEL
MAD OVER YOU – RUNTOWN
FIA – DAVIDO

AFRICAN ARTISTE

A NON-NIGERIAN AWARD CATEGORY FOR AN INDIVIDUAL AFRICAN ARTISTE OR GROUP WITH THE MOST OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT, IMPACT AND INFILTRATION INTO THE NIGERIAN MUSIC SCENE IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

SARKODIE
CASPER NYOVEST
NASTY C
SAUTI SOL
VANESSA MDEE

HEADIES VIEWER’S CHOICE

A VOTING CATEGORY TO AWARD THE FANS’ FAVOURITE ARTISTE WITH THE MOST DIGITAL TRACTIONS (DOWNLOADS, VIEWS, STREAMS) IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

COME CLOSER – WIZKID
IF – DAVIDO
WO – OLAMIDE
MAD OVER YOU – RUNTOWN
YEBA – KISS DANIEL
YAWA – TEKNO

INDUSTRY BRAND SUPPORTER

THIS IS TO SAY THANK YOU TO BRANDS THAT HAVE MADE THE MOST IMPACT IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY IN THE LAST 3 YEARS. AN AWARD TO RECOGNIZE BRANDS WHO ARE SUPPORTING THE INDUSTRY AT A TIME WHEN OPPORTUNITIES ARE SCARCE.

MTN
PEPSI
GLO
HENNESSY
FIRS
NIGERIAN BREWERIES
LAGOS STATE

BEST PERFORMER

A NON-VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE ARTISTES WHOSE STAGECRAFT, SHOWMANSHIP AND PERFORMANCE ROUTINES ARE EXCEPTIONALLY CONCEPTUALIZED AND EXECUTED IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW WITH CONSIDERATION OF LIVE PERFORMANCES.

FLAVOUR
FALZ
M.I.
2BABA
YEMI ALADE
TIWA SAVAGE

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR WHO HAS HAD A SUCCESFUL YEAR MUSICALLY, WITH THE ABSENCE OF AN ALBUM IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

KIDI
AIRBOY
TENI
JUNIOR BOY
PERUZZI

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

KAFFY

HALL OF FAME

CHRIS UBOSI