The nominations for the 2022 Headies Award are out, with songs like Wizkid’s “Essence” and Ayra Starr’s “Bloody Samaritan” bagging multiple nominations.
On its official Instagram page, the Headies announced all the nominees in the forthcoming award ceremony, set to hold in the United States.
The list also had some first timers like Portable, Magixx, and other fast-rising artistes including Gyakie and Kidi from Ghana.
See full list below:
Rookie Of The Year
AV
Fave
Magixx
Portable
Ugoccie
Best Recording Of The Year
“Celebrate Me” – Patoranking
“Essence” – Wizkid Ft Tems
“Joy” – Falana
“Loving Is Harder” – Johnny Drille
“Meji Meji” – Brymo
“Somebody’s Son” – Tiwa Savage Ft Brandy
Producer Of The Year
Beats By Jayy – “Golden” (A-Q)
Blaise Beatz – “Sinner” (Adekunle Gold Feat. Lucky Daye)
Niphkeys – “Feel Good” (Mohbad)
P Priime – “Ozumba Mbadiwe” (Reekado Banks)
Pheelz – “High” (Adekunle Gold Feat. Davido)
Best R&B single
“Baby Riddim” – Fave
“Beggie Beggie” – Ayra Starr Feat. Ckay
“Essence” – Wizkid Feat. Tems
“Running (To You)” – Chike Feat. Simi
“Promise” – Niniola
“Sinner” – Adekunle Gold Feat. Luck Daye
Songwriter Of The Year
Adekunle Gold – “Sinner”
Ajebo Hustlers – “Loyalty”
Brymo – “Meji Meji”
Falana – “Joy”
Fireboy Dml – “Peru”
Omah Lay – “Understand”
Best Alternative Song
“Doings” – Flavour
2. “Free Your Mind” – Made Kuti
3. “Gonto” – Ibejii
4. “Hustle” – Basketmouth, The Cavemen, Bez, Dice Ailes
5. “Meji Meji” – Brymo
6. “Selense” – The Cavemen
Best Vocal Performance (Female)
1. Ayra Starr – “Toxic”
2. Liya – “Alari”
3. Niniola – “6th Heaven”
4. Simi – “Running (To You)”
5. Tems – “Essence”
6. Waje – “Last Time”
Best Vocal Performance (Male)
1. Brymo – “Meji Meji”
2. Johnny Drille – “Loving Is Harder”
3. Oxlade – “Ojuju”
4. Ric Hassani – “When I’m Gone”
5. Tay Iwar – “Peaking”
Best Music Video
“Champion” – (Fireboy Dml Feat. D Smoke) Directed By Tg Omori
“Ginger” – (Wizkid Feat. Burna Boy) Directed By Meji Alabi
“Roju” – (Chike) Directed By Pink
“Rain” – (Yemi Alade Feat. Mzansi Youth Choir) Directed By Ovie Etseyatse
“Bling” – (Blaqbonez Feat. Amaarae & Bnxn) Directed By Tg Omori
“Running” – (Ladipoe Feat. Fireboy Dml) Directed By Director K
Best Collaboration
1. “Beggie Beggie” – Ayra Starr Feat. Ckay
2. “Bling” – Blaqbonez Feat. Amaarae & Bnxn
3. “Early Momo” – Vector Feat. Goodgirl LA
4. “Essence” – Wizkid Feat. Tems
5. “Feeling” – Ladipoe Feat. Bnxn
“Running (To You)” – Chike Feat. Simi
Best Street-Hop Artiste
1. Bella Shmurda – “Cash App” Feat. Zlatan & Lincoln
2. Rexxie & Mohbad – “Kpk”
3. Mohbad – “Feel Good”
4. Naira Marley – “Koleyewon”
5. Nektunez & Goya Menor – “Ameno Amapiano (Remix)”
6. Poco Lee, Portable & Olamide – “Zazoo Zehh”
Best Afrobeats Single Of The Year
“Bloody Samaritan” – Ayra Starr
“Bounce” – Ruger
“High” – Adekunle Gold Feat. Davido
“Monalisa” – Lojay & Sarz
“Ozumba Mbadiwe” – Reekado Banks
“Peru” – Fireboy Dml
Headies’ Viewer’s Choice
1. Ayra Starr – “Bloody Samaritan”
2. Fireboy – “Peru” ( @Fireboydml )
3. Joeboy – “Sip”
4. Lojay & Sarz – “Monalisa”
5. Nektunez & Goya Menor – “Ameno Amapiano (Remix)”
6. Olamide Feat. Omah Lay – “Infinity”
7. Rema – “Soundgasm”
8. Wizkid Feat. Tems – “Essence”
Best West African Artiste Of The Year
1. Amaarae (Ghana)
2. Angelique Kidjo (Benin)
3. Aya Nakamura (Mali)
4. Gyakie (Ghana)
5. Kidi (Ghana)
6. Nelson Freitas (Cape Verde)
Best East African Artiste Of The Year
1. Diamond Platinumz (Tanzania)
2. Eddy Kenzo (Uganda)
3. Harmonize (Tanzania)
4. Meddy (Rwanda)
5. Nikita Kering (Kenya)
6. Zuchu (Tanzania)
Best North African Artiste Of The Year
1. Emel Mathlouthi (Tunisia)
2. Elgrandetoto (Morocco)
3. Latifa (Tunisia)
4. Manal (Morocco)
5. Muhamad Ramadan (Egypt)
6. Soolking (Algeria)
Best Southern African Artiste Of The Year
1. Black Coffee (South Africa)
2. Dj Tarico (Mozambique)
3. Elaine (South Africa)
4. Focalistic (South Africa)
5. Jah Prayzah (Zimbabwe)
6. Sha Sha (Zimbabwe)
Best Afrobeats Album
“19 And Dangerous” – Ayra Starr
“A Better Time” – Davido
“Barnabas” – Kizz Daniel
“Made In Lagos (Deluxe Edition)” – Wizkid
“Kpos Lifestyle” – Ajebo Hustlers
“Wondaland” – Teni
Best Reggae & Dancehall Album
1. “Gratitude” – Timaya
2. “Love Is War” – Prettyboy D-O
3. “Rainbow Riddim” – Shank
4. “Three” – Patoranking
5. “Yaadman Kingsize” – Yung L
Best R&B Album
“Before We Fall Asleep” – Johnny Drille
“If Orange Was A Place” – Tems
“Love Deep High Life” – Omawumi
“Rising” – Falana
“The Prince I Became” – Ric Hassani
“Water And Garri” – Tiwa Savage
Best Alternative Album
“9: Esan” – Brymo
“Intermission” – Ibejii
“Legacy +” – Femi Kuti & Made Kuti
“Love And Highlife” – The Cavemen
“P.S. Thank You For Waiting” – Wavy The Creator
“Yabasi” – Basketmouth
Best Rap Album
“Carpe Diem” – Olamide
“Clone Wars Vol. 5 – The Algorhythm” – Show Dem Camp
“Golden” – A-Q
“Mafia Culture, Vol. 2.0” – Idowest
“Providence” – Ladipoe
“Sex Over Love” – Blaqbonez
Album Of The Year
1. “9: Esan” – Brymo
2. “19 & Dangerous” – Ayra Starr
3. “Carpe Diem” – Olamide
4. “Legacy +” – Femi Kuti & Made Kuti
5. “Made In Lagos (Deluxe Edition)” – Wizkid
6. “Yabasi” – Basketmouth
Song Of The Year
“Celebrate Me” – Patoranking
“Doings” – Flavour Feat. Phyno
“Essence” – Wizkid Feat. Tems
“High” – Adekunle Gold Feat. Davido
“Monalisa” – Lojay & Sarz
“Peru” – Fireboy Dml
Best Female Artiste
Simi
Tems
Tiwa Savage
Teni
Niniola
Best Male Artiste
1. Adekunle Gold
2. Burna Boy
3. Davido
4. Flavour
5. Olamide
6. Wizkid
Next Rated
1. Ayra Starr
2. Bnxn
3. Lojay
4. Ruger
5. Zinoleesky
African Artiste Of The Year
1. Black Coffee (Nigeria)
2. Burna Boy (Nigeria)
3. Davido (Nigeria)
4. Diamond Platinumz (Tanzania)
5. Soolking (Algeria)
6. Wizkid (Nigeria)
7. Aya Nakamura (Mali )
Lyricist On The Roll
1. A-Q – “The Last Cypher”
2. Blaqbonez – “The Last Cypher”
3. Jesse Jagz – “Vipers”
4. Ladipoe – “Providence”
5. Payper Corleone – “In Don We Trust”
6. Vector – “Crown Of Clay”
Humanitarian Award Of The Year
1. 2face Idibia
2. Ruggedman
3. Davido
4. Don Jazzy
East Central African Artiste Of The Year
1. Calema (Sao Tome & Principe)
2. Blanche Bailly (Cameroon)
3. Dadju (Dr Congo)
4. Fally Ipupa (Dr Congo)
5. Innoss’b (Dr Congo)
6. Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)
Best Rap Single
1. “Breathe” – A-Q Feat Chike
2. “Crown Of Clay” – Vector & Mi Abaga Feat. Pheelz
3. “Early Momo” – Vector Feat. Goodgirl LA
4. “Feeling” – Ladipoe Feat. Bnxn
5. “Tycoon” – Show Dem Camp – Feat. Reminisce & Mojo
6. “Loading” – Olamide Feat Bad Boy Timz
