Rema and Burna Boy each received three awards at the 2023 Headies Awards. The show, which celebrates Pan-African and Afrobeats talent, was held on Sunday (Sept. 3) at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta.
Rema won best male artist, digital artiste of the year and African artiste of the year. In addition, Selena Gomez, who teamed with Rema on the global hit “Calm Down,” won international artiste of the year, while Director K, who directed the music video for the “Calm Down” remix, won best music video.
Burna Boy took Afrobeats single of the year and song of the year, both for “Last Last” as well as best R&B single for “For My Hand,” featuring Ed Sheeran.
Three artists won two awards each — Odumodublvck, Asake, Victony & Tempoe.
The eligibility period for the awards was January 2022 to March 2023.
Actor and host Terrence J. Nigerian and actress Osas Ighodaro hosted the show, which was streamed live on YouTube (U.S.) and HipTV (Africa) Network.
Bayanni, Khaid, Guchi, Bloody Civilian, Odumodublvck and Eltee Skhillz competed for rookie of the year. The winner, Odumodublvck, will receive not only glory, but also also a solar-powered, two-bedroom, fully furnished house.
Sean “Love” Combs was previously announced as the recipient of the international artiste recognition award. He was not present at the show, but organizers say his plaque will be delivered.
The Headies Awards, originally called the Hip Hop World Awards, were established in 2006 by the Hip Hop World Magazine of Nigeria to recognize outstanding achievements in the Nigerian music industry.
This marked the show’s second year at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. It was held in Lagos or Nigeria every year from 2006 to 2021 (except 2017 and 2020, when there was no ceremony).
In the past year, three major, all-genre music awards shows have introduced Afrobeats or African music categories. The American Music Awards were the first major music awards show to add such a category. They added favorite Afrobeats artist at the show that aired Nov. 20, 2022. Wizkid was the inaugural winner, beating Burna Boy, CKay, Fireboy DML and Tems.
The MTV Video Music Awards added a new category this year — best Afrobeats. The front-runner is Rema & Gomez’s “Calm Down,” which is nominated in two other categories, best song and best collaboration.
The Grammys added a similar category, best African music performance, this year (for the awards that will be presented on Feb. 4, 2024). Grammy nominations will be announced on Nov. 10.
Here is the full list of winners for the 2023 Headies Awards. For more details, visit theheadies.com.
Hall of Fame
WINNER: Youssou N’dour
Special Recognition
WINNER: Sound Sultan
International Artiste Recognition Award
WINNER: Sean “Love” Combs
International Artist of the Year
Drake
Future
WINNER: Selena Gomez
Don Toliver
Ed Sheeran
Album of the Year
Love, Damini – Burna Boy
WINNER: Mr Money With the Vibe – Asake
Rave And Roses – Rema
Boy Alone – Omah Lay
Outlaw – Victony
Timeless – Davido
Song of the Year
“Calm Down” – Rema
WINNER: “Last Last” – Burna Boy
“Ku Lo Sa” – Oxlade
“Buga” – Kizz Daniel & Tekno
“Finesse” – Pheelz Ft. Bnxn
“Sungba Remix” – Asake Ft. Burna Boy
Best Female Artiste
Tems
Simi
WINNER: Ayra Starr
Tiwa Savage
Best Male Artiste
Asake
WINNER: Rema
Kizz Daniel
Ruger
Omah Lay
Burna Boy
Rookie of the Year
Bayanni
Khaid
Guchi
Bloody Civilian
WINNER: Odumodublvck
Eltee Skhillz
Best Recording of the Year
“Alone” – Burna Boy
WINNER: “Soweto” – Victony & Tempoe
“I’m A Mess” – Omah Lay
“Ku Lo Sa” – Oxlade
“Stand Strong” – Davido Ft. Sunday Service Choir
“No Woman, No Cry” – Tems
Producer of the Year
Magicsticks – “Sungba Remix” (Asake)
P.Prime, Tmxo & Pheelz – “Electricty” (Pheelz Ft Davido)
Andre Vibez & London – “Calm Down” (Rema)
Tempoe – “Soweto” (Victony & Tempoe)
Kel-P – “Kpe Paso” (Wande Coal & Olamide)
WINNER: Rexxie – “Abracadabra” (Rexxie, Naira Marley, Skiibii & Wizkid)
Songwriter of the Year
WINNER: Simi Kosoko, Godsfavour Chidozie, Kosoko Adekunle, Marcel Akunwata – “Loyal” (Simi)
Stanley Didia, Adebajo Adebanjo – “I’m A Mess” (Omah Lay)
Tems, Ludwig Goransson, Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Ryan Coogler – “Lift Me Up” (Rihanna)
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, Austin Jnr Iornongu Iwar, Peace Oredope, Ludwig Goransson – “Alone” (Burna Boy)
Daniel Benson “In My Mind” (Bnxn)
Fuayefika Maxwell – Earth Song (Wizard Chan)
Best R&B Single
WINNER: “For My Hand” – Burna Boy Ft. Ed Sheeran
“Mmadu” – Ckay
“Just 4 U” – Dami Oniru
“Red Wine” – Preye
“Hard To Find” – Chike – Ft. Flavour
“Loyal” – Simi Ft. Fave
Best Rap Single
“Hustle” – Reminisce
“Big Energy” – Ladipoe
“Back In Uni” – Blaqbonez
“Bando Diaries” – Psychoyp
WINNER: “Declan Rice” – Odumodublvck
“My Bro” – Jeriq Ft. Phyno
Best Alternative Song
WINNER: “Earth Song” – Wizard Chan
“Final Champion” – Cruel Santino
“The Traveller” – Basketmouth Ft The Cavemen
“In A Loop” – Boj Ft Moliy & Mellissa
“Game Changer” (Dike) – Flavour
“Tinko Tinko” – Obongjayar
Best Vocal Performance (Female)
Niniola – “Memories”
Simi – “Loyal”
WINNER: Waje – “In Between“
Liya – “Adua Remix”
Preye – “Red Wine”
Dami Oniru – “Just 4 U”
Best Vocal Performance (Male)
Oxlade – “Ku Lo Sa”
Ric Hassani – “My Only Baby”
Magixx – “Love Don’t Cost A Dime”
Chike – “Spell Remix”
Praiz – “Reckless”
WINNER: Wande Coal – “Kpe Paso”
Best Music Video
Blaqbonez & Perliks – “Back In Uni” (Blaqbonez)
Tg Omori – “Pbuy” (Asake)
Director Pink– “Spell Remix” (Chike & Oxlade)
Tg Omori – “Bandana” (Fireboy & Asake)
Director K – “Common Person” (Burna Boy)
WINNER: Director K – “Calm Down” (Rema)
Best Collaboration
Asake Ft. Burna Boy – “Sungba Remix”
Bnxn Ft. Kizz Daniel & Seyi Vibez – “Gwagwalada”
Pheelz Ft. Bnxn – “Finesse”
WINNER: Spyro Ft. Tiwa Savage – “Who’s Your Guy Remix”
Pheelz Ft. Davido – “Electricity”
Wande Coal Ft. Olamide – “Kpe Paso”
Best Street-Hop Artiste
Rexxie Ft. Naira Marley & Skiibii – “Abracadabra”
WINNER: Seyi Vibez – “Chance (Na Ham)”
Asake – “Joha”
Zlatan Ft. Young Jonn – “Astalavista”
Poco Lee & Hotkid – “Otilo”
Mohbad – “Peace”
Afrobeats Single of the Year
WINNER: “Last Last” – Burna Boy
“Rush” – Ayra Starr
“Buga” – Kizz Daniel & Tekno
“Finesse” – Pheelz Ft Bnxn
“Who’s Your Guy?” – Spyro
“Asiwaju” – Ruger
Headies’ Viewers’ Choice
Ruger – “Asiwaju”
WINNER: Victony & Tempoe – “Soweto”
Fireboy Dml & Asake – “Bandana”
Ayra Star – “Rush”
Asake – “Terminator”
Mavins – “Overloading (Overdose)”
Crayon – “Ijo (Laba Laba)”
Oxlade – “Ku Lo Sa”
Kizz Daniel & Tekno – “Buga”
Pheelz & Davido – “Electricity”
Best West African Artiste of the Year
Gyakie (Ghana)
WINNER: Black Sherif (Ghana)
The Therapist (Liberia)
Camidoh (Ghana)
Best East African Artiste of the Year
Zuchu
WINNER: Diamond Platinumz
Rayvanny
Eddy Kenzo
Hewan Gebreworld
Best North African Artiste of the Year
Marwa Loud – Morocco
Wegz – Egypt
WINNER: El Grande Toto – Morocco
Soolking – Algeria
Best Southern African Artiste of the Year
Aka (South Africa)
Nasty C – South Africa
Costa Titch – South Africa
Uncle Waffles – South Africa
WINNER: Focalistic – South Africa
Dj Tarico – Mozambique
Best Central African Artiste of the Year
Fally Ipupa – Democratic Republic of Congo
Gaz Mawete – Democratic Republic of Congo
Matias Damasio – Angola
Emma’a – Gabon
WINNER: Libianca – Cameroon
Best R&B Album
Home – Johnny Drille
WINNER: The Brother’s Keeper – Chike
Reckless – Praiz
Waje 2.0 – Waje
Matter of Time – Dami Oniru
To Be Honest (Tbh) – Simi
Best Alternative Album
Horoscopes – Basketmouth
WINNER: Gbagada Express – BOJ
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
Fly Talk Only – Payper Corleone
Palmwine Music Vol 3 – Show Dem Camp
WINNER: Young Preacher – Blaqbonez
Ypszn3 – Psychoyp
Teslim: The Energy Still Lives in Me – Vector
Billion Dollar Dream – Jeriq
Next Rated
Young Jonn
Seyi Vibez
WINNER: Asake
Victony
Spyro
African Artiste of the Year
WINNER: Rema (Nigeria)
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Marwa Loud (Morocco)
Black Sherif (Ghana)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Lyricist on the Roll
Ladipoe – “Clowns”
Vector – “Clowns”
WINNER: Payper Corleone – “Fly Talk Only”
Alpha Ojini – “Vigilante Bop”
A-Q – “Family First”
Tec (Sdc) – “Live Life”
Best Inspirational Single
“Stand Strong” – Davido Ft Sunday Service Choir
“Jireh (My Provider)” – Limoblaze, Lecrae & Happi Music
“This Year” – Victor Thompson & Ehis ‘D’ Greatest
WINNER: “Eze Ebube” – Neon Adejo
“Tobechukwu” – Nathaniel Bassey And Mercy Chinwo
“I Get Backing” – Victoria Orenze
Digital Artiste of the Year
Burna Boy
Ayra Starr
WINNER: Rema
Omah Lay
Kizz Daniel
Asake