On September 21, this year, one of Nigeria’s biggest music award show, The Headies, opened for entries for its 13th music award which is slated to hold on the 19th of October. We have the list announced Nominees for the 2019 Headies award themed – “The Power of A Dream” as we approach the big event. Burna Boy tops with the highest number of nominations followed by Wizkid and Davido. Simi is not listed.
During enlistment, 29 categories were open but on the announcement, only 23 categories made the list. And they are Best Recording of the Year; Best Pop Single; Producer of The Year; Best Rap Album; Best R&B/ Pop Album; Best Collabo; Best Rap Single; Best Vocal Performance (Male); Best Vocal Performance (Female); Next Rated; Hip Hop World Revelation; Lyricist on The Roll, Best Street-Hop Artiste; Album of The Year; Artiste of The Year; Song of The Year; African Artiste Recognition; Headies’ Viewer’s Choice; Industry Brand Supporter; Best Performer; Songwriter of The Year; Rookie of The Year; Special Recognition; Hall of Fame.
Full list of Nominees for 2019 Headies Award.
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 artist or group in the year under review.
- Adekunle Gold – Ire
- Patoranking – Heal D World
- Brymo – Olanrewaju
- Teni – Uyo Meyo
- Burna Boy – Ye
BEST POP SINGLE
A category for the best pop single in year under review (by single individual or group).
- Ye’ – Burna Boy
- ‘Wetin We Gain’ – Victor AD
- ‘Fake Love’ – Starboy ft Duncan Mighty, Wizkid
- ‘Case’ – Teni
- ‘Jealous’ – Fireboy DML
- ‘Baby’ – Joeboy
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
An individual who is responsible for producing the most acclaimed song or album in the year under review.
- Phantom – ‘Ye’ b Burna Boy
- Ozedikus – ‘Dumebi’ by Rema
- Spellz – ‘Askamaya’ by Teni
- Killertunes – ‘Fake Love’ by Starboy featuring Duncan Mighty and Wizkid
- Kel-P Vibes – ‘Killing Dem’ by Burna Boy featuring Zlatan
BEST RAP ALBUM
A non-voting category for the best album by a rap artiste or group in year under review.
- ‘Moral Instruction’ – Falz
- ‘Crown’ – AQ and Loose Kaynon
- ‘A Study On Self Worth: Yxng Dxnzl’ – M.I Abaga
- ‘Clone Wars, Vol. IV (These Buhari Times)’ – Show Dem Camp
BEST R&B/ POP ALBUM
A category for the best r&b/pop album in the year under review (by single individual or group).
- rare. – Odunsi (The Engine)
- Outside – Burna Boy
- No Bad Songz – Kizz Daniel
- Mayor of Lagos – Mayorkun
- About 30 – Adekunle Gold
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.
- ‘Dangote’ (Burna Boy) – Clarence Peters
- ‘Available’ (Patoranking) – Clarence Peters
- ‘Ire’ (Adekunle Gold) – Aje Films
- ‘Talk’ (Falz) – Prodigeezy
- ‘Jaiye’ (Ladipoe) – 88 Factor
BEST R&B SINGLE
A category for the best r&b single in the year under review (by a single individual or group).
- ‘Tipsy’ – Odunsi ft. RAYE
- ‘Serenade’ – Funbi
- ‘Uyo Meyo’ – Teni
- ‘Wishes and Butterflies’ – Wurld
- ‘Gimme Love’ – Seyi Shay featuring Runtown
BEST COLLABO
A voting category for the best r&b, pop or hip-hop collaborative track (including cameos).
- ‘Like’ – Reekado Banks featuring Tiwa Savage, Fiokee
- ‘One Ticket’ – Kiss Daniel featuring Davido
- ‘Fake Love’ – Starboy featuring Duncan Mighty, Wizkid
- ‘Killin’ Dem’ – Burna Boy featuring Zlatan
- ‘Amaka’ – 2baba featuring Peruzzi
BEST RAP SINGLE
A voting category for a single (released on-air) recording of a rap song.
- ‘Talk’ – Falz
- ‘We Don’t Do That Over Here’ – Hotyce
- ‘40ft Container’ – Illbliss featuring Olamide
- ‘Sacrifice’ – Payper Corleone featuring Alpha Ojini
- ‘Gang Gang’ – AQ and Loose Kaynon
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.
- Tay Iwar – ‘Utero’
- Johnny Drille – ‘Finding Efe’
- Nonso Bassey – ‘411’
- Funbi – ‘Serenade’
- Wurld – ‘Wishes & Butterfly’
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)
A non-voting category for the single female artiste with most outstanding vocal performances on a single song or album.
- GoodGirl LA – ‘Bless me’
- Waje – ‘Udue’
- Teni – ‘Uyo Meyo’
- Tems – ‘Mr Rebel’
- Falana – ‘Repeat’
NEXT RATED
This category is a voting category for the most promising act in the year under review.
- Rema
- Joeboy
- Fireboy DML
- Victor AD
- Lyta
- Zlatan
HIP HOP WORLD REVELATION
A voting category for the best new artist with a debut album adjudged to be outstanding in terms of artistic quality and impact within the year under review.
- Odunsi
- Mayorkun
- Wurld
- Humblesmith
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.
- YCEE – ‘Balance’
- Boogey – ‘Implode’
- Paybac – ‘Implode’
- Ghost – ‘Crown’
- Tec – ‘Crown’
- AQ – ‘Crown’
BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTE
A voting category for the artiste whose songs are inspired by the streets. Such a song should captain lingua, which may also be originated by the artiste and popular on the street.
- Erigga – ‘Motivation’
- Chinko Ekun – ‘Able God’
- Zlatan – ‘Leg Work’
- Barry Jhay – ‘Aiye’
- Lyta – ‘Time’
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.
- ‘Cash’ – Lady Donli
- ‘Mr Rebel’ – Tems
- ‘Finding Efe’ – Johnny Drille
- ‘Heya’ – Brymo
- ‘Ire’ – Adekunle Gold
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
A voting category for the best album (solo or group) in the year under review, that meets judges’ requirements of excellence (songwriting, production, rendition, and impact).
- About 30 – Adekunle Gold
- Outside – Burna Boy
- Moral Instruction – Falz
- No Bad Songz – Kizz Daniel
ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
Most critically and commercially adjudged artiste in the year under review. The overall most successful artiste in the year under review.
- Burna Boy
- Wizkid
- Davido
- Tiwa Savage
- Falz
SONG OF THE YEAR
A voting category for the most popular song in the year under review.
- ‘Ye’ – Burna Boy
- ‘Dumebi’ – Rema
- ‘Wetin We Gain’ – Victor AD
- ‘Fake Love’ – Starboy ft Duncan Mighty, Wizkid
- ‘Case’ – Teni
- ‘Leg work’ – Zlatan
- ‘Baby’ – Joeboy
- ‘Jealous’ – Fireboy DML
20. AFRICAN ARTISTE RECOGNITION
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.
- Master KG – Skeleton Moves (SOUTH AFRICA)
- Afro B – Drogba (Joanna) (IVORY COAST)
- Sauti Sol – Melanin (KENYA)
- King Promise – CCTV (GHANA)
- DJ Maphoriza – iWalk Ye Phara (SOUTH AFRICA)
HEADIES’ VIEWER’S CHOICE
A voting category to award the fan’s favorite artiste with the most digital tractions (downloads, views, streams) in the year under review.
- Mr. Eazi
- Burna Boy
- Teni
- Fireboy DML
- Rema
- Joe Boy
- Wizkid
- Davido
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.
- Falz
- Tiwa Savage
- Brymo
- Yemi Alade
- Adekunle Gold
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:
A voting category for the rookie of the year who has had a successful year musically, with the absence of an album in the year under review.
- Crayon
- Buju
- Barry Jhay
- Oxlade