By Uche Amunike
Super talented Nigerian artists, Burna Boy, Asake and Rema each shone in the spotlight, alongside other Headies Awards 2023 Winners at the just concluded awards show, which basically showcases Pan-African and Afrobeats talents and was held on Sunday September 3, at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Burna Boy and Rema received three awards each at the awards ceremony which had the eligibility period of January 2022- March 2023. Burna Boy took Afrobeats single of the year, as well as song of the year, both for his song, ‘Last Last’, as well as best R&B single for ‘For My Hand’, featuring Ed Sheehan. Rema, on his part, won best male artist, digital artist of the year and African artist of the year, while the International Artist of the Year was won by Selena Gomez who teamed up with Rema to make the hit, ‘Calm Down’. Still on the song ‘Calm Down’, the best music video was won by Director K, who directed the video remix of the song
Asake is another Headies Awards 2023 winner, who also smiled home with two awards.
The show, which was hosted by Actor Terrence J and Nigerian actress Osas Ighodaro, was streamed live on YouTube (USA) and HipTV (Africa) Network.
Below, is the complete list of the Headies Award 2023 winners at the show:
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”
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
