The List of Winners from Another Appalling Headies Awards Ceremony

Last night was The Headies award show; Nigeria’s biggest and longest-standing music award show. In the next couple of days, the internet is going to be flooded with think pieces on how much of a shitty show the Headies is and to be very honest, they deserve all the heat they will receive. The industry and artists have grown over the years, while we still need to work on building structures, there has been noticeable growth, with everyone aiming for global standards and recognition. Everyone except The Headies award.

Organising an event of that magnitude takes a lot, which is understandable, from planning, logistics, sponsorship, having a fixed period for review to budget and time management. The Headies has had 14 years to get things right, but they’ve constantly failed to do so in any aspect. It has been fourteen years of being plagued with the same poor video and sound quality, poor time management and publicity. The nominations were already controversial, from the year in review (July 2019 to August 2020) to it not including very obvious choices like Patoranking’s Abule.

This year was meant to be different; aiming to be one of the most attended virtual events in Nigeria, the Headies was to be shown live on Hip TV and the Headies social media channels, but that didn’t go exactly as planned. From Hip TV switching to showing Taylor Swift at one point and the YouTube live stream ending and sending everyone to MC Rhelax’s Instagram live.

For a brand that has the reach, history and connection despite its constant let downs, the Headies need to get their act together and give fresh and younger hands the opportunity to organise an award show that tells how far we have come and grown as an industry.

One of the best things to come out of this year’s Headies award was the strong statement on police brutality, by starting with a dance performance of Fela’s Zombie and Bovi wearing a shirt with a blood-stained Nigerian flag, which has come to be associated with #ENDSARS.

Seeing Fireboy DML swooping five awards on his debut at the Headies was also a beauty to watch, coupled with the glimpses of Wizkid who attended and somehow sprinkled his star shine on the camera quality every time it showed him.

This year also featured virtual performances from other African acts: Stonebwoy and Master KG.

Here’s the list of all the winners from last night:

Best R&B Album

Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps – Fireboy DML

I like girls with trobul – Sarz (featuring Wurld)

King – Praiz

Boo of the Booless – Chike

Celia – Tiwa Savage

Best Rap Album

God’s Engineering – A-Q

Illy Chapo X – Illbliss

YPSZN2 – Psycho YP

Cult! – Paybac Iboro

The Erigma 2 – Erigga

Best R&B Single

Tatoo – Fireboy DML

Under the sky – Praiz

Duduke – Simi

Bad Influence – Omah Lay

Dangerous love – Tiwa Savage

Best Pop Single

Nobody – DJ Neptune (featuring Joeboy and Mr Eazi)

Billionaire – Teni

Lady – Rema

FEM – Davido

Joro – Wizkid

Skeletun – Tekno

Best Vocal Performance (Male)

Praiz – Under the sky

Wurld – Ghost Town

Chike – Forgive

Cobhams – We plenti

Nonso Amadi – What makes you sure

Johnny Drille – Count on you

Best Vocal Performance (Female)

Niniola – Addicted

Simi – No longer beneficial

Lindsey Abudei – One on the outside

J’dess – Chi Efo

Yemi Alade – Lai Lai

Imanse – Ajala

Best Rap Single

Bop daddy – Falz(featuring Ms Banks)

OGB4IG – Reminisce

Shut Up – Blaqbonez

Country – Illbliss

Get the Info – Phyno(featuring Falz,Phenom)

Best Street Hop Artiste

Mayorkun – Geng

Naira Marley & Young John – Mafo

Reminisce (featuring Olamide, Naira Marley) – Instagram

Rudeboy – Audio Money

IVD & Zlatan – Bolanle

Olamide – Pawon

Best Collabo

Know You – Ladipoe(featuring Simi)

Nobody – DJ Neptune(featuring Joeboy, Mr Eazi)

Sweet in the middle – Davido(featuring Naira Marley, Zlatan & Wurld)

Totori – ID Cabasa(featuring Wizkid, Olamide)

Get the Info – Phyno(featuring Phenom, Falz)

Lyricist on the Roll

Illbliss – Country

A-Q – Eunice

Blaqbonez – Define Rap 2

M.I Abaga – Trinity

Phenom – Get the Info

Phyno – Speak Life

Song of the Year

FEM – Davido

Nobody – DJ Neptune(featuring Joeboy, Mr Eazi)

Joro – Wizkid

Mafo – Naira Marley

Duduke – Simi

Best Recording of the Year

Ozymandias– Brymo

Smile – Wizkid(featuring H.E.R.)

Wonderful – Burna Boy

Dreamer – Fireboy DML

Ghost Town – Wurld

Album of the Year

Apollo – Fireboy DML

African Giant – Burna Boy

Afro Pop Vol. 1 – Adekunle Gold

Yellow – Brymo

Boo of the Booless – Chike

Artiste of the Year

Wizkid

Davido

Burna Boy

Mayorkun

Tiwa Savage

Producer of the Year

Pheelz – Billionaire by Teni

SPAX – Away by Oxlade

Kel P – Pull Up by Burna Boy

Sarz – Mad by Sarz, Wurld

Best Music Video

1 Milli by Davido – Director K

Eli by Fireboy DML – Clarence Peters

Smile by Wizkid – Meji Alabi

Billionaire by Teni – TG Omori

Shekere by Yemi Alade – Ovie Etseyatse

Next Rated

Omah Lay

Tems

Oxlade

Bella Shmurda

African Artiste Recognition

South Africa – Master KG

Ghana – Kuami Eugene

Kenya – Sauti Sol

Ghana – Shatta Wale

Ghana – Stonebwoy

Viewer’s Choice

Wizkid

Davido

Omah Lay

Burna Boy

Falz

Fireboy DML

Mayorkun

DJ Neptune

Songwriter of the Year

Simisola Bolatito Ogunleye – Duduke by Simi

Adedamola Adefolahan – Dreamer by Fireboy DML

Damini Ogulu – Way too big by Burna Boy

Stanley Omah Didia – Bad Influence by Omah Lay

Sadiq Onifade – Ghost Town by Wurld

Adekunle Kosoko – 1 Milli by Davido

Best Alternative Album

Roots – The Cavemen

Yellow – Brymo

Lucid – Aṣa

The Light – Bez

Pioneers – DRB LasGidi

Best Alternative Song

I wonder – Moelogo

Corner – Lady Donly(featuring VanJess, The Cavemen)

Bitter – Deena Ade

Anita – The Cavemen

Money Devotion – Gbasky

God Save The Queen – Olu

Rookie of the Year

Bad Boy Timz

Olakira

Alpha P

Jamopyper

Zinoleesky

Hip Hop World Revelation of the Year

Fireboy DML

Victor AD

Joeboy

Teni

Rema

Chike

Special Recognition Award

Eedris Abdulkareem

Timaya

Headies Hall of Fame

King Sunny Ade