Article

17th Headies Awards: Celebrating Africa’s Finest Musical Talent

Thursday, 01 May 2025

Summary

The 17th Headies Awards honored Africa’s finest musicians including Davido, Tems, and Asake while celebrating their achievements in diverse categories.

The 17th Headies Awards event, in recognition of Afrobeats and Nigerian music quality, happened on April 27, 2025. The event rewarded music that was released between April 1, 2023, and July 31, 2024. The event celebrated Nigerian music's global reach, featuring artists who are pushing boundaries and innovating sound and creativity.

Below is lists of awards, winner, nominees.

1. Rookie of the Year

Winner : Zerry Dl
Nominees :
Zerry Dl
Taves
Kaestyle
Llona

2. Best Recording of the Year

Winner : Tems – Burning
Nominees :
Tems – Burning
Different Pattern - Seyi Vibez
Higher - Burna Boy
Last Heartbreak Song - Ayra Starr & Giveon
Billions - Sarz Featuring Lojay

3. Songwriter of the Year

Winner : Chimamanda Pearl Chukwuma - Vision (Qing Madi)
Nominees :
Simisola Kosoko - Stranger (Simi)
Chimamanda Pearl Chukwuma - Vision (Qing Madi)
Michael Ajuma Attah - Can't Breathe (Llona)
Emoseh Khamofu - Family Meeting (Bloody Civilian)
Fuayefika Maxwell - Stages Of Life (Wizard Chan)

4. Best R&B Single

Winner : Ayra Starr - Last Heartbreak Song Ft. Giveon
Nominees :
Qing Madi – Vision
Johnny Drille - For You
Simi – Stranger
Tems – Burning
Ayra Starr - Last Heartbreak Song Ft. Giveon

5. Producer of the Year

Winner : Sarz – Happiness
Nominees :
Sarz – Happiness
London – Ozeba
Magicsticks – Basquiat
Rema/Producer X/Cubeatz/Deatz/Klimperboy – Hehehe
Dibs - Different Pattern

6. Best Rap Single

Winner : Cast Feat Odumodublvck – Shallipopopi
Nominees :
Cast Feat Odumodublvck – Shallipopopi
Blood On The Dance Floor Feat Bloody Civilian & Wale – Odumodublvck
Hallelujah - Ladipoe, Rozzz & Morrello
Canada - Magnito
Ije Nwoke - Jeriq

7. Best Vocal Performance (Female)

Winner : Liya – I’m Done
Nominees :
Ayra Starr - Last Heartbreak Song
Niniola - Level
Simi – Stranger
Liya – I’m Done
Tomorrow - Yemi Alade

8. Best Vocal Performance (Male)

Winner : Lojay – Billions
Nominees :
Lojay – Billions
Omah Lay - Moving
Anendlessocean – Gratitude
Johnny Drille - For You
Timi Dakolo - Ke Na Ke So

9. Music Video of the Year

Winner : Egwu - Chike & Mohbad (Director Pink)
Nominees :
Charm - Rema (Remax Perliks X Folarin Oludare)
Metaverse - Olamide (Jyde Ajala)
Like Ice Spice - Blaqbonez (Perliks & Emeka Shine Shine)
Ojapiano - Kcee (Mattmax)
Egwu - Chike & Mohbad (Director Pink)
Showa - Kizz Daniel (Tg Omori)
Na Money – Davido Ft. Cavemen, Angelique Kidjo (Dammy Twitch)

10. Best Collaboration

Winner : Egwu - Chike And Mohbad
Nominees :
Emotions - Tiwa Savage Feat. Asa
Blood On The Dance Floor - Odumodublvck, Bloody Civilian, And Wale
Cast - Shallipopopi Ft Odumodublvck
Egwu - Chike And Mohbad
Ole - Qing Madi And Bnxn
Twe Twe Remix – Kizz Daniel And Davido
Idk – Wizkid Ft. Zlatan

11. Best Street-Hop Artiste

Winner : Mohbad – Ask About Me
Nominees :
Seyi Vibez – “Different Patterns
Ayo Maff – Dealer (Ft. Fireboy Dml)
Shallipopi – Cast (Ft. Odumodublvck)
Zhus Jdo – Johnbull
Mohbad – Ask About Me

12. Afrobeats Single of the Year

Winner : Big Baller – Flavor
Nominees :
Big Big Things - Young Jonn Ft. Kizz Daniel And Seyi Vibez
Twe Twe Remix - Kizz Daniel
Egwu Feat. Mohbad – Chike
Remember – Asake
Ogechi Remix - Hyce, Boypee, And Brown Joel Ft. Davido
Big Baller – Flavor

13. Lyricist on the Roll

Winner : Hallelujah – Ladipoe
Nominees :
Mogadishu - A-Q
Chocolate City Cypher - M.I Abaga
Chocolate City Cypher – Blaqbonez
Hallelujah – Ladipoe
Efeleme - Alpha Ojini

14. Best Inspirational Single

Winner : You Do This One - Mercy Chinwo
Nominees :
Gratitude – Anendlessocean
Worthy Of My Praise - Dunsin Oyekan Ft. Lawrence Oyor
Good God 2 - Limoblaze Ft. Naomi Raine
Particularly - Gaise Baba Ft. Tope Alabi
You Do This One - Mercy Chinwo

15. Headies’ Viewers’ Choice

Winner : Egwu - Chike & Mohbad
Nominees :
Big Big Things Ft. Kizz Daniel And Seyi Vibez - Young Jonn
Ogechi Remix Ft. Davido - Hyce, Boypee, And Brown Joel
Egwu - Chike & Mohbad
Showa - Kizz Daniel
Different Pattern - Seyi Vibez
Ozeba – Rema
Love Me Jeje – Tems
Cast Ft. Odumodublvck – Shallipopi
Dealer Ft. Fireboy Dml - Ayo Maff
Big Baller - Flavour

16. Best West African Artiste of the Year

Winner : Himra (Ivory Coast)
Nominees :
Black Sherif (Ghana)
King Promise (Ghana)
Himra (Ivory Coast)
Josey (Ivory Coast)
Toofan (Togo)

17. Best East African Artiste of the Year

Winner : Juma Jux (Tanzania)
Nominees :
Bien (Kenya)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Juma Jux (Tanzania)
Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)
Azawi (Uganda)

18. Best North African Artiste of the Year

Winner : Soolking (Algeria)
Nominees :
Mohamed Ramadan (Egypt)
Elgrande Toto (Morocco)
Soolking (Algeria)
Balti (Tunisia)
Abu (Egypt)

19. Best South African Artiste of the Year

Winner : Titom (South Africa)
Nominees :
Titom (South Africa)
Yuppe (South Africa)
Tyla (South Africa)
Kelly Kay (Malawi)
Plutonio (Mozambique)
Zee Nxumalo (South Africa)

20. Best Central African Artiste of the Year

Winner : Innoss'B (DRC)
Nominees :
Innoss'B (DRC)
Gaz Mawete (DRC)
Emma’A (Gabon)
EboloKo (Gabon)
Singuela (Central African Republic)
KoceE (Cameroon)

21. International Artiste of the Year

Winner : Travis Scott - Active (Asake)
Nominees :
Wale - Blood On The Dance Floor (Odumodublvck)
Skepta - Tony Montana (Ft. Portable)
Chris Brown - Hmm (Ft. Davido)
Travis Scott - Active (Asake)
Chloe Bailey - Vision Remix (Qing Madi)

22. Best Rap Album

Winner : Family Time – Erigga
Nominees :
Sideh Kai – Illbliss
Eziokwu – Odumodublvck
Alaye Toh Se Gogo Vol. 1 – Reminisce
Family Time – Erigga
Shiny Object Syndrome – Modenine

23. Soundtrack of the Year

Winner : Tribe Called Judah Soundtrack - Tcj & Abbey Wonder (A Tribe Called Judah)
Nominees :
Eledumare - Teledalese (Anikulapo: Rise Of The Spectre)
Lose To Gain - Kaline (Breath Of Life)
Kill Boro - Native Filmworks & Wizard Chan (Kill Boro)
Orisa - Beriola (Orisa)
Emotions - Tiwa Savage & Asa (Water And Garri)
Tribe Called Judah Soundtrack - Tcj & Abbey Wonder (A Tribe Called Judah)

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