Headies Awards 2023: Predicting the 16th Headies winners

Who is most likely to go home with a Headies award this coming Sunday, September 3, 2023?

The 16th edition of the Headies Awards is slated to take place in Atlanta on September 3.

The 16th Headies Awards nominee list has been out for a while now, so let’s have a look at who the possible winners for each voting category might be.

Rookie of the year

Bayanni

Khaid

Gucci

Bloody Civilian

Odumodublvck

Eltee Skhillz

For this category, Odumodublvck might just take it. His career is on a fast upward track, and he seems to have the ear of the public right now. Though Bloody Civilian is a strong contender as well.

Producer of the year

Magicsticks – Sungba Remix
Pheelz – Electricity
Andre Vibez, London – Calm Down
Tempoe – Soweto
Kel P – Kpe Paso
Rexxie – Abracadabra Remix

This is a difficult call. The winner of this category is going to take it by a small margin because all of these songs were great successes when they were released. We suspect Andre Vibez and London will take this win.

Best R&B single

Burna Boy, Ed Sheeran – For my mind
Ckay – Mmadu
Dami Oniru – Just 4 U
Preye – Red Wine
Chike, Flavour – Hard to find
Simi, Fave – Loyal

Burna Boy is most likely to win this category due to his ever-growing fan base.

Best rap single

Reminisce – Hustle
Ladipoe – Big Energy
Blaqbonez – Back in Uni
Psycho YP – Bando Diaries
OdumoduBlvck – Declan Rice
Jeriq, Phyno – My Bro

This category will be a battle between Odumodublvck and Blaqbonez for the win. The win might lean is more strongly in Odumodublvck’s favour.

Best Alternative song

Wizard Chan – Earth song
Cruel Santino – Final champion
Basketmouth, The Cavemen – The Traveller
Boj, Moliy, Mellissa – In a loop
Flavour – Game Changer (Dike)
Obongjayar – Tinko Tinko

A tug of war between Flavour and Obongjayar is happening here but Obongjayar might just bring this home.

Best music video

Blaqbonez, Perliks – Back in Uni
TG Omori – PBUY
Director Pink – Spell Remix
Director K – Common Person
TG Omori – Bandana
Director K – Calm Down

TG Omori is most likely to win this category. He has steadily been upping his cinematography and storyboarding game.

Best collaboration

Asake, Burna Boy – Sungba Remix
BNXN, Kizz Daniel, Seyi Vibez – Gwagwalada
Pheelz, BNXN – Finesse
Spyro, Tiwa Savage – Who’s Your Guy Remix
Pheelz, Davido – Electricity
Wande Coal, Olamide – Kpe Paso

This is a tough call between Asake and Burna Boy’s ‘Sungba Remix’ and Tiwa Savage and Spyro’s massive remix of ‘Who’s Your Guy?’

Best street hop artist

Rexxie, Naira Marley, Skiibii – Abracadabra
Seyi Vibez – Chance (Na Ham)
Asake – Joha
Poco Lee, HotKid – Otilo
Zlatan, Young Jonn – Astalavista
Mohbad – Peace

Asake and Seyi Vibez are strong contenders in this category. Seyi Vibez is most likely to win because he has a large, involved fan base.

Next rated 

Spyro
Seyi Vibez
Young Jonn
Asake
Victony

Asake is definitely going to take the win in this category. His rise has been swift and massive and so has the size of his fanbase.

Afrobeats single of the year

Burna Boy – Last Last
Ayra Starr – Rush
Kizz Daniel, Tekno – Buga
Pheelz, BNXN – Finesse
Spyro – Who’s Your Guy
Ruger – Asiwaju

Burna Boy is most likely to win in this category as his song, ‘Last Last’ was dubbed the song of the summer last year. This fan love might just sweep the votes in his favour.

Headies’ Viewers’ Choice

Ruger – Asiwaju
Victony, Tempoe – Soweto
Fireboy DML, Asake – Bandana
Ayra Starr – Rush
Asake – Terminator
Mavins – Overloading (Overdose)
Crayon – Ijo (Laba Laba)
Oxlade – Ku Lo Sa
Kizz Daniel, Tekno – Buga
Pheelz, Davido – Electricity

This category is another place where big artists butt their heads. This win will most likely be for Asake.

Best West African Artist of the Year

Gyakie (Ghana)
Black Sherif (Ghana)
The Therapist (Liberia)
Camidoh (Ghana)

This will be the Black Sheriff’s time to shine. His last project was well-revived and impactful.

Best East African Artist of the Year 

Zuchu (Tanzania)
Hewan Gebreworld (Ethiopia)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Eddy Kenzo (Uganda)
Rayvanny (Tanzania)

Diamond Platinum might be most likely to take this win home because of the size of his fan base within and outside Tanzania.

Best North African Artist of the Year

Marwa Loud (Morocco)
Wegz (Egypt)
El Grande Toto (Morocco)
Soolking (Algeria)

This category is most likely to be won by Soolking. He has significantly increased his fanbase outside of Egypt and has done consistent work this year.

Best South African Artist of the Year 

AKA (South Africa)
Nasty C (South Africa)
Costa Titch (South Africa)
Uncle Waffles (Eswatini)
Focalistic (South Africa)
DJ Tarico (Mozambique)

Focalistic has grown massively outside of her native nation of South Africa, she is most likely to take this win home.

Best Central African Artists of the Year

Fally Ipupa (DR Congo)
Gaz Mawete (DR Congo)
Matias Damiaso (Angola)
Emma’A (Gabon)
Libianca (Cameroon)

Libianca’s 2022 was a breakout year for her and her career so she is the most likely winner in the category.

Best R&B Album

Johnny Drille – Home
Chike – The Brother’s Keeper
Praiz – Reckless
Waje – Waje 2.0
Dami Oniru – Matter of Time
Simi – To Be Honest

This is a tough call to make but strong contenders for this win will be Chike or Simi. They did fantastic work on their albums and saw success on the Nigerian charts.

Best Alternative Album

Basketmouth – Horoscopes
BOJ – Gbagada Express
Obongjayar – Some Nights I Dream of Doors
Cruel Santino – Subaru Boys: Final Heaven
Somadina – Heart of The Heavenly Undeniable
Native Sound System – Native World

Basketmouth and BOJ are the strongest contenders in this category. Basketmouth might just be the one to win this.

Album of the Year 

Burna Boy – Love, Damini
Asake – Mr. Money With The Vibe
Rema – Rave & Roses
Omah Lay – Boy Alone
Victony – Outlaw
Davido – Timeless

This is a very tough call tome but Rema is the most likely winner in this category.

Song of the Year

Rema – Calm Down
Burna Boy – Last Last
Oxlade – Ku Lo Sa
Kizz Daniel, Tekno – Buga
Pheelz, BNXN – Finesse
Asake, Burna Boy – Sungba Remix

Rema is also the most likely winner in this category as well. The massive reach of  ‘Calm Down’ makes it the most likely song of the year for 2023.

Best Female Artist

Tems
Simi
Tiwa Savage
Ayra Starr

Tems is our winner for this category. Her amazing performances, songs and writing credits peg her as the strongest contender for this category.

Best Male Artist

Asake
Rema
Burna Boy
Ruger
Kizz Daniel
Omah Lay

Asake is the biggest probable winner here. He has done a lot of publicly acclaimed work in the past year even selling out the 02 in London.

African Artist of the Year 

Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Marwa Loud (Morocco)
Black Sherif (Ghana)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Rema (Nigeria)

This is a strong tie between Burna Boy and Rema. These artists have taken Nigeria to the biggest stages in the world, it’s hard to call which of them will definitely take the win.

Best Inspirational Single

Davido ft. Sunday Service Choir- Stand Strong

Limoblaze, Lecrae & Happi Music- Jireh (My Provider)

Victor Thompson & Ehis D’ Greatest-This Year 

Neon Adejo- Eze Ebube
Nathaniel Bassey & Mercy Chinwo- Tobechukwu

Victoria Orenze- I Get Backing

Nathaniel Bassey & Mercy Chinwo are the strongest contenders for this award. The impact of their song has gone worldwide, especially in the sphere of gospel music enjoyers.

Digital Artist of the Year 

Burna Boy
Ayra Starr
Rema
Omah Lay
Kizz Daniel
Asake

Asake is our call for the winner of the category. He has a fantastic ear both at home and abroad and his digital presence as an artiste is almost perfectly curated.

International Artist of the Year

Drake
Future
Selena Gomez
Don Toliver
Ed Sheeran

Drake is the strongest contender in this group. It is possible that Ed Sheeran can 

Surprise us with a win but until then, Drake is the most likely winner.