17th Headies Awards: Our Picks!

Here are our predictions and picks for the 17th Headies Awards ceremony which commences on 27 May, 2025.

17TH HEADIES AWARD

The Headies Awards stands as a leading award platform celebrating Afrobeats artists and sounds rooted in Nigeria. For years, it has set the standard in recognising outstanding musical talents. The 17th edition of the Headies is scheduled to take place this Sunday evening.

Here are our sincere picks for some categories:

1. BEST RAP SINGLE

A category that adeptly celebrates rap singles released on-air and streaming platforms. As a distinct genre, rap is characterised by rhythmic vocal style delivered on complementary beats that are usually properly blended for storytelling, wordplay and lyrical flow.

Thriving on versatility, ODUMODUBLVCK’s Blood on the Dance Floor and Ladipoe’s Hallelujah give a music cadence that is neither overly subtle nor complex to explore. Both tracks showcase the artists’ proficiency in blending rap styles with melodic and groovy elements, hence, paving the way for dynamism. In contrast, Shallipopi’s Cast, though rich in pulsating beats, lacks lyrical depth, same as Magnito’s Canada.

Blood on the Dance Floor stands out for its exceptional production quality, creating a delicate fusion of distinct artistic styles across different genres. Based on digital streaming numbers, the music has gained over 40 million listens across all platforms, even outperforming Shallipopi’s Cast on YouTube with more than 10 million. 

Also, as an award category heavily influenced by audience preferences and personal choices, Blood on the Dance Floor appears to be the leading contender.

2. BEST LYRICIST ON THE ROLL

Exceptional lyricism gives storytelling a powerful advantage, offering introspective depth to the theme of a song and a resonant connection with the listeners. Sometimes, it prioritises communication over the beat, but a true mastery of the genre meshes both sounds and lyricism on equal footing and delivers impeccably.

Every song in this nomination category meets that standard. Also, as a non-voting category, the focus is placed entirely on the artists’ proficiency in both skill and style, rather than on audience popularity or streaming numbers.

M.I Abaga’s verse on Chocolate City Cypher commands a dominating presence, marked by sharp satire on the perception of hip-hop, a celebration of artists thriving within the genre, and a reminder of the solid foundation it has laid for exceptional music and storytelling. Once again, M.I Abaga proves that his lyrical genius is no bluff—it’s a consistent and undeniable force that needs no further validation, only a resounding acknowledgement.

Our second choice in the category is Ladipoe’s Hallelujah, praised for its powerful lyricism and portrayal of themes like resilience, struggle, and faith. His skilful fusion of melody with rap further cements his artistry as one of the finest in the scene.

3. MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR

A voting category that celebrates directors with outstanding visual storytelling, creative direction, and conceptual execution in a music video. Over the years, the direction and aesthetics of visual narratives have significantly shaped the reception of the music, hence creating more publicity for songs.

Consistently championing the category with his creative brilliance and aesthetic portrayals, TG OMORI’s delivery of visual perfection in the Showa project replicated his mastery of the art. Paired with the high-profile song, the video’s clean storytelling, luxurious imagery, cultural references, and Omori’s signature touch made it stand out massively in reviews and fan discussions. Other selections which are apparently closer to its visual brilliance are Dammy Twitch’s Na Money and Rema, Perliks and Folarin Oludare’s Charm.

However, in terms of views, Charm peaks the highest with a total of 114M views on YouTube.

4. INTERNATIONAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

A category that gives recognition to a non-African artist or group for their outstanding achievement and impact on Afrobeats. Collaborations with international artists have reshaped the perception of Afrobeat and impacted its massive exportation across borders.

Chris Brown has consistently delivered several impeccable collaborations with Nigerian artists such as WizKid, Davido and Lojay. These notable partnerships have solidified his influence and contribution to the global growth of Afrobeats. His recent hit with Davido, Hmmm, continues this trend, recording over 30 million streams on Spotify (according to Kworb.net) and 38 million streams on YouTube Music.

5. AFROBEATS ALBUM OF THE YEAR

A category that offers critical recognition to the complete artistry curated in a single album. The category celebrates not only the reverence of musical brilliance but also the ability to weave several of those pieces into a united body of work.

The Year I Turned 21 stands out as a major preference, receiving widespread acclaim from major outlets like Billboard and Pitchfork for its emotional depth, mature songwriting, and sonic coherence. Its seamless blend of Afrobeats, pop, and R&B, along with its exploration of resonant themes like growth and vulnerability, which was particularly relatable to Gen Z audiences, earned it significant praise. The album also achieved global success, charting at No. 195 on the U.S. Billboard 200.

Other strong contenders are Asake’s Work of Art and Victory’s Stubborn. The latter is especially praised for its beautiful vocal performances, powerful lyricism, and experimental fusion of Afropop and Alté elements, although it fell short in commercial success.

6. SOUNDTRACK OF THE YEAR

Lose to Gain created a soundtrack that appeals and feels essential to the storytelling of Breath of Life, rather than supplementary. The soundtrack blends rich instruments and soulful vocals with peak lyricalism. Flowing from the original movie’s narrative and its appraisals, the soundtrack uniquely amplified the emotional depth of the movie and poignantly captured its major themes.

The best contender in this category is Teledalese’s ELEDUMARE, which was appraised for its deeply traditional representation and rich tone.

7. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

 A category that recognizes the upcoming forces in the Nigerian music industry. Where talented and record-breaking artists go bar for bar. 

Popular and well-known acts such as Davido, Wizkid, and Odumodu have won this award, further showing that it's not just a mere category but a talent recognizer.

Coming into the scene in 2023 with his single "Popo," Zerrydl has continued to keep the streets entertained with his back-to-back bangers, such as "Popo," "Puff and Pass," "Knack Am," and "Pass for Where," amongst others. 

With about 1.3 million listeners on Spotify and over 500 thousand followers on Instagram, Zerrydl continues to show not just talent and grit but also proves himself as the national sweetheart.

8. BEST RECORD OF THE YEAR

A non-voting category that celebrates excellent songwriting, production, performance, pen game, and everything that makes up a great record. Basically, an award to reward an all-round song.

This year's nominees range from Tems' "Burning," Seyi Vibes' "Different Patterns," Burna Boy's "Higher," Ayra Starr's "Last Heartbreak Song" featuring Giveon, and finally, Sarz's "Billions" featuring Lojay. It's evident that we've got most of the major hits from the music year.

It was hard to make a decision, but we had no other option but to settle for a song that made history as the biggest debut for a solo song by an African on Spotify with 1.3 million streams on its first day, to smashing records on YouTube, to being nominated for a Grammy award, to becoming the longest-charting No. 1 entry in Nigeria for a lead artist.

"Higher" by Burna Boy shows not just perfect songwriting and production but is a go-to song that helps elevate our moods anytime and anywhere.

9. SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR 

Another non-voting category focusing on the masterminds working behind every released song. This year, we have Simisola Kosoko, Chimamanda Pearl, Michael Ajuma, Emoseh Khamofur, and Funyefka Maxwell. A common feature amongst these nominees is their exceptional pen game, which makes a listener want to repeat the song over and over again.

Funyefka Maxwell, musically known as Wizard Chan, is a Nigerian songwriter who doubles as a musician. He is popular for his pen game in songs such as "Halo Halo," "Falko" ft Odumodu, "Miss You," and "Earth Songs," amongst others. A feature that makes him unique is his relatable lyrics, focusing on day-to-day happenings. He is not a newcomer to the Headies community, having won a Headies award in 2023.

10. MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR

 Visuals bring music to life and give a storyline to the lyrics. Another voting category that focuses on concepts, excitement, and direction. This category celebrates the directors of music videos who, through their creativity, bring the song to life.

The nominees for this year's Headies all have a distinct feature: vibrancy. With color contrast and balance, the directors add beauty to the vibe. The music video showcases beauty, street culture, color, dynamic dance choreography, and indigenous culture. Traditional Nigerian cultures are celebrated throughout the video, showing their culture, attire, and patterns, blending cultural heritage with modern styles.

Directed by Praise Onyeagwalam, also known as Director Pink, who is popular in the music industry for making captivating and vibrant music videos.

11. BEST RnB SINGLE

RnB, which stands for Rhythm and Blues, is a musical genre known for its smooth lyrics and emotive vocals, blending elements of blues, jazz, and soul. The Nigerian musical space is filled with soulful RnB singers who bring warmth by merely listening to them. 

Although this is another highly competitive category, Ayra Starr and Giveon made magic with their song "The Last Heartbreak Song". Focusing on the Nigerian dating pool's main actor - "situationships". The song is an emotional track showcasing soulful vocals and incredible storytelling.

12. NEXT RATED

 Recognizing the most promising upcoming acts in the Nigerian music industry each year, and also one of the biggest and most anticipated categories. The winner doesn't only go home with the award but a brand-new car amongst other significant prizes. Although not a written rule, the winner is sometimes regarded as an A-list artist after winning this category.

The nominees for this year are all talented individuals who have been releasing hits since they took over the Nigerian musical space. Ranging from Shalipopi to Qing Madi, Odumodublvck, Ayo Maff, and Nasobi, all have given us an anthem that has unified the musical citizens within and outside Nigeria.

Our pick? Odumodublvck. The talented Nigerian rapper and singer who is known for his genre-bending style. Popularly known for his catchphrase that precedes every one of his songs, he is now a household name and a national "sweet" heart. Frequently topping the charts with his singles and collaborations, he is still making waves and remaining in the spotlight.

Some of his songs include "Blood on the Dance Floor," "Pity This Boy," "Dog Eat Dog," "Asampete," "Declan Rice," and "Big Kala," amongst others. He has also won a number of awards, ranging from The Headies award in 2023 and the Galaxy Music Awards in 2022.