Onyeka 
It’s the 2022 Headies Awards season. Nigeria, and arguably Africa’s most coveted prize for contributing to the development of the music industry.
At long last, the highly anticipated list of nominees for the 2022 Headies Awards has been unveiled by the organizers, and Afrobeats giant, Wizkid leads the way with 10 nominations.
Wizkid has been recognized in almost all the top categories, including Nigerian Male Artist of The Year, African Artist of The Year, Record of The Year, Album of The Year and lots more. Davido has 5 nominations, while Burna Boy bagged 3, including for African Artist of The Year.
Adekunle Gold, rapper AQ, Ayra Starr, Kizz Daniel, Timaya, Johnny Drille, Tems, Brymo, Olamide, Show Dem Camp, Basketmouth, Fireboy DMl, Simi, Flavour, Buju Bnxn, Vector, Ladipoe, Jesse Jagz, 2Face Idibia, Don Jazzy, Fally Ipupa, Wyclef Jean, Akon, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and more were also nominated.
Beninese songstress Angelique Kidjo will also be recognized at the 15th edition of the Headies with the Hall of Fame Award.
As for the often fiercely contested and opinion-splitting Next Rated Award, Ayra Starr, Buju Bnxn, Lojay, Ruger, and Zinoleesky will battle it out when the ceremony goes down on the 4th of September in Atlanta, USA, the first time the Headies will be hosted abroad.
TAKE THIS POLL: PICK YOUR 2022 NEXT RATED ARTIST
Check out the full list of nominees below.
Rookie Of The Year
- Av
- Fave
- Magixx
- Portable
- Ugoccie
Best Recording Of The Year
- Celebrate Me – Patoranking
- Essence – Wizkid Ft Tems
- Jpy – Falana
- Loving Is Harder – Johnny Drille
- Meji Meji – Brymo
- Somebody’s Son – Tiwa Savage Ft Brandy
Producer Of The Year
- Beats By Jayy – Golden (A-Q)
- Blaise Beatz – Sinner (Adekunle Gold Feat. Lucky Daye)
- Niphkeys – Feel Good (Mohbad)
- P Priime – Ozumba Mbadiwe (Reekado Banks)
- Pheelz – High (Adekunle Gold Feat. Davido)
Best R&B single
- Baby Riddim – Fave
- Beggie Beggie – Ayra Starr Feat. Ckay
- Essence – Wizkid Feat. Tems
- Running (To You)” – Chike Feat. Simi
- Promise – Niniola
- Sinner – Adekunle Gold Feat. Luck Daye
Songwriter Of The Year
- Adekunle Gold – Sinner
- Ajebo Hustlers – Loyalty
- Brymo – Meji Meji
- Falana – Joy
- Fireboy Dml – Peru
- Omah Lay – Understand
Best Rap Single
- Breathe – A-Q Ft. Chike
- Crown Of Clay – Vector & Mi Abaga Ft. Pheelz
- Early Momo – Vector Ft. Goodgirl La
- Feeling – Ladipoe Ft. Bnxn
- Tycoon – Show Dem Camp Ft. Reminisce & Mojo
- Loading – Olamide Ft Bad Boy Timz
Best Alternative Song
- Doings – Flavour
- Free Your Mind – Made Kuti
- Gonto – Ibejii
- Hustle – Basketmouth, The Cavemen, Bez, Dice Ailes
- Meji Meji – Brymo
- Selense – The Cavemen
Best Vocal Performance (Female)
- Ayra Starr – Toxic
- Liya – Alari
- Niniola – 6th Heaven
- Simi – Running (To You)
- Tems – Essence
- Waje – Last Time
Best Vocal Performance (Male)
- Brymo – Meji Meji
- Johnny Drille – Loving Is Harder
- Oxlade – Ojuju
- Ric Hassani – When I’m Gone
- Tay Iwar – Peaking
Best Music Video
- Champion – (Fireboy Dml Feat. D Smoke) Directed By Tg Omori
- Ginger – (Wizkid Feat. Burna Boy) Directed By Meji Alabi
- Roju – (Chike) Directed By Pink
- Rain – (Yemi Alade Feat. Mzansi Youth Choir) Directed By Ovie Etseyatse
- Bling – (Blaqbonez Feat. Amaarae & Bnxn) Directed By Tg Omori
- Running – (Ladipoe Feat. Fireboy Dml) Directed By Director K
Best Collaboration
- Beggie Beggie – Ayra Starr Feat. Ckay
- Bling – Blaqbonez Feat. Amaarae & Bnxn
- Early Momo – Vector Feat. Goodgirl
- Essence – Wizkid Feat. Tems
- Feeling – Ladipoe Feat. Bnxn
- Running (To You) – Chike Feat. Simi
Best Street-Hop Artiste
- Bella Shmurda – Cash App Feat. Zlatan & Lincoln
- Rexxie & Mohbad – Kpk
- Mohbad – Feel Good
- Naira Marley – Koleyewon
- Nektunez & Goya Menor – Ameno Amapiano (Remix)
- Poco Lee, Portable & Olamide – Zazoo Zehh
Best Afrobeats Single Of The Year
- Bloody Samaritan – Ayra Starr
- Bounce – Ruger
- High – Adekunle Gold Feat. Davido
- Monalisa – Lojay & Sarz
- Ozumba Mbadiwe – Reekado Banks
- Peru – Fireboy Dml
Headies’ Viewer’s Choice
- Ayra Starr – Bloody Samaritan
- Fireboy – Peru ( @Fireboydml )
- Joeboy – Sip
- Lojay & Sarz – Monalisa
- Nektunez & Goya Menor – Ameno Amapiano (Remix)
- Olamide Feat. Omah Lay – Infinity
- Rema – Soundgasm
- Wizkid Feat. Tems – Essence
Best West African Artiste Of The Year
- Amaarae (Ghana)
- Angelique Kidjo (Benin)
- Aya Nakamura (Mali)
- Gyakie (Ghana)
- Kidi (Ghana)
- Nelson Freitas (Cape Verde)
Best East African Artiste Of The Year
- Diamond Platinumz (Tanzania)
- Eddy Kenzo (Uganda)
- Harmonize (Tanzania)
- Meddy (Rwanda)
- Nikita Kering (Kenya)
- Zuchu (Tanzania)
Best North African Artiste Of The Year
- Emel Mathlouthi (Tunisia)
- Elgrandetoto (Morocco)
- Latifa (Tunisia)
- Manal (Morocco)
- Muhamad Ramadan (Egypt)
- Soolking (Algeria)
Best Southern African Artiste Of The Year
- Black Coffee (South Africa)
- Dj Tarico (Mozambique)
- Elaine (South Africa)
- Focalistic (South Africa)
- Jah Prayzah (Zimbabwe)
- Sha Sha (Zimbabwe)
Best Afrobeats Album
- 19 And Dangerous – Ayra Starr
- A Better Time – Davido
- Barnabas – Kizz Daniel
- Made In Lagos (Deluxe Edition) – Wizkid
- Kpos Lifestyle – Ajebo Hustlers
- Wondaland – Teni
- Best Reggae & Dancehall Album
- Gratitude – Timaya
- Love Is War – Prettyboy D-O
- Rainbow Riddim – Shank
- Three – Patoranking
- Yaadman Kingsize – Yung L
Best R&B Album
- Before We Fall Asleep – Johnny Drille
- If Orange Was A Place – Tems
- Love Deep High Life – Omawumi
- Rising – Falana
- The Prince I Became – Ric Hassani
- Water And Garri – Tiwa Savage
Best Alternative Album
- 9: Esan – Brymo
- Intermission – Ibejii
- Legacy + – Femi Kuti & Made Kuti
- Love And Highlife – The Cavemen
- P.S. Thank You For Waiting – Wavy The Creator
- Yabasi – Basketmouth
Best Rap Album
- Carpe Diem – Olamide
- Clone Wars Vol. 5 – The Algorhythm – Show Dem Camp
- Golden – A-Q
- Mafia Culture, Vol. 2.0 – Idowest
- Providence – Ladipoe
- Sex Over Love – Blaqbonez
Album Of The Year
- 9: Esan – Brymo
- 19 & Dangerous – Ayra Starr
- Carpe Diem – Olamide
- Legacy + – Femi Kuti & Made Kuti
- Made In Lagos (Deluxe Edition) – Wizkid
- Yabasi – Basketmouth
Song Of The Year
- Celebrate Me – Patoranking
- Doings – Flavour Feat. Phyno
- Essence – Wizkid Feat. Tems
- High – Adekunle Gold Feat. Davido
- Monalisa – Lojay & Sarz
- Peru – Fireboy Dml
Best Female Artiste
- Simi
- Tems
- Tiwa Savage
- Teni
- Niniola
Best Male Artiste
- Adekunle Gold
- Burna Boy
- Davido
- Flavour
- Olamide
- Wizkid
Next Rated
- Ayra Starr
- Bnxn
- Lojay
- Ruger
- Zinoleesky
African Artiste Of The Year
- Black Coffee (Nigeria)
- Burna Boy (Nigeria)
- Davido (Nigeria)
- Diamond Platinumz (Tanzania)
- Soolking (Algeria)
- Wizkid (Nigeria)
- Aya Nakamura (Mali )
Lyricist On The Roll
- A-Q – “The Last Cypher”
- Blaqbonez – “The Last Cypher”
- Jesse Jagz – “Vipers”
- Ladipoe – “Providence”
- Payper Corleone – “In Don We Trust”
- Vector – “Crown Of Clay”
Humanitarian Award Of The Year
- 2face Idibia
- Ruggedman
- Davido
- Don Jazzy
East Central African Artiste Of The Year
- Calema (Sao Tome & Principe)
- Blanche Bailly (Cameroon)
- Dadju (Dr Congo)
- Fally Ipupa (Dr Congo)
- Innoss’b (Dr Congo)
- Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)
The 2022 Headies Awards show will take place on Sunday, 4th September 2022 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Altanta, Georgia, USA. The first time the show will be hosted away from the motherland.
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