Headies 2023: All the winners

Now in their 16th edition, the awards were founded by Hip Hop World Magazine in 2006 to honour musical accomplishments by mainly Nigerian artists. The 2023 Headies, held in the US for a second consecutive year, rewarded works released between January 2022 and March 2023, with trophies presented in more than 30 categories.

Among the biggest winners on the night were Rema and Burna Boy, both walking away with an impressive tally of three awards each. Asake, who recently sold out the 20 000-capacity O2 Arena in London, secured two accolades, including the coveted Album of the Year Award for Mr Money With the Vibe. Rapper Odumodublvck and singer Victony also clinched two awards each.

Below are all the winners:

Best Recording of the Year

• ‘Alone’ by Burna Boy
• ‘Soweto’ by Victony and Tempoe
• ‘I’m a Mess’ by Omah Lay
• ‘Ku Lo Sa’ by Oxlade
• ‘Stand Strong’ by Davido
• ‘No Woman, No Cry’ by Tems

Producer of the Year

• Magicstickz (Sungba Remix)
• Pheelz (Electricity)
• Andrevibez & London (Calm Down)
• Tempoe (Soweto)
• Kel-P (Kpe Paso)
• Rexxie (Abracadabra)

Songwriter of the Year

• ‘Loyal’ by Simi
• ‘I’m a Mess’ by Omah Lay
• ‘Lift Me Up’ by Tems
• ‘Alone’ by Burna Boy
• ‘In My Mind’ by BNXN fka Buju
• ‘Earth Song’ by Wizard Chan

Best R&B Single

• ‘For My Hand’ by Bruna Boy ft. ED Sheeran
• ‘Mmadu’ by CKay
• ‘Just 4 u’ by Dami Oniru
• ‘Red Wine’ By Preye
• ‘Hard to Find’ by Chike ft. Flavour
• ‘Loyal’ by Simi ft. Fave

Best Rap Single

• ‘Hustle’ by Reminisce ft. BNXN
• ‘Big Energy’ by Ladi Poe
• ‘Back in Uni’ by Blaq Bonez
• ‘Bando Diaries’ by Psycho YP ft. Odumodublvck
• ‘Declan Rice’ by Odumodublvck
• ‘My Bro’ by Jeriq the Hussla ft. Phyno

Best Vocal Performance (Female)

• ‘Loyal’ Simi
• ‘In Between’ by Waje
• ‘Memories’ by Niniola
• ‘Adua Remix’ by Liya
• ‘Red Wine’ by Preye Itams
• ‘Just 4 U’ by Dami Oniru

Best Vocal Performance (Male)

• ‘Ku Lo Sa’ by Oxlade
• ‘My Only Baby’ Ric Hassani
• ‘Love Don’t Cost a Dime’ by Magixx
• ‘Spell Remix’ by Chike
• ‘Reckless’ by Praiz
• ‘Kpe Paso’ by Wande Coal

Best Alternative Song

• ‘Earth Song’ by Wizard Chan
• ‘Final Champion’ by Cruel Santino
• ‘The Traveller’ by Basketmouth and The Cavemen
• ‘In a Loop’ By BOJ ft. Mellissa
• ‘Game Changer’ by Flavour
• ‘Tinko Tinko’ by Obongjayar

Best Music Video

• ‘Back in Uni’ by Blaq Bonez Perliks
• ‘PBUY’ by TG Omori
• ‘Spell (Remix)’ by Director Pink
• ‘Common Person’ By Director K
• ‘Bandana’ by TG Omori
• ‘Calm Down (Remix)’ by Director K

Best Collaboration

• ‘Sungba Remix’ by Asake ft. Burna Boy
• ‘Gwagwalada’ by Bnxn ft. Kizz Daniel & Seyi Vibez 
• ‘Finesse’ by Pheelz ft. Bnxn 
• ‘Who’s Your Guy Remix’ by Spyro ft. Tiwa Savage 
• ‘Electricity’ By Pheelz ft. Davido
• ‘Kpe Paso’ By Wande Coal ft. Olamide 

Best Street-Hop Artist

• Rexxie ft. Naira Marley & Skiibii – ‘Abracadabra’
• Seyi Vibez – ‘Chance’
• Asake – ‘Joha’
• Zlatan ft. Young Jonn – ‘Astalavista’
• Poco Lee & Hotkid – ‘Otilo’
• Mohbad – ‘Peace’

Rookie of the Year

• Odumodu Blvck
• Bayyani
• Guchi
• Eltee Skhillz
• Bloody Civilian
• Khaid

Digital Artist of the Year

• Burna Boy
• Ayra Starr
• Rema
• Omah Lay
• Kizz Daniel
• Asake

International Artist of the Year

• Drake
• Future
• Selena Gomez
• Don Toliver
• Ed Sheeran

Afrobeats Single of the Year

• ‘Last Last’ by Burna Boy
• ‘Rush’ by Ayra Starr
• ‘Buga’ by Kizz Daniel & Tekno
• ‘Finesse’ by Pheelz ft. Bnxn
• ‘Who’s Your Guy?’ by Spyro
• ‘Asiwaju’ by Ruger

Headies’ Viewers’ Choice

• Ruger – ‘Asiwaju’
• Victony & Tempoe – ‘Soweto’
• Fireboy DML & Asake – ‘Bandana’
• Ayra Star – ‘Rush’
• Asake – Terminator’
• Mavins – ‘Overloading’
• Crayon – ‘Ijo (Laba Laba)’
• Oxlade – ‘Ku Lo Sa’
• Kizz Daniel & Tekno – ‘Buga’
• Pheelz & Davido – ‘Electricity’

Best West African Artist of the Year

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

Best East African Artist of the Year

• Zuchu
• Diamond Platnumz
• Rayvanny
• Eddy Kenzo
• Hewan Gebreworld

Best North African Artist of the Year

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

Best Southern African Artist of the Year

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

Best Central African Artist of the Year

• Fally Ipupa (DRC)
• Gaz Mawete (DRC)
• Matias Damasio (Angola)
• Emma’a ( Gabon)
• Libianca (Cameroon)

African Artist of the Year

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

Best R&B Album

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

Best Alternative Album

• Horoscopes by Basketmouth
• Gbagada Express by BOJ
• Some Nights I Dream Of Doors by Obongjayar
• Subaru Boys: Final Heaven by Cruel Santino
• Heart Of The Heavenly Undeniable by Omadina
• Native World by Native Sound System

Best Rap Album

• Fly Talk Only by Payper Corleone
• Palmwine Music Vol 3 by Show Dem Camp
• Young Preacher by Blaqbonez
• YP SZN 3 by Psycho YP
• Teslim: The Energy Still Lives In Me by Vector
• Billion Dollar Dream by Jeriq

Lyricist on the Roll

• Ladipoe
• Vector
• Payper Corleone
• Alpha Ojini
• A-Q
• TEC (SDC)

Best Inspirational Single

• ‘Stand Strong’ by Davido ft. Sunday Service Choir
• ‘Jireh (My Provider)’ by Limoblaze, Lecrae & Happi Music
• ‘This Year’ by Victor Thompson & Ehis D’ Greatest
• ‘Eze Ebube’ by Neon Adejo
• ‘Tobechukwu’ by Nathaniel Bassey & Mercy Chinwo
• ‘I Get Backing’ – Victoria Orenze

Album of the Year

• Love, Damini by Burna Boy
• Mr Money With the Vibe  by Asake
• Rave & Roses by Rema
• Boy Alone by Omah Lay
• Outlaw by Victony
• Timeless by Davido

Song of the Year

• ‘Calm Down’ by Rema
• ‘Last Last’ by Burna Boy
• ‘Ku Lo Sa’ by Oxlade
• ‘Buga’ by Kizz Daniel & Tekno
• ‘Finesse’ by Pheelz ft. Bnxn
• ‘Sungba Remix’ by Asake ft. Burna Boy

Best Female Artist

• Tems
• Simi
• Ayra Starr
• Tiwa Savage

Best Male Artist

• Asake
• Rema
• Kizz Daniel
• Ruger
• Omah Lay
• Burna Boy

Next Rated

• Young Jonn
• Seyi Vibez
• Asake
• Victony
• Spyro

International Artist Recognition

• Sean ‘Love’ Combs

Hall of Fame

• Youssou N'Dour

Special Recognition

• Sound Sultan