The 17th Headies Awards were held on 27 April 2025, at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos. Themed "Back to Base", the event was hosted by Nancy Isime and marked the award's return to Nigeria after two consecutive editions in Atlanta. The nominees were announced in February 2025, with new categories introduced, including "Soundtrack of the Year" and "Best Performer (Live)". The awards show was initially scheduled to hold on 5 April.
The ceremony was affected by technical difficulties and scheduling issues, causing it to end abruptly before winners were announced in categories such as Best R&B Single, Best Collaboration, and Best Rap Album. Zerrydl won the Rookie of the Year award, while Odumodublvck received the Next Rated award. Other notable winners included Lojay (Best Vocal Performance – Male), Liya (Best Vocal Performance – Female), London (Producer of the Year), Erigga (Best Rap Album), and Davido (Digital Artiste of the Year). Tems' "Burning" won Best Recording of the Year, while Asake's "Lonely at the Top" was named Song of the Year. Chike and MohBad's "Egwu" won both Best Collaboration and Viewer's Choice, with MohBad also receiving a posthumous Best Street-Hop Artiste award. Flavour performed a medley of his songs during the ceremony.
Performers Artist(s) Song(s) Qing Madi "See Finish""American Love" L.A.X "Ginger""Caro" Odumodublvck "Pity This Boy" KCee "Pullover""Ojapiano" Shallipopi "Cast""Laho" Flavour "Nwa Baby""Big Baller""Game Changer (Dike)" Ayo Maff "Dealer""Are You There""Panic" Jux "God Design""Ololufe Mi" Nasboi "Umbrella" Magnito "Canada"
Winners and nominees Below is the list of winners and nominees for the popular music categories, which were reviewed between 1 April 2023 and 31 July 2024. Song of the Year Afrobeats Single of the Year "Lonely at the Top" – Asake "Showa" – Kizz Daniel "Commas" – Ayra Starr "Egwu" – Chike & MohBad "Ozeba" – Rema "Big Baller" – Flavour "Big Baller" – Flavour "Big Big Things" – Young Jonn (featuring Kizz Daniel and Seyi Vibez) "Twe Twe (Remix)" – Kizz Daniel (featuring Davido) "Egwu" – Chike & MohBad "Remember" – Asake "Ogechi (Remix)" – Hyce, BoyPee, & Brown Joel (featuring Davido) Album of the Year Afrobeats Album of the Year Heis – Rema Born in the Wild – Tems The Year I Turned 21 – Ayra Starr Stubborn – Victony Work of Art – Asake Heis – Rema Stubborn – Victony Work of Art – Asake The Year I Turned 21 – Ayra Starr Jiggy Forever – Young Jonn Best Recording of the Year Best Collaboration "Burning" – Tems "Different Pattern" – Seyi Vibez "Higher" – Burna Boy "Last Heartbreak Song" – Ayra Starr (featuring Giveon) "Billions" – Sarz (featuring Lojay} "Egwu" – Chike & MohBad "Emotions" – Tiwa Savage (featuring Aṣa) "Blood on the Dance Floor" – Odumodublvck (featuring Bloody Civilian and Wale) "Cast" – Shallipopi (featuring Odumodublvck) "Ole" – Qing Madi (featuring Bnxn) "Twe Twe (Remix)" – Kizz Daniel (featuring Davido) "IDK" – Wizkid (featuring Zlatan) Best Rap Album Best Rap Single Family Time – Erigga Sideh Kai – Illbliss Eziokwu – Odumodublvck ATSG, Vol. 1 – Reminisce Shiny Object Syndrome – Mode 9 "Cast" – Shallipopi (featuring Odumodublvck} "Blood on the Dance Floor" – Odumodublvck (featuring Bloody Civilian and Wale} "Hallelujah" – Ladipoe (featuring Rozzz and Morrelo) "Canada" – Magnito "Ije Nwoke" – Jeriq Best R&B Single Best Street-Hop Artiste Chimamanda Pearl Chukwuma – "Vision" by Qing Madi Simisola Kosoko – "Stranger" by Simi Michael Ajuma Attah – "Can't Breathe" by Llona Emoseh Khamofu – "Family Meeting" by Bloody Civilian Fuayefika Maxwell – "Stages of Life" by Wizard Chan MohBad – "Ask About Me" Seyi Vibez – "Different Pattern" Ayo Maff – "Dealer" (featuring Fireboy DML) Shallipopi – "Cast" (featuring Odumodublvck) Zhus Jdo – "Johnbull" Best Vocal Performance (Female) Best Vocal Performance (Male) Liya – "I'm Done" Ayra Starr (featuring Giveon) – "Last Heartbreak Song" Niniola – "Level" Simi – "Stranger" Yemi Alade – "Tomorrow" Lojay – "Billions" Omah Lay – "Moving" Anendlessocean – "Gratitude" Johnny Drille – "For You" Timi Dakolo – "Ke Na Ke So" Artiste of the Year Next Rated Davido Ayra Starr Asake Rema Tems Burna Boy Odumodublvck Qing Madi Shallipopi Ayo Maff Nasboi Best Performer (Live) Music Video of the Year Burna Boy Rema Omah Lay Flavour Wizard Chan Femi Kuti & the Positive Force "Egwu" – Chike & MohBad "Emotions" – Tiwa Savage (featuring Aṣa) "Blood on the Dance Floor" – Odumodublvck (featuring Bloody Civilian and Wale) "Cast" – Shallipopi (featuring Odumodublvck) "Ole" – Qing Madi (featuring Bnxn) "Twe Twe (Remix)" – Kizz Daniel (featuring Davido) "IDK" – Wizkid (featuring Zlatan) Producer of the Year Songwriter of the Year London – "Ozeba" Sarz – "Happiness" Magicsticks – "Basquiat" Rema, Producer X, Cubeatz, Deatz, Klimperboy – "Hehehe" Dibs – "Different Pattern" Chimamanda Pearl Chukwuma – "Vision" by Qing Madi Simisola Kosoko – "Stranger" by Simi Michael Ajuma Attah – "Can't Breathe" by Llona Emoseh Khamofu – "Family Meeting" by Bloody Civilian Fuayefika Maxwell – "Stages of Life" by Wizard Chan Lyricist on the Roll Headies Viewers' Choice Ladipoe – "Hallelujah" A-Q – "Mogadishu" M.I Abaga – "Chocolate City Cypher" Blaqbonez – "Chocolate City Cypher" Alpha Ojini – "Efeleme" "Egwu" – Chike & MohBad "Big Big Things" – Young Jonn (featuring Kizz Daniel and Seyi Vibez) "Ogechi (Remix)" – Hyce, BoyPee, & Brown Joel (featuring Davido) "Showa" – Kizz Daniel "Different Pattern" – Seyi Vibez "Ozeba" – Rema "Love Me JeJe" – Tems "Cast" – Shallipopi (featuring Odumodublvck) "Dealer" – Ayo Maff (featuring Fireboy DML) "Big Baller" – Flavour Digital Artiste of the Year Rookie of the Year Davido Ayra Starr Rema Shallipopi Tems Kizz Daniel Asake Zerrydl Taves Kaestyle Llona International Artiste of the Year Best West African Artiste of the Year Travis Scott – "Active" (with Asake) Wale – "Blood on the Dance Floor" (with Odumodublvck and Bloody Civilian) Skepta – "Tony Montana" (featuring Portable) Chris Brown – "Hmmm" (featuring Davido) Chlöe – "Vision" (Remix) (with Qing Madi) Himra Black Sherif King Promise Josey Toofan Best East African Artiste of the Year Best North African Artiste of the Year Juma Jux Bien Diamond Platnumz Bruce Melodie Azawi Soolking Mohamed Ramadan ElGrandeToto Balti Abu Best Southern African Artiste of the Year Best Central African Artiste of the Year TitoM Yuppe Tyla Kelly Kay Plutonio Zee Nxumalo Innoss'B Gaz Mawete Emma'a Eboloko Singuila Kocee Best Inspirational Single Soundtrack of the Year "You Do This One" – Mercy Chinwo "Gratitude" – Anendlessocean "Worthy of My Praise" – Dunsin Oyekan (featuring Lawrence Oyor) "Good God 2" – Limoblaze (featuring Naomi Raine) "Particularly" – Gaise Baba (featuring Tope Alabi) "Tribe Called Judah Soundtrack" – Tolu Obanro & Abbey Wonder (A Tribe Called Judah) "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 & Aṣa (Water & Garri) Special Recognition
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