The 2022 full list of nominees for the 15th edition of The Headies Awards slated for July 2 in Atlanta has Wizkid leading with nine nominations, followed by Ayra Starr and Tems with eight nominations.

Wizkid’s ‘Essence and Ayra Starr’s ‘Bloody Samaritan’ earned multiple nominations.

Ayra Starr was nominated for Best Vocal Performance (Female), Best Collaboration, Headies Viewer’s Choice, Best Afrobeats Album, Album of The Year, Best R&B single, Best Afrobeats Single of The Year and Next Rated categories. 

Although the singer has produced hits upon hits, trolls and Nigerians made allegations that the nominations had been influenced by Mavin Records CEO Don Jazzy to favour Ayra and other artistes. 

“This idea of Don jazzy Don buy Headies is dumb asF Sha. Like you people want to believe a narrative so bad Don Jazzy buy Headies yet AYRA Starr was ignored for Female Artiste of the year Don Jazzy buy Headies dem no nominate Feeling for Song of the year. E Sha rora ma ta epo lo,” said Don Jazzy.

Burna Boy’s Grammy award-winning ‘Twice As Tall’ album was ignored within the six categories dedicated to various genres of albums released.

Zazoo crooner Portable made his Headies’ debut with two nominations for ‘Rookie of the year’ and ‘Best street hop artiste’.

This year, the award show included six new diverse categories, including Best Afrobeat Pop Single, Best Afrobeat Pop Album, Music Exec of The Year, Best African Collaboration, African Artiste of The Year and International Artiste of The Year.

Here is the full nominations list:

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

AV

FAVE

Magixx

Portable

Ugoccie

BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR

“CELEBRATE ME” – Patoranking

“ESSENCE” – Wizkid Ft. TEMS

“JOY” – 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 ft Lucky Daye)

Niphkeys – “FEEL GOOD” (Mohbad)

P Priime – “OZUMBA MBADIWE” (Reekado Banks)

Pheelz – “HIGH” (Adekunle Gold ft. Davido)

Sarz – “MONALISA” (Lojay & Sarz)

BEST R&B SINGLE

FAVE – “BABY RIDDIM”

Ayra Starr Ft. CKay- “BEGGIE BEGGIE”

Wizkid ft. TEMS – “ESSENCE”

Chike ft. Simi – “RUNNING(TO YOU)”

Niniola – “PROMISE”

Adekunle Gold ft Lucky Daye – “SINNER”

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Adekunle Gold – “SINNER”

Ajebo Hustlers – “LOYALTY”

Brymo – “MEJI MEJI”

Falana – “JOY”

Fireboy DML – “PERU”

Omah Lay – “UNDERSTAND”

BEST RAP SINGLE

A-Q ft. Chike – “BREATHE”

Vector & MI Abaga ft. Pheelz – “CROWN OF CLAY”

Vector ft. Goodgirl LA – “EARLY MOMO”

Ladipoe ft BNXN – “FEELING”

Show Dem Camp ft Reminisce & Mojo – “TYCOON”

Olamide ft. Bad Boy Timz – “LOADING”

BEST ALTERNATIVE SONG

Flavour – “DOINGS”

Made Kuti – “FREE YOUR MIND”

Ibejii – “GONTO”

Basketmouth, The Cavemen, Dice Ailes & Bez – “HUSTLE”

Brymo – “MEJI MEJI”

The Cavemen – “SELENSE”

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”

Oxlade – “OJUJU”

Johnny Drille – “LOVING IS HARDER”

Ric Hassani – “WHEN I AM GONE”

Tay Iwar – “PEAKING”

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

TG Omori – “CHAMPION” (Fireboy DML FT D Smoke)

Meji Alabi – “GINGER” (Wizkid ft. Burna Boy)

Pink – “ROJU” (Chike)

Ovie Etseyatse – “RAIN” (Yemi Alade ft Mzansi Youth Choir)

TG Omori – “BLING” (Blaqbonez ft Amaarae and BNXN)

Director K – “RUNNING” (Ladipoe ft Fireboy DML)

BEST COLLABORATION

Ayra Starr ft CKay – “BEGGIE BEGGIE”

Blaqbonez ft Amaarae & BNXN – “BLING”

Vector ft Goodgirl LA – “EARLY MOMO”

Wizkid ft TEMS – “ESSENCE”

Ladipoe ft BNXN – “FEELING”

Chike ft Simi – “RUNNING TO YOU”

BEST STREET HOP ARTISTE

Bella Shmurda ft Zlatan & Lincoin – “CASH APP”

Mohbad ft Rexxie – “KPK”

Mohbad – “FEEL GOOD”

Naira Marley – “KOLEYEWON”

Nektunez & Goya Menor – “AMENO AMPIANO REMIX”

Portable & Poco Lee ft Olamide – “Zazoo Zeh”

AFROBEATS SINGLE OF THE YEAR

Ayra Starr – “BLOODY SAMARITAN”

Ruger – “BOUNCE”

Adekunle Gold ft Davido – “HIGH”

Lojay & Sarz – “MONALISA”

Reekado Banks – “OZUMBA MBADIWE”

Fireboy DML – “PERU”

HEADIES VIEWER’S CHOICE

Joeboy – “SIP”

Ayra Starr – “BLOODY SAMARITAN”

Fireboy DML – “PERU”

Lojay & Sarz – “MONALISA”

Nektunez & Goya Menor – “AMENO AMPIANO REMIX”

Olamide ft Omah Lay – “INFINITY”

Rema – “SOUNDGASM”

Wizkid ft 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

Harmonize

Meddy

Eddy Kenzo

Nikita Kering

Zuchu

BEST NORTH AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

Muhamad Ramadan

Emel Mathlouthi

Elgrandetoto

Latifah

Soolking

Manal

BEST SOUTHERN AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

Black Coffee

DJ Tarico

Elaine

Focalistic

Sha Sha

Jah Prayzah

BEST AFROBEATS ALBUM

Ayra Starr – “19 & DANGEROUS”

Davido – “A BETTER TIME”

Wizkid – “MADE IN LAGOS”

Kizz Daniel – “BARNABAS”

Ajebo Hustlers – “KPOS LIFESTYLE”

Teni – “WONDALAND”

BEST REGGAE & DANCEHALL ALBUM

Timaya – “GRATITUDE”

Prettyboy D-O – “LOVE IS WAR”

Shank – “RAINBOW RIDDIM”

Patoranking – “THREE”

Yung L – “YAADMAN KINGSIZE”

BEST R&B ALBUM

Johnny Drille – “BEFORE WE FALL ASLEEP”

TEMS – “IF ORANGE WAS A COLOUR”

Omawunmi – “LOVE DEEP HIGH LIFE”

Falana – “RISING”

Ric Hassani – “THE PRINCE I BECAME”

Tiwa Savage – “WATER AND GARRI”

BEST ALTERNATIVE ALBUM

Brymo – “9: ESAN”

Ibejii – “INTERMISSION”

Femi Kuti & Made Kuti – “LEGACY +”

The Cavemen – “LOVE AND HIGHLIFE”

Wavy The Creator- “P.S THANK YOU FOR WAITING”

Basketmouth – “YABASI”

BEST RAP ALBUM

Olamide – “CARPE DIEM”

Show Dem Camp – “CLONE WARS VOL. 5; THE ALGORYTHM”

A-Q – “GOLDEN”

Idowest – “MAFIA CULTURE VOL. 2.0”

LadiPoe – “PROVIDENCE”

Blaqbonez – “SEX OVER LOVE”

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Femi Kuti & Made Kuti – “LEGACY +”

Wizkid – “MADE IN LAGOS (Deluxe Edition)”

Brymo – “9: ESAN”

Ayra Starr – “19 & DANGEROUS”

Olamide – “CARPE DIEM”

Basketmouth – “YABASI”

SONG OF THE YEAR

Patoranking – “CELEBRATE ME”

Flavour ft. Phyno – “DOINGS”

Wizkid ft. TEMS – “ESSENCE”

Adekunle Gold ft Davido – “HIGH”

Lojay & Sarz – “MONALISA”

Fireboy DML – “PERU”

BEST FEMALE ARTISTE

SIMI

TEMS

TIWA SAVAGE

TENI

NINIOLA

BEST MALE ARTISTE

BURNA BOY

ADEKUNLE GOLD

WIZKID

DAVIDO

FLAVOUR

OLAMIDE

HEADIES NEXT RATED

ZINOLEESKY

BNXN 

LOJAY 

RUGER 

AYRA STARR

AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

AYA NAKAMURA

BURNA BOY

BLACK COFFEE

DAVIDO

DIAMOND PLATINUMZ

SOOLKING

WIZKID

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

BOSE OGULU

EFE OMOROGBE

SUNDAY ARE

HALL OF FAME

ANGELIQUE KIDJO

INTERNATIONAL ARTISTE RECOGNITION

AKON

DIDDY

WYCLEF JEAN

LYRICIST ON THE ROLL

A-Q – “The Last Cypher”

BLAQBONEZ – “The Last Cypher”

LADIPOE – “Providence”

JESSE JAGS – “Viphers”

PAYPER CORLEONE – “In Don We Trust”

VECTOR – “Crown Of Clay”

HUMANITARIAN AWARD OF THE YEAR

DAVIDO

DON JAZZY

2FACE IDIBIA

RUGGEDMAN