Africa Celebrity News Exclusives General Lifestyle Music & Entertainment News Nigeria Trending News by Boluwatife 1 minute ago
4Views
Wizkid, Ayra Starr Lead 2026 Headies Awards Nominations With Multiple Nods
Afrobeats fans, get ready to celebrate. The 18th Headies Awards just dropped its nominations list, and two of Nigeria’s biggest stars are dominating the conversation this week.
2026 Headies Awards Nominations Shake Up Afrobeats
Wizkid and Ayra Starr are leading headlines after the 18th Headies Awards announced its nominees on Tuesday. Both artists picked up multiple nods across major categories.
However, they are not alone in the spotlight. Davido, Burna Boy, Asake, and rising star Fola also secured strong nominations this year. The 2026 Headies Awards nominations prove Afrobeats had an incredible year across the board.
Wizkid Secures 7 Nominations At The 2026 Headies Awards
Wizkid is having a huge moment this year. His album Morayo landed a nod for Album of the Year. Furthermore, Morayo is also up for Afrobeats Album of the Year.
His collaboration with Asake, “Jogodo,” earned him nominations for Afrobeats Song of the Year and Headies Viewers’ Choice. In addition, his song “MMS” is nominated for Song of the Year.
He also picked up nods for Digital Artiste of the Year and Best Male Artiste of the Year. That brings his total to seven nominations this year.
Wizkid’s full nomination list includes:
- Album of the Year — Morayo
- Afrobeats Album of the Year — Morayo
- Afrobeats Song of the Year — “Jogodo”
- Headies Viewers’ Choice — Wizkid & Asake, “Jogodo”
- Song of the Year — “MMS”
- Digital Artiste of the Year
- Best Male Artiste of the Year
Ayra Starr Bags 6 Nods For ‘Hot Body And Who’s Dat Girl’
Ayra Starr is not far behind with six nominations of her own. Her single “Hot Body” is nominated for both Song of the Year and Headies Viewers’ Choice.
Additionally, her performance at Global Citizen Fest 2025 earned her a nod for Best Performer Live. Her music video for “Who’s Dat Girl” is also up for Music Video of the Year.
Ayra Starr rounds out her nominations with Digital Artiste of the Year and Best Female Artiste. Her full list includes:
- Best Performer (Live) — Global Citizen Fest 2025
- Digital Artiste of the Year
- Song of the Year — “Hot Body”
- Headies Viewers’ Choice — “Hot Body”
- Best Female Artiste
- Music Video of the Year — “Who’s Dat Girl”
Davido, Burna Boy, And Fola Also Make The 2026 Headies List
Davido is competing hard this year too. His collaboration with Omah Lay, “With You,” is nominated across five categories, including Song of the Year and Best Headies Collaboration.
Meanwhile, Burna Boy’s single “Bundle by Bundle” landed a nomination for Afrobeats Single of the Year. Rising star Fola impressed judges with ten total nominations, the most of any artist this year.
His song “You” and album Catharsis both earned recognition. Shoday, Mavo, Fido, and Llona round out the Next Rated category alongside Fola.
When Is The 18th Headies Awards Ceremony
Mark your calendars, because the big night is coming soon. The 18th Headies Awards will hold in Toronto, Canada, on October 25.
This year’s ceremony carries the theme “Africa to the World.” Winners across every voting and non-voting category will be announced live that night.
AfrobeatsGlobal Breaks Down Every Category
At AfrobeatsGlobal, we will keep tracking every twist before the ceremony. This year’s 2026 Headies Awards nominations show how far the genre has traveled.
Wizkid and Ayra Starr both proved their staying power with strong nomination counts. Nevertheless, newer names like Fola and Shoday are pushing the culture forward too.
Who do you think deserves the trophy this year? Share your predictions in the comments, and follow AfrobeatsGlobal for more Headies Awards updates. Check out our previous blog post on Victony, Blaqbonez & YKB “Starlife” Lyrics And Meaning.
