The most anticipated award in the entertainment industry for recognition of good and quality music is here again this year. As lovers of Nigerian music have been waiting for the panelist to reveal this year’s nominees for the awards billed to take place on the 25th of October 2014.
This year the Smooth promotions popularly known as HipTV said at a media meeting to announce the nominees that the essence of the awards is to celebrate the best of Nigerian music. Some award categories for this year’s Headies are: Best recording of the year; Iyawo Mi- Timi Dakolo, Let Somebody Love You- 2face Idibia, Always On My Mind- Nosa, Ordinary People- Cohbams Asuquo. Producer Of The Year: Don Jazzy- Dorobucci, Pheelz- Eleda Mi O, T Spize- Aye, Legendury Beatz- Caro, Shizzy-Skelewu, Del B- Pull Over.
Best Vocal Performance Male: ; Iyawo Mi- Timi Dakolo, Let Somebody Love You- 2face Idibia, Always On My Mind- Nosa, Ordinary People- Cohbams Asuquo. Best Vocal Performance Female: Love To Love You- Niyola Ft Banky W, Wanted- Tiwa Savage, Window- Monica Ogah, Good Man- Ruby .
Other categories include: Best Music Video, Best R&B/Pop Album, Best R&B Single, Best Pop Single, Best Raggea/Dance Allsingle, Best Rap Album, Best Collabo, Best Rap Single, Hip Hop World Revelation, Lyricist On The Roll, Best Alternative Song, Album Of The Year, Artiste Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best African Artist, And Hall Of Fame.
According to the organisers, one of the highlights of the award is the category Next Rated which is the most anticipated for the new entries into the lime light with an attractive car price each year. The full nominee list that were unveiled and could be found online for voters to support their choice by voting for them, but not all categories are determined by the highest votes. DJ Jimmy Jatt, head of the award panel, said: “We have never collected bribe, despite the fact that people always talk. But we have been able to work out everything. Some categories are not determined by the votes some are determined by the panel of judges alone, we used to be faceless judges to avoid disturbance but a few years ago we came out for some reasons. The panel is made up with neutral judges that do not have any interest but are all mutual with everybody in the industry. Some people make up issues concerning the fact that some songs were not nominated but this could be because of the fact that those songs were not in the year of review for that year and for this year’s award we are working with songs from July 2013-June2014.” Having over eighteen categories of awards this year for both male and female, different genre of music, African artist (for non Nigerians) and Hall of Fame, the list of sponsors for this year’s awards are: HipTV, Beat FM, Cool Fm, STV and City Fm and major sponsorship from: MTN, Heritage bank, Airtel, Guinness, Cool World, and Hyundai.
Each year with a new theme, The Headies has been able to reward what is credible that what was popular in the local music industry.
“I am very glad that we are able to do the awards this year again,” said Ayo Animashaun, CEO Smooth Promotions, “having good sponsors behind us is a good thing. So far we have not been biased in running the awards despite how people see it. We have been able to give awards to the people who deserve it and not just to anybody. We have a panel of judges who take their time to listen to the songs and deliberate on it. Certain times when people want to lobby for their names to enter the nominee list I refuse, and tell them no because when they were nominated they did nothing to put their names their so now why do they want a compromise. We have a standard that we trying to uphold and are not gender biased or tribalistic in any way, we give to whoever what they deserve and do not go with bribe.”
MARY OCHUGBUA
