Five rising musicians, Fola, Shoday, Mavo, Fido and Llona, have been nominated for the Next Rated category at the 18th Headies Awards.
The Headies organisers announced the full list of nominees for the 2026 ceremony on Tuesday.
The Next Rated award recognises emerging artistes who have made the most significant impact on the Nigerian music industry during the review period
The 2026 edition is scheduled to take place in Canada.
Fola emerged as one of the most-nominated new acts.
His single ‘You’ earned him nominations for Next Rated, Afrobeats Single of the Year and Best Recording of the Year
He was also nominated for Best R&B Album for ‘Catharsis’ and for Digital Artiste of the Year.
Shoday secured a Next Rated nomination following the success of ‘Hey Jago’ with Poco Lee and Rahman Jago.
The song is also nominated for Song of the Year
Mavo was nominated for Next Rated and Digital Artiste of the Year following a string of releases that raised his profile in 2025.
Fido also received a Next Rated nomination.
His songs ‘Joy Is Coming’ and ‘Fun’ earned him nominations for Song of the Year and Afrobeats Single of the Year
Llona completes the five-man shortlist. He has built a growing audience and is regarded as one of the emerging acts expected to influence the sound of Nigerian music.
Beyond the Next Rated category, several of Nigeria’s biggest artistes also secured nominations across the 18th Headies categories.
In the Song of the Year category, nominees include Kunmie’s ‘Arike’, ‘Hey Jago’ by Poco Lee, Shoday and Rahman Jago, Ayra Starr’s ‘Hot Body’, Fido’s ‘Joy Is Coming’, ‘MMS’ by Asake and Wizkid, and ‘With You’ by Davido and Omah Lay.
For Afrobeats Single of the Year, the nominees are Rema’s ‘Fun’, ‘Jogodo’ by Asake and Wizkid, Shallipopi’s ‘Laho’, ‘With You’ by Davido and Omah Lay, Fola’s ‘You’, and Burna Boy’s ‘Bundle by Bundle’.
The Best R&B Album category features Kunmie’s ‘Before We Became Strangers’, Fola’s ‘Catharsis’, Qing Madi’s ‘I Am the Blueprint’, Tems’ ‘Love Is a Kingdom’, Tay Iwar’s ‘Reflection Station’ and Tiwa Savage’s ‘This One Is Personal’.
Nominees for Digital Artiste of the Year are Asake, Ayra Starr, BNXN, Chella, Fola, Mavo, Seyi Vibez and Wizkid.
The Headies said the 18th edition will celebrate outstanding achievements in Nigerian music
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