It's 'lonely at the top' for superstar singer, Asake who indubitably dominated 2022/23. For some music lovers, it is a dilemma to either place him as Next Rated Artiste or Artiste of the Year while many actually think he deserves both laurels.
Just as I predicted the nominations in a similar article dated October 2022, I do not envy the Headies Awards because an unprecedented run of consecutive chart-topping hits and amazing features have made Asake endear to the listeners.
The 'Omo Ope' crooner bagged a plethora of nominations at the 2023 Headies Awards. The categories include: Best Male Artiste, Best Collaboration, Best Album, Best Street Hop Artiste, Song of the Year, Next Rated, and Headies Viewers' Choice.
Asake is renowned for his amazing vocal dexterity as well as his consistent delivery of feel-good vibes.
The Afrobeats superstar had a stellar run in the year 2022. It was actually a golden run and master-stroke in his musical career.
The YBNL singer was unarguably the biggest artiste in Nigeria as he evidently dominated local and international charts with multiple hit songs and a plethora of achievements.
Asake adds to the list of notable YBNL superstars to earn the Next Rated Award nomination and he is in pole position to secure the laurel for his music-label boss, Olamide after Fireboy DML lost to Rema in 2019, and the infamous 2015 edition which Lil Kesh lost to Reekado Banks.
The big question is, Can Asake make history by winning both awards which will ironically affirm him as the Next Rated music superstar as well as the biggest music superstar at the moment.
Can Seyi Vibez, Young John, Victony, and Spyro battle 'Lonely at the top' Asake for Next Rated Award?
Hit-makers, Asake, Seyi Vibez, Young John, Victony, and Spyro have been nominated for the much coveted Next rated category of the 2023 Headies Award. The award is given to the most promising upcoming act in the year under review and for the first time ever, a particular singer has been tipped as the favourite to win the award. However, his competitors are worthy of note and are indeed worthy challengers.
Young John
Asake may be lonely at the top but he faces competition from superstar producer turned singer, Young John who also enjoyed an unprecedented run in 2022 with chart-topping singles such as 'Dada' and 'Xtracool.'
Victony
Victony makes the nomination list after the sensational singer made a huge mark in 2022 and performed well following the release of his 'Outlaw' EP and hit single 'Soweto'. He also dominated hit songs and featured superstar singers such as Burna Boy and Mayorkun.
Seyi Vibez
Street singer, Seyi Vibez is also in the mix after gaining massive waves-especially amongst street music lovers-with the release of his debut album, 'Billion Dollar Baby.'
The album included hit songs such as 'Chance (Na Ham),' 'Bullion Van,' 'Saro,' and 'Darling,' ft. Afrobeats superstar, Simi, among other hit tracks.
Seyi Vibez had a stellar musical run in the year 2022 and 'Chance (Na Ham)' was one of the lead singles off his amazing album 'Billion Dollar Baby.'
Spyro
Spyro became everyone's guy following the release of his hit single 'Who is your guy.' which was followed with a remix with superstar singer, Tiwa Savage.
Asake
Asake is the favourite to win the Hedies Next Rated award after he enjoyed a stellar and golden run in 2022. The superstar singer became the rave of the moment as a plethora of his chart-topping singles and debut album 'Mr Money With the Vibe,' preceded-by a superb debut EP 'Ololade Asake'-enjoyed massive raves from music fans in Nigeria and internationally.
Asake recently received his first-ever BET Awards nomination for Viewers Choice: Best International Act. The award is set to hold on June 25th, 2023.
The former upcoming artiste-Ololade Ahmed-who was announced to the music world in February 2022 by Music executive/ Legendary rapper, Olamide Adedeji, would then have a glorious run-an inexplicable, phenomenal, and stellar achievement in the history of Afrobeats.
This is a golden run arguably close to or even better than Naira Marley's hit-laden Marlian movement of 2019.
Asake has joined the likes of Adekunle Gold, Lil Kesh, Fireboy DML, Pheelz, Young John
among others who, through Olamide, made it to fame.
His chart-topping debut album, Mr. Money With The Vibe' launched on September 8, 2022, and in a few hours, it became the number-one album in Nigeria. Asake released his sophomore album, 'Work Of Art' on June 6, 2023, also dazzled with pletora of hit singles such as 'Amapiano,' 2:30' 'Yoga,' and 'Lonely at the top.'
The 12-track album debuted at Number 66th on the 'Billboard 200,' making it the highest-debuting Nigerian album on the chart and also became the first-ever African artist to reach #1 on the UK Apple Music albums chart with the release, which has now been streamed over 780 million times worldwide.
The debut album set a new record on Apple Music after becoming the African album with the most first-day streams as well as the most opening three-day streams. It also became the first album to have all its tracks occupy the first 12 spots on Apple Music Nigeria Top 100 and also the first album to have 7 songs in the top ten positions in the history of TurnTable Charts(on the chart week dated September 19th, 2022).
It also earned Nigerian record peaks on international charts such as the Billboard 200 Charts(66), Billboard World Album Chart(2), UK Albums Charts(1), Apple Music Album Chart( No. 1 in 26 countries, including 6 European countries.
In Asake's words, 'Dem never see me coming', Surely no one ever saw this coming
as the young singer is now one of Nigeria's favourite and even loved by the foreign music audience.
Asake is a record breaker, 5 of his songs emerged as the biggest song in Nigeria in 2022. His No. 1 records include 'Omo Ope,' 'Sungba (Remix),' 'PBUY,' 'Bandana' and 'Terminator.
Asake is unique because his music style is hard to place. He infuses Amapiano, Fuji, Hip Hop, and other fusion in his music. He also uses praise singing, panegyrics, and Street Hop to create an upbeat chorus. He has adjusted to criticisms of being direct in his music tone as his album showed distinction and improvements.
His street lingo and Yoruba phrases still appeal to all music listening demographic from all over the world as the beat always comes with euphoria and ecstasy. Asake has formed a great bond with MagicSticks who is arguably the producer of the year as a result of the plethora of hit songs from the duo in 2022.
Asake is renowned for his amazing vocal dexterity as well as the delivery of a feel-good vibe which makes him the vibe everyone wants to listen to.
Historic meaning, value, and importance of the Next Rated Award
The Headies Academy- organizers of Nigeria's biggest music award-the Headies Award show has released the list of nominees for the voting and non-voting categories of the 16th edition. A very important category is the much coveted and most competitive 'Next Rated Award' category- one with a historic act of causing stiff competition amongst rookie singers and intense banter amongst their esteemed fans.
The prestigious award has lived up to its hype of deciding the future of the Nigerian music industry.
Previous winners of the awards since its inception in 2006 have all turned out to be superstars and this also applies to their competitors. Past winners of the award are Asa, Overdose, Wande Coal, Omawunmi, Skuki, Wizkid, Davido, Sean Tizzle, Patoranking, Reekado Banks, Mr Eazi, Mayorkun, Rema, Omah Lay, BNXN fka Buju.
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Notable runners up such as Fireboy DML, Kizz Danel, Burna Boy, Tems, Joeboy, Tekno, and Yemi Alade have also proved that they deserve the award by making a huge impact in the music industry. The award was first presented to Aṣa in 2006 and in addition to receiving the award plaque, recipients of the Next Rated Award are usually gifted a car. BNXN fka Buju last won the award as he received a brand new 2022 Bentley Bentayga, valued at over N300 million. BNXN fka Buju won the award ahead of Zinoleesky, Ayra Starr, Lojay, and Ruger.
Omah Lay won the award in 2020 ahead of Bella Shmruda, Oxlade, and Tems (who recently became Nigeria's first female Grammy award winner and Oscar nominee).
In 2019, Rema edged Fireboy DML, Joeboy, Zlatan, and Victor AD to emerge winner while in 2018, Mayorkun bagged the award ahead of Johnny Drille, Dice Ailes, Zoro, and Maleekberry.
Similarly, the 2016 edition was hugely competitive as Mr Eazi bagged the award ahead of Ycee, Humblesmith, Tekno Miles, and Aramide.
The most memorable and competitive edition was the 2015 edition Reekado Banks became the most famous ever winner of the Next Award Award ahead of Lil Kesh, Korede Bello, Cynthia Morgan, and Kizz Daniel.
In 2014, Patoranking emerged winner of the award ahead of Runtown, Skales, Yemi Alade, and Orezi while Sean Tizzle defeated Burna Boy, Seyi Shay, Phyno, and Dammy Krane to win the 2013 award.
Davido defeated Eva Alordiah, Praiz, Chuddy K, to win the 2012 Next Rated Award.
In 2011, Wizkid won the award ahead of Olamide, Ice Price and Tiwa Savage.
In 2010, Skuki defeated General Pype, Mo'Cheedah, Jesse Jagz, and D'Prince, while Omawumi defeated YQ, Kel, D Jinee, MP to win the 2009 edition.
Wande Coal defeated GT The Guitarman, Banky W, MI Abaga, and Cyrus the Virus to win the award in 2008. Overdose edged Naeto C, Lawal Olumo, Kage, C-mon, Oluwo, and Blaise to win the 2007 award while Asa became the first-ever winner of the Next Rated Award in 2006.
