Article: Headies Next Rated Award –This Might Actually Be The Winner

It’s the most coveted award. The one everyone pays attention and perhaps the most controversial award in the history of the Headies Awards.

Controversy surrounding the next rated award started in 2013 when after Sean Tizzle was declared winner, Burna Boy who was also nominated stormed out of the venue.

It occurred again at the 2015 edition. Reekado Banks won and a feud between Don Jazzy and Olamide ensued. The latter felt Lil Kesh deserved it especially after dishing out hits endlessly that year. Efejoku, Gbese and the viral dance track, Shoki.

Now, it’s 2019.

Who Might Win?

In a category where there’s a mix of a bit of the oldies and newbies, many felt Zlatan could have been excluded since Teni and Peruzzi were also not considered for the award

Yet, Zlatan holds the biggest chance of winning. Unfortunately, he’s yet to bag a hit so far this year. However, he’s on a fantastic run of polarizing records which have lost hold of replay value.

Zlatan in the studio with Rexxie(ZlatanIbile/Instagram)

The collaboration with Tiwa Savage fizzled out quickly and trendy songs like Bolanle, English Teacher lack a creative direction. Zlatan is reworking the same technique he has used on previously released songs.

REMA – THE THREAT TO ZLATAN’S WIN

Yet, Zlatan is the biggest star amongst the lot of nominees. Attention is on him, he’s wielding impact but he has threats but the biggest threat being posed to him comes in form of the newbie from Benin – Rema.

Rema has dominated conversations in the music space this year. No artiste in the history of the Nigerian Music Industry has introduced himself on the back of a project. It’s usually a debut single followed by a couple of other songs then a debut album.

Rema holds a better chance than Zlatan(heisrema/Instagram)

But Rema quashed that tradition. Dumebi is up there as one of the biggest songs of 2019, Cornyand Iron Man are solid pop songs not forgetting he’s got two other projects which also makes an argument for him.

Joeboy and Fireboy also stand a chance with their standout records but they’re queueing up behind Rema in the rankings. Victor AD and Lytaare further down the peck as they only have Wetin We Gain and Time to show forth as their claims for winning. Victor AD‘s project wasn’t felt at all and lacked the commercial traction needed to push it as being successful.

A Mr Eazi cosign, two hits in the bag, Joeboy deserves to win also(Joeboyofficial/Instagram)

From this group, Joeboy holds an unlikely chance. He’s got a Mr Eazi cosign, his music is relatable and under the yer in review, he’s bagged two hits whose numbers dwarf stats that might be possessed by the other nominees. Joeboy’s “Baby” has garnered over 13 million views on YouTube, only Rema comes close with Dumebiwhich has 9 million views.

Who should win it?

The Next Rated award is usually given to the most promising act in the year under review.

Of the group that were nominated, Zlatan and Rema are both impacting the scene. Zlatanwields an influence as the favoured son from the streets and Rema spearheads the Generation Z movement.

Rema would win.

His movement is seen as someone offering something new, a fresh injection into the music space. No one in the history of the music industry has emerged on the scene on the back of releasing a project.

The usual playbook is to release a debut single, hype it around, drop a couple singles, then drop a project. Rema announced himself on the scene with a project, a commercially successful one that had pop singles, Dumebi and Corny thrusting as hits.
Bad Commando EP”, Lady is already enjoying massive radio spins.
Zlatan equally deserves it but Rema might be the actual winner.

Well, the organizers might actually shock us as they did in 2015 when they gave it to Reekado Banks by awarding Lyta as the Next Rated act.

Who knows?