Despite winning the Best Female Artiste award at the recent Headies event, Ayra Starr didn’t hold back her criticism of the prestigious award show organizers, sparking a significant discussion on social media as fans and industry stakeholders shared their thoughts on the matter.
The Nigerian singer, whose real name is Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, expressed her displeasure with the unfair treatment that female musicians often face from the Headies Award organizers. Ms. Aderibigbe was recognized with the Best Female Artiste award at the 16th edition of the Headies, surpassing fellow artists Tiwa Savage, Simi, and Tems. The ceremony took place at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
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Unfortunately, the organizers did not present awards in 13 categories, including the one in which Ayra Starr emerged as the winner. The event host, Osas Ighodaro, abruptly concluded the event without acknowledging these categories.
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These omitted categories included Best Recording of The Year, Songwriter of The Year, Best RnB Single, Best Vocal Performance (Female), Headies Viewers’ Choice, Best East African Artiste of the Year, Best North African Artiste of The Year, Best Southern African Artiste of The Year, Best Central African Artiste of The Year, International Artiste Of The Year, Best Alternative Album, and Best RnB Album.
In response, the singer, known for her song “Sabi,” took to her Twitter account on Monday to express her dissatisfaction with the organizers’ apparent indifference toward female hitmakers.
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The Headies, formerly known as the Hip Hop World Awards, is a prestigious music awards show established in 2006 by Nigeria’s Hip Hop World Magazine. Its main goal is to acknowledge and celebrate outstanding achievements in the Nigerian music industry.
The annual ceremony features performances by both established and emerging artists and is broadcast live on HipTV to viewers throughout Nigeria. The Headies has been hosted by various notable media personalities in Nigeria over the years, including Darey Art Alade, D’banj, Dakore Egbuson, Banky W., Rita Dominic, M.I, Tiwa Savage, and Dr SID.
