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The 2026 Headies nominations have given Nigerian music fans another debate to settle, and this time, it is about the women.
Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage are tied as the most nominated
female artistes at the 18th Headies, with five nominations each.
The two stars represent very different generations of
Nigerian music.
Ayra Starr is one of the leading faces of the new
generation, while Tiwa Savage has spent more than a decade establishing herself
as one of Africa's most influential female artistes.
Now, both are competing for Best Female Artiste alongside
Tems, Teni, Qing Madi and Sewa.
And that is what makes this year's category so interesting.
The 18th Headies, themed "Africa to the World,"
is scheduled to take place in Toronto, Canada, with the awards' international
focus continuing the organisers' push to position African music on a bigger
global stage. Channels Television reported the ceremony for October 25, 2026.
So, who are the nominees, why are Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage
leading the female nomination race, and who has the strongest case for Best
Female Artiste?
Let's take a closer look.
Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage Have Five Nominations Each
Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage are the two most nominated female
artistes at the 2026 Headies.
Both have five nominations, but their nominations tell very
different stories.
Ayra Starr's nominations highlight her commercial presence,
live performance and growing digital influence.
Tiwa Savage's nominations lean heavily toward album and
vocal recognition, reflecting the strength of her recent project, This One
Is Personal.
The two artistes are also competing directly against each
other for Best Female Artiste.
That makes their tie at the top even more interesting.
Ayra Starr's 2026 Headies Nominations
Ayra Starr received five nominations at the 18th Headies.
She is nominated for Best Female Artiste.
She is also nominated for Digital Artiste of the Year.
Her song "Hot Body" is nominated for Song
of the Year.
She is nominated for Best Performer (Live) for her
Global Citizen Festival 2025 performance.
She also received a nomination for Headies Viewers'
Choice with "Hot Body."
That gives Ayra Starr representation across some of the most
visible categories of the ceremony.
Her "Hot Body" nomination is particularly notable.
The song was released as a single in July 2025 and later
appeared on her 2026 album Starrgirl. Apple Music lists Starrgirl
as a 2026 album, while the official release information for "Hot
Body" dates the single to July 2025.
That means the song was eligible for the Headies because it
fell within the awards' eligibility period.
Why Ayra Starr Is a Strong Contender
Ayra Starr has become one of the most recognisable young
female voices in African pop music.
Her appeal extends beyond Nigeria, and her performances and
digital presence have helped turn her into a major global-facing Afrobeats
artiste.
The 2026 Headies nominations reflect that.
She isn't only being recognised for a song.
She is being recognised for her overall presence as an
artiste, including digital impact and live performance.
Her nomination for Best Performer (Live) is particularly
interesting because it puts her in competition with artistes such as Adekunle
Gold, Asake, Johnny Drille and Ruger.
That means the Headies is recognising her not just as a
hitmaker but also as a performer.
Tiwa Savage Also Has Five Nominations
If Ayra Starr represents the new generation, Tiwa Savage
represents experience at the highest level.
The Nigerian superstar has five nominations at the 2026
Headies.
She is nominated for Best Female Artiste.
Her album This One Is Personal is nominated for Album
of the Year.
The album is also nominated for Best R&B Album.
Tiwa Savage is nominated for Best Vocal Performance
(Female) with "You4Me."
She is also nominated for Best R&B Single with
the same song.
That gives her a strong presence across the album, vocal and
single categories.
The Strength of This One Is Personal
Tiwa Savage's nominations are closely connected to her 2025
album This One Is Personal.
The project was released in 2025 and explores themes
including love, heartbreak and faith.
In an interview with Apple Music, Savage described the album
as her most vulnerable record and explained that the songs reflected
experiences she had personally gone through.
That personal approach is reflected in the categories where
the album and its songs received recognition.
This One Is Personal is competing for both Album of
the Year and Best R&B Album.
" You4Me" is also recognised in both Best Vocal
Performance (Female) and Best R&B Single.
That gives Tiwa Savage multiple opportunities to turn the
album's critical recognition into Headies wins.
Full List of Best Female Artiste Nominees
The Best Female Artiste category features six nominees.
Ayra Starr
Qing Madi
Sewa
Tems
Teni
Tiwa Savage
The official Headies nomination list confirms the six
artistes competing in the category.
It is a particularly interesting mix because the category
combines established stars with artistes from the newer generation.
Tiwa Savage and Tems bring significant international
experience.
Ayra Starr represents one of the strongest new-generation
Afrobeats voices.
Teni has an established catalogue and a distinctive musical
identity.
Qing Madi and Sewa add younger energy and alternative
R&B influences to the race.
Who Has the Strongest Case for Best Female Artiste?
This is where things become difficult.
If the award were based purely on experience and longevity,
Tiwa Savage would have an obvious argument.
She has spent years building a major catalogue and remains
relevant at the highest level.
Her five nominations also show that her latest album cycle
has been well received.
But Ayra Starr has a strong case of her own.
Her nominations cover several different aspects of modern
stardom, from digital influence to live performance and song impact.
She also represents a generation of Nigerian artistes that
has successfully taken Afrobeats to younger and increasingly international
audiences.
Then there is Tems.
The singer's global profile makes her a serious contender
even though she does not lead the overall female nomination count.
Teni, Qing Madi and Sewa should not be completely dismissed
either.
Award races can produce surprises, particularly when judges
and voting categories consider different aspects of an artiste's work.
What the Female Nomination Race Tells Us
The battle between Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage is bigger than
two artistes competing for nominations.
It represents two important periods of Nigerian music.
Tiwa Savage belongs to the generation that helped establish
the modern Nigerian female Afrobeats superstar.
Ayra Starr belongs to the generation benefiting from the
global infrastructure that Nigerian artistes before her helped build.
Seeing both artistes tied with five nominations shows how
the industry has evolved.
The newer generation is no longer simply following
established stars.
They are competing with them.
The Global Impact Factor
The 18th Headies is being held under the theme "Africa
to the World."
That theme makes international visibility particularly
relevant this year.
Ayra Starr has built a strong international profile through
collaborations, performances and global streaming.
Tiwa Savage has also spent years developing an international
audience and collaborating with artists outside Nigeria.
Both therefore fit naturally into the wider globalisation
story behind this year's Headies.
The awards have also expanded their international
categories, including recognition for African artistes from different regions
and African diaspora artistes in Canada.
What About the Other Female Nominees?
It would be a mistake to reduce the entire category to Ayra
Starr versus Tiwa Savage.
Tems remains one of the most internationally recognised
Nigerian female artistes.
Her distinctive R&B sound and global success give her a
strong case whenever major awards are being discussed.
Teni also brings years of mainstream success and a catalogue
of popular records.
Qing Madi represents the newer generation and has
increasingly attracted attention for her R&B-influenced sound.
Sewa also adds another younger voice to a category that
increasingly reflects the changing sound of Nigerian music.
The result is a Best Female Artiste category that feels much
more competitive than simply a battle between two frontrunners.
How Many Nominations Did the Top Female Artistes Receive?
Ayra Starr has five nominations.
Tiwa Savage has five nominations.
Kunmie has five nominations.
Several male artistes also recorded strong nomination
totals, with FOLA leading the entire 2026 Headies list with 10 nominations.
Omah Lay follows with eight, while Mavo and Wizkid have
seven each. Davido and Asake have six apiece. Channels Television confirmed
Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage as the leading female nominees with five nominations
each.
This puts the female nomination race in the context of a
much wider competition involving some of Africa's biggest music stars.
What Else Should Fans Watch at the 2026 Headies?
The Best Female Artiste category is only one of several
major races expected to generate debate.
FOLA leads the entire nomination list with 10 nominations.
Omah Lay has eight.
Mavo and Wizkid each have seven.
Davido and Asake have six each.
The Album of the Year category is also packed with major
names.
FOLA's Catharsis is competing against Omah Lay's Clarity
of Mind, Wizkid's Morayo, Burna Boy's No Sign of Weakness,
Tiwa Savage's This One Is Personal, Erigga's G.O.A.T and
Odumodublvck's The Machine Is Coming.
That makes the 18th Headies much bigger than a single female
award race.
When Is the 2026 Headies?
The 18th Headies is scheduled to take place in Toronto,
Canada, in October 2026.
Channels Television reports the ceremony date as October
25, 2026.
The Headies' official pages have previously displayed
differing October dates for the Toronto programme, so fans planning around the
ceremony should check the official Headies channels for the final confirmed
schedule.
What Is the Headies Eligibility Period?
The eligibility period for the 18th Headies covers music
released and distributed on digital streaming platforms between August 1,
2024 and April 30, 2026.
The official Headies nomination page confirms that singles,
videos, EPs and albums released during the period were considered.
This explains why the nominations bring together music
released across multiple years.
Our Take
The Best Female Artiste race is one of the most interesting
categories at the 2026 Headies because there is no obvious runaway winner.
Tiwa Savage has the experience, catalogue and critical
recognition of This One Is Personal behind her.
Ayra Starr has momentum, digital influence, a major global
profile and a strong presence across this year's categories.
Tems remains a serious threat because of her international
standing.
And Teni, Qing Madi and Sewa could still surprise everyone.
If the Headies wants to reward the artiste who best
represents the current direction of African music, Ayra Starr has a compelling
argument.
If the focus is on a combination of artistic maturity, album
quality and long-term impact, Tiwa Savage's case becomes even stronger.
That is what makes this race so interesting.
Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage entering the 2026 Headies as the
most nominated female artistes is a fitting snapshot of where Nigerian music
currently stands.
One represents the generation pushing Afrobeats into its
next chapter.
The other represents a generation that helped build the
foundation for that global success.
And both are still competing at the highest level.
The winner of Best Female Artiste will therefore do more
than collect another trophy.
She will become part of the story of a Nigerian music
industry that continues to evolve, expand and command attention around the
world.
Now we want to hear from you.
Who deserves the 2026 Headies Best Female Artiste award?
Are you choosing Ayra Starr, Tiwa Savage, Tems, Teni,
Qing Madi or Sewa?
Tell us your pick and, more importantly, tell us why
you think she deserves it.
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