The 14th edition of The Headies made history as the first-ever hybrid version of the event. The top musical award showcase was held physically at La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort but was also streamed virtually for the first time ever on Youtube.
The Headies 2020 featured an impressive array of talent including Wizkid, Tu Baba and Fireboy
The awards show, which was hosted by actress Nancy Isime and comedian Bovi, amassed over 37 thousand viewers on Youtube.
However, the awards first foray into virtual viewing was fraught with technical glitches and surprises as viewers were cut off before the end of the show.
According to the organiser of the award ceremony, Ayo Animashaun, producing the virtual event was as difficult as it was interesting.
A night of errors?
The event started fairly well with Bovi all dressed in kaftan design showing support for the Victims of the EndSARS protest. However, when the music presentation started, lapses in the sound and video quality started to emerge.
This affected the quality of some of the songs performed and got folks wondering if they were up to par with the original. There were instances when the sound was faster than video and the very funny point when the wrong song was played for the winner of the best lyrics award.
While these errors are common with hosting virtual events, it is unexpected from an award show in the calibre of The Headies. The lapses observed could have been avoidable with better preparations and organisation.
For comparison, the BET Awards 2020 which aired virtually with a significantly more number of viewers – over 3.7 million total viewers, still presented awesome musical renditions.
Even in Nigeria, some organizations have successfully done virtual events with no errors. A good example is the 26th Nigerian Economic Summit which was a hybrid event that aired virtually on both YouTube and its mobile app.
Finally, the end of the Headies virtual showing was perplexing and embarrassing. The broadcast of the event on Youtube and Satellite TV was cut abruptly with no warning or explanation.
Although, there have been reports that the show was cut off because of the COVID-19 curfew, Headies are yet to give an exact explanation.
However, if the reports are true. It shows a significant lapse in planning and preparations as the award organizers should have planned for such possibilities and created alternatives.
Twitter reaction to the Headies #14thHeadies
Asides from YouTube, the award show also trended on Twitter with viewers reacting to happenings in the show.
The first thing that trended on Twitter was the grammatical blunder of popular singer, Bella Schmurda on the red carpet. During an interview, the singer said “I didn’t came here for the award,” and this sent tongues wagging.
However, Nigerians on Twitter attributed his grammatical errors to his music lyrics where he said his four years in the university is “really nothing”.
Another person that faced the ire of the Twitter community was Desmond Elliot. After the lawmaker and former actor showed up on the red carpet of the Headies looking all dapper, Nigerians started to troll him for his alleged silence during the EndSARS protest.
Then there was Laycon’s fashionable dressing to the award ceremony. The BBN winner and artiste wore very big white boots during his presentation at the event. This sparked very fun remarks from fans and viewers on Twitter.
Other actions that trended on twitter was the absence of fan favourite, Burna Boy from the list of winners. Some thought it was was funny and hilarious that a Grammy Award Nominee didn’t receive any award at the event.
Finally, there was the recognition of Bovi, for remembering the victims of the Lekki Toll Gate massacre with his wardrobe choice. The winner of the Next Rated award, Omah Lay also dedicated his award to the victims of the protest.
List of Winners
In terms of winners, the latest edition witnessed fast-rising singers like Fireboy DML, Bad Boy Timz and Omah Lay received their first plaques. It also saw Wizkid make history as the artistes with the highest number of Headies awards – 11.
Here’s a complete list of yesterday nights winners
Viewers Choice Award –Wizkid
Artiste of The Year – Wizkid
Producer of The Year – Pheelz (Billionaire by Teni)
Best Vocal Performance (Female) – Niniola (Addicted)
Best Vocal Performance (Male) – Praiz (Under The Sky)
Best Street Hop Artiste – Mayorkun (Geng)
Rookie of The Year – Bad Boy Tims (MJ)
Best Pop Single – DJ Neptune feat Joe Boy and Mr Eazi (Nobody)
Best Collabo – Ladipoe and Simi (Know you)
Best Alternative song – Moelogo (I wonder)
Best Rap Single – Falz (Bop Daddy feat. MS Banks)
Best R&B Album – Fireboy DML (Tears, laughter and goosebumps)
Best Alternative Album – The Cavemen (Roots)
Next Rated – Omah Lay
Songwriter of the Year – Simi (Duduke)
Best Pop Award – Fireboy – Apollo
Lyricist on The Roll – Ilbliss Goretti (Country)
African Artiste Recognition Award – Master KG
Headies Hall of Fame – King Sunny Ade
Congratulations to all the winners.
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