When the organisers of the Headies award announced nominees for its 17th edition last week, they included a new category focused on soundtracks used in visual media. Thus, the category features six Nollywood films in the running for Soundtrack of the Year, a non-voting category for “a song written and composed originally for use in a motion picture or series”.
The nominees include “Eledumare” from the series Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre by Teledalase, “Lose to Gain” from Breath of Life by Kaline, and the Tiwa Savage and Asa collaboration, “Emotions”, from Water and Garri.
Producers Native Filmworks and singer Wizard Chan receive a nod for Kill Boro. The song and film share the same name, as does fellow nominee Beriola’s work on Orisa.
List of songs nominated for Soundtrack of the Year at the Headies
- Eledumare – Teledalase (Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre)
- Lose to Gain – Kaline (Breath of Life)
- Kill Boro – Native Filmworks & Wizard Chan (Kill Boro)
- Orisa – Beriola (Orisa)
- Emotions – Tiwa Savage & Asa (Water and Garri)
- Tribe Called Judah Soundtrack – TCJ & Abbey Wonder (A Tribe Called Judah)
About the artists
Teledalase Ogundipe is a Nigerian R&B singer-songwriter. She has released EPs and singles including “The Bad Wife Has No Tongue”, “Peace”, “When the Blue Child Prays”, “Taste of Life”, “Orun O Gbeke”, and “Oludemilade”.
Kaline Akinkugbe is a Nigerian singer-songwriter, pianist, and film composer. She has composed songs for films such as Breath of Life and Banana Island Ghost. Her original songs include “For Me,” “Here I Am,” and ”Tell You of My Love.”
Native Filmworks is the film production company behind Kill Boro film. Wizard Chan won the Headies award for Best Alternative song at the 2023 ceremony. His albums include “The Messenger” and “Time Traveller”.
Beriola, born Khalid Ayanshina, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter. His songs include “Africa”, “Buoda Alakori”, and “Maami”. In 2023, he released an EP titled Beca.
Tiwa Savage, one of Nigeria’s famous pop acts, is an afrobeats, R&B, afropop, and hip-hop artist. Her collaborator on “Emotions”, Asa, is also well-known. Born Bukola Elemide, her popular songs include “Jailer”, “Fire on the Mountain”, and “Bibanke”.
A Tribe Called Judah (TCJ) refers to the production team behind A Tribe Called Judah. Abbey Wonder is a Nigerian music producer known for tracks such as “Komasava,” “Regular,” and “Ride or Die”.
About the films
Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre, directed by Kunle Afolayan and exclusively on Netflix, is a 6-episode series that expands on the original film, following Saro and Arolake. Saro, now a ghost, is given an afterlife, and is tasked with undoing the resurrection of 20 souls he once brought back to life.
Breath of Life, directed by BB Sasore, tells the story of Timi, a young clergyman who seems to have it all. A Cambridge graduate and decorated cadet, Timi moves to Nigeria with his family to start a new life and establish a local church. However, his world is shattered when his wife and daughter are brutally murdered by a gang seeking revenge. Consumed by grief and rage, Timi embarks on a quest for vengeance.
Kill Boro, a film by Obayuwana Courage, follows Elijah, a young boy trapped in a cycle of violence and desperation. With his father Boro’s brutal treatment of him and his mother pushing him to the edge, Elijah makes a decision to seek help from a notorious gang leader.
Orisa, directed by Odunlade Adekola, is a Yoruba film that tells the story of King Oba Adefolarin, whose mental instability, triggered by witches, renders him vulnerable to threats from within and outside his kingdom. As a power-hungry marauder closes in, Oba Adefolarin must defend his kingdom.
Water and Garri, directed by Meji Alabi and starring Tiwa Savage, tells the story of a fashion designer who returns to her African roots after a decade-long absence in the United States, prompted by a family loss that sparks a journey of self-discovery and reconnection.
A Tribe Called Judah, directed by Adeoluwa Owu and Funke Akindele, is a drama that follows the life of a resilient single mother as she navigates the challenges of raising five sons, each fathered by a man from a different tribe, testing the bonds of family, culture, and identity.
The winner of the Best Soundtrack award will be announced at the Headies Awards ceremony, which takes place on April 5. The event will take place in Lagos, Nigeria, marking the ceremony’s return to its home country after hosting two editions in the US.
