Nigerian music sensation Ayra Starr has expressed her disappointment with the Headies for not presenting the Best Female Artist award on stage.
The 2023 Headies Award took place on September 3, 2023, at the Cobb Energy Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and was attended by various stakeholders in the African music industry celebrating Nigerian music.
Ayra Starr, who won the Best Female award against tough competition from Tems, Tiwa Savage, and Simi, took to her Twitter account to share her sentiments about the award not being presented on stage.
She stated that she couldn’t be grateful for winning an award that wasn’t considered important enough to be announced on stage. Ayra Starr emphasized the hard work put in by female artists and expressed disappointment at the lack of recognition.
“I will never be grateful for winning a category that wasn’t even deemed fit to be announced on stage! Best female artist na beans? We work hard, every single one of us! I’ve seen Tiwa record 4 hit songs in the same night, Tems breathes and lives for music, we didn’t deserve such nonchalance! Nigeria, you didn’t raise me to settle for less.”
It’s worth noting that not all the winners at the 2023 Headies were announced during the ceremony. The Best Female Artist award was one of the 14 awards, including the prestigious Record of the Year, announced after the event in Atlanta.
Ayra Starr’s tweet echoes the sentiment of some viewers who viewed the decision not to present the female award on stage as disrespectful to the female segment of the industry.
