Lojay Urges Nigerian Artists to Prioritize The Headies Over International Awards
In a recent interview with Hip TV, Grammy-nominated Nigerian singer Lojay stressed the importance of Nigerian artists valuing local awards, particularly The Headies, over international accolades such as the Grammys.
The singer, who won the Best Male Vocal Performance at the 17th Headies, expressed his belief that while international awards are prestigious, Nigerian artists often struggle to gain meaningful recognition on those global platforms. “As much as the Grammys and other international awards are sweet, as a Nigerian you can never become a priority in a space that is not your own,” Lojay stated.
He highlighted the challenges Nigerian artists face in securing top category nominations at the Grammys, pointing out that despite Tems’ critically acclaimed R&B album last year, she was only nominated in the Best African Music Performance category. “We are advocating just to be put in Pop categories in the Grammys for actual pop songs,” Lojay noted.
Emphasizing his faith in Nigeria’s music industry and its global potential, Lojay argued that Nigerian artists should champion local platforms. “I’m a big believer in Nigeria. I believe in Nigeria being better, stronger. I believe in our people and the things that we are doing going global. So, we should not look down on our own things.”
He went further to suggest that The Headies should gain so much international recognition that global stars like Travis Scott would travel to Nigeria to accept awards. “I don’t gain anything from the Grammys being bigger than The Headies. We here don’t gain anything from the Grammys being bigger. Everybody gains something from The Headies being bigger,” Lojay concluded.