The Nigerian music industry continues to make waves on the global stage as Nigerian artists like Rema, Wizkid, Davido, Ayra Starr, Fireboy DML, Burna Boy, Asake and others have been nominated for the 2023 VMAs. This recognition is a testament to the immense talent and creativity that these artists bring to the table.
From Rema’s infectious melodies to Wizkid’s smooth vocals, Davido’s energetic performances, Ayra Starr’s soulful voice, and Burna Boy’s captivating storytelling, each artist represents a unique sound and style that has captivated audiences worldwide. Their nominations not only celebrate their individual achievements but also highlight the growing influence and impact of Nigerian music on the international music scene.
Taylor Swift on the 2023 VMAs nominee domination
On the foreign scene, Taylor Swift is showing no signs of slowing down this summer as she leads the pack with an impressive eight nods. The “Karma” star could walk away with some of the biggest awards of the night, such as “Video of the Year,” “Artist of the Year,” “Song of the Year” and more.
She is followed by a group of artists who each scored five nominations, including Kim Petras, Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat, SZA, Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus, and Sam Smith.
Taylor could also make history once more for “Video of the Year.” She was the first artist to win the coveted award three times last year, and she is close to becoming the most-awarded artist in MTV history. Madonna currently has that honor with 20 trophies, followed by Beyoncé’s 16, while Taylor has collected 14 over the years.
But Taylor is not the only one to watch out for at the MTV VMA stage. This year’s list also features some newcomers who are making their debuts, such as GloRilla, Ice Spice, Reneé Rapp, Boygenius, Davido, Yung Miami, and Stephen Sanchez.
The 2023 VMA show will hold on September 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT (1 am WAT), live from New Jersey’s Prudential Center.
Check out the full list of the 2023 VMAs nominees below.
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Beyoncé – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
Doja Cat – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
KAROL G – Interscope Records
Nicki Minaj – Republic Records
Shakira – Sony Music US Latin
Taylor Swift – Republic Records
SONG OF THE YEAR
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records
Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit” – L-M Records / RCA Records
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records Records
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records
BEST NEW ARTIST
GloRilla – CMG / Interscope Records
Ice Spice – 10K Projects / Capitol Records
Kaliii – Atlantic Records
Peso Pluma – Double P Records
PinkPantheress – 300 Entertainment
Reneé Rapp – Interscope Records
Taylor Swift, Eras Tour
PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
August 2022: Saucy Santana – “Booty” – Arena Records / RCA Records
September 2022: Stephen Sanchez – “Until I Found You” – Mercury Records / Republic Records
October 2022: JVKE – “golden hour” – AWAL
November 2022: Flo Milli – “Conceited” – ’94 Sounds / RCA Records
December 2022: Reneé Rapp – “Colorado” – Interscope Records
January 2023: Sam Ryder – “All The Way Over” – Elektra Entertainment
February 2023: Armani White – “GOATED” – Def Jam
March 2023: FLETCHER – “Becky’s So Hot” – Capitol Records
April 2023: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Sugar Rush Ride” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records
May 2023: Ice Spice – “Princess Diana” – Heavy On It / 10K Projects / Capitol Records
June 2023: FLO – “Losing You” – Uptown/Republic Records
July 2023: Lauren Spencer Smith – “That Part” – Island Records
BEST COLLABORATION
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha – “I’m Good (Blue)” – Warner Records
Post Malone, Doja Cat – “I Like You (A Happier Song)” – Mercury Records / Republic Records
Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records
KAROL G, Shakira – “TQG” – Universal Music Latino
Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records
BEST POP
Demi Lovato – “Swine” – Island Records
Dua Lipa – “Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)” – Atlantic Records
Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
P!NK – “TRUSTFALL” – RCA Records
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records
BEST HIP-HOP
Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records
DJ Khaled ft. Drake & Lil Baby – “STAYING ALIVE” – We The Best / Epic Records
GloRilla & Cardi B – “Tomorrow 2” – CMG / Interscope Records
Lil Uzi Vert – “Just Wanna Rock” – Atlantic Records / Generation Now
Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz & DMX – “Kant Nobody” – Young Money Records
Metro Boomin ft Future – “Superhero (Heroes and Villains)” – Boominati / Republic Records
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records
Kim Petras, 2022 American Music Awards, Arrivals
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
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BEST R&B
Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye – “Stay” – RCA Records
Chlöe ft. Chris Brown – “How Does It Feel” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia
Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records
SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Toosii – “Favorite Song” – South Coast Music Group / Capitol Records
Yung Bleu & Nicki Minaj – “Love In The Way” – Empire Distribution
BEST ALTERNATIVE
Blink-182 – “EDGING” – Columbia Records
Boygenius – “the film” – Interscope Records
Fall Out Boy – “Hold Me Like A Grudge” – Fueled By Ramen
Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace” – Interscope Records
Paramore – “This Is Why” – Atlantic Records
Thirty Seconds To Mars – “Stuck” – Concord Records / Concord
BEST ROCK
Foo Fighters – “The Teacher” – RCA Records
Linkin Park – “Lost (Original Version)” – Warner Records
Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Tippa My Tongue” – Warner Records
Måneskin – “THE LONELIEST” – Arista Records
Metallica – “Lux Æterna” – Blackened Recordings
Muse – “You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween” – Warner Records
BEST LATIN
Anitta – “Funk Rave” – Republic Records
Bad Bunny – “WHERE SHE GOES” – Rimas Entertainment
Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma – “Ella Baila Sola” – DEL Records, Inc. / Prajin Parlay, Inc. Grupo Frontera Bad Bunny – “un x100to” – Rimas Entertainment
KAROL G, Shakira – “TQG” – Universal Music Latino
ROSALÍA – “DESPECHÁ” – Columbia Records
Shakira – “Acróstico” – Sony Music US Latin
BEST K-POP
aespa – “Girls” – SM ENTERTAINMENT Co., Ltd.
BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
FIFTY FIFTY – “Cupid” – ATTRAKT / Warner Records
SEVENTEEN – “Super” – HYBE / Geffen Records
Stray Kids – “S-Class” – JYP / Republic
TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Sugar Rush Ride” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records
BEST AFROBEATS
Ayra Starr – “Rush” – Mavin Global Holdings
Burna Boy – “It’s Plenty” – Atlantic Records / Spaceship Entertainment Ltd
Davido ft. Musa Keys – “UNAVAILABLE” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records
Fireboy DML & Asake – “Bandana” – Empire Distribution
Libianca – “People” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records
Wizkid ft Ayra Starr– “2 Sugar” – Starboy / RCA Records
VIDEO FOR GOOD
Ayra Starr – “Rush” – Mavin Global Holdings
Burna Boy – “It’s Plenty” – Atlantic Records / Spaceship Entertainment Ltd
Davido ft. Musa Keys – “UNAVAILABLE” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records
Fireboy DML & Asake – “Bandana” – Empire Distribution
Libianca – “People” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records
Wizkid ft Ayra Starr– “2 Sugar” – Starboy / RCA Records
BEST DIRECTION
Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Directed by Tanu Muiño
Drake – “Falling Back” – OVO/Republic Records – Director X (Julien Christian Lutz)
Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Directed by Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Directed by Colin Tilley
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Directed by Floria Sigismondi
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Directed by Christian Breslauer
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Directed by Taylor Swift
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Fall Out Boy – “Love From The Other Side” – Fueled By Ramen – Visual Effects by Thomas Bailey and Josh Shaffner
Harry Styles – “Music For A Sushi Restaurant” – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by Chelsea Delfino and Black Kite Studios
Melanie Martinez – “VOID” – Atlantic Records – Visual Effects by Carbon
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt and Sergio Mashevskyi
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt / FRENDER
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Parliament
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Choreography by Kiel Tutin, Sienna Lalau, Lee Jung (YGX), Taryn Cheng (YGX)
Dua Lipa – “Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)” – Atlantic Records – Choreography by Charm LaDonna
Jonas Brothers – “Waffle House” – Republic Records – Choreography by Jerry Reece
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Panic! At The Disco – “Middle Of A Breakup” – Fueled By Ramen – Choreography by Monika Felice Smith
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Choreography by (LA)HORDE – Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, Arthur Harel
BEST ART DIRECTION
Boygenius – “the film” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Jen Dunlap
BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Art Direction by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)
Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Art Direction by Spencer Graves
Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Brandon Mendez
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Art Direction by Niko Philipides
SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Art Direction by Kate Bunch
BEST EDITING
BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Editing by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)
Kendrick Lamar – “Rich Spirit” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Edited by Grason Caldwell
Miley Cyrus – “River” – Columbia Records – Edited by Brandan Walter
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records – Edited by Sofia Kerpan and David Checel
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Edited by Luis Caraza Peimbert
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Edited by Chancler Haynes