Tems, Wizkid, Fireboy, Omah Lay, Tiwa Savage Nominated for NAACP Image Awards

Photo credit: NAACP Image Awards/Instagram

By Khisa CJ

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Several big names in the Naija Music Industry have earned a nomination for the 2022 NAACP Image Awards.

The NAACP Image Award is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature.

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Among Nigerian artists nominated for the awards’ 53rd edition is sensational singer Tems, whose second EP ‘If Oranges was A Place’ helped her get nominated for the Outstanding New Artist category. Wizkid’s global hit ‘Essence’ featuring Tems bagged a double nomination for Outstanding International song and Outstanding Music video/visual album.

It is, however, the Outstanding International Song category that will attract a lot of interest with ‘Essence’ set to battle Fireboy DML’s ‘Peru’, ‘Somebody’s Son’ by Tiwa Savage featuring Amaarae and Omah Lay’s ‘Understand’. Tems also has another shot at winning the award for Outstanding Album courtesy of a  feature on Drake’s ‘Certified Lover Boy’ that is nominated for the category alongside ‘H.E.R’s’ back of my mind.

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Here are categories Nigerian artists have been nominated for the 2022 NAACP Image Awards;

Outstanding New Artist
Cynthia Erivo – “Ch. 1 Vs. 1” (Verve Records / UMG Recordings)
Jimmie Allen – “Bettie James Gold Edition” (BBR Music Group)
Saweetie – “Best Friend feat. Doja Cat” (ICY / Warner Records)
Tems – “If Orange Was A Place” (RCA Records / Since ’93)
Zoe Wees – “Girls Like Us” (Capitol Records)

Outstanding International Song
“Essence” – Wizkid feat. Tems and Justin Bieber (RCA Records / Starboy / Sony Music International)
“Peru” – Fireboy DML (YBNL Nation / Empire)
“Somebody’s Son” – Tiwa Savage feat. Brandy (Motown)
“Touch It” – KiDi (Lynx Entertainment / MadeInENY / Empire)
“Understand” – Omah Lay (The KeyQaad / Sire Records)

Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album
“Best Friend” – Saweetie feat. Doja Cat (ICY / Warner Records)
“Essence” – Wizkid feat. Tems (RCA Records / Starboy / Sony Music International)
“Fye Fye” – Tobe Nwigwe feat. Fat Nwigwe (Tobe Nwigwe, LLC)
“Have Mercy” – Chlöe (Columbia Records / Parkwood)
“Leave The Door Open” – Silk Sonic (Atlantic / Aftermath)

Winners for the NAACP Image Awards will be announced on February 26, 2022, during an annual ceremony that will be held virtually due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.