Nigerian singer Lojay has shared his thoughts on why local recognition matters more to him than international awards. In a recent interview, the singer explained why he believes The Headies is more important to Nigerian artists than the Grammys.
Lojay, who won Best Male Vocal Performance at the 17th Headies and is also Grammy-nominated, feels Nigerian artists are often overlooked by global award shows. According to him, international bodies don’t truly prioritize artists from outside their own regions.
“As much as the Grammys and other international awards are sweet, as a Nigerian you can never become priority in a space that is not your own,” he said.
He used Tems as an example. Despite her strong R&B album last year, she was placed in the “Best African Music Performance” category instead of more fitting ones like R&B or Best Female Artist.
Tems
“Why is she not being spoken about in the R&B, pop and Best Female categories? Because they have people from their own country that they feel deserve these awards and that’s okay,” he explained.
For Lojay, the better approach is to support and grow Nigerian award shows. He hopes to see a future where The Headies gain enough global respect that international artists come to Nigeria to receive awards.
“I would love a world when Travis Scott comes to Nigeria for the Headies,” he said. He added that growing The Headies helps everyone locally.
“I’m a big believer in Nigeria. I believe in Nigeria being better, I believe in Nigeria being stronger. I believe in our people and the things that we are doing going global.”
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