Executive Producer of the Headies Awards, Ayo Animashaun Reveals Why the Event is Now Held in the US
In a recent exclusive interview with renowned actress Iyabo Ojo, Ayo Animashaun, the executive producer of the Headies Awards, shed light on the decision to host the prestigious award ceremony in the United States rather than Nigeria. Emphasizing the global impact of the Afrobeats genre, Animashaun explained that the Headies Awards now serves as a global recognition platform, honouring artists who have achieved excellence on an international scale.
Addressing the shift in location, Animashaun stated, “Over the years, the Afrobeats artists have grown, they’ve evolved. They’re no longer local champions. They sell out concert venues around the world, from Madison Square Garden to [Atlanta’s] State Farm Arena.” He further highlighted that Afrobeats has transcended being solely an African phenomenon and has become a genre with global influence.
According to Animashaun, holding the Headies Awards in Nigeria in the traditional manner would not sufficiently showcase the global impact and opportunities available to Afrobeats artists. The decision to move the event to the United States, particularly Atlanta, was strategic. “Atlanta is like the Black entertainment capital of the world. After asking questions about everything, a consultant said for this kind of award, Atlanta is a good spot for it. You have a lot going on here. We decided, ‘You know what? Let’s settle there and make a difference,'” he explained.
Responding to the question of whether the award ceremony will return to Nigeria, Animashaun expressed that, for now, the focus is on the ongoing edition in the U.S. He stated, “Right now, we don’t want to leave the nest yet ‘cause we put a lot in bringing the awards here. We started like a year and a half ago, and we want to see it through. This year will be like an experiment. We’d want to do better next year because we invested a lot to have it happen this year. And it would not be fair on everything we’re trying to build to just have this one and run away. So at some point, [we’ll] consider U.K. or even UAE [United Arab Emirates]. But I think we’re gonna be [in the U.S.] next year.” The move signifies the award ceremony’s commitment to providing a global platform for recognizing and celebrating the achievements of Afrobeats artists worldwide.
