Gaise Baba Addresses The Headies Regarding The 2026 Nominations

Gospel singer Gaise Baba, known for the popular song “No Turning Back,” recently addressed the Headies Awards regarding their 2026 nominations on social media.

In his open letter to the organizers, he urged The Headies to reconsider the representation of faith-based music at the awards, stating that gospel artists should be eligible to compete in mainstream categories when their work meets artistic standards.

His statement was published on X on August 28, 2026, ahead of the 18th edition of The Headies, which will take place in Toronto, Canada, on October 25, featuring nominees across 35 categories.

With over 15 years in the Nigerian music industry, Gaise Baba shared that his experience as a faith-based artist offers valuable insights into discussions regarding the awards’ direction.

Central to Gaise Baba’s argument is the classification of faith-based music, which is often limited to inspirational or gospel categories. He contended that the theme of a song should not dictate its music category.

Using rap as an example, he argued that a rap song should be classified as rap, regardless of whether its lyrics discuss money, relationships, social issues, or faith. He emphasized that factors such as songwriting, delivery, cadence, flow, and overall musical quality should guide how music is evaluated.

He believes that restricting a rap record with faith-based lyrics to an inspirational category limits its recognition in the broader rap genre. He advocated for a similar approach across all genres, asserting that a gospel-themed song should also compete in categories like songwriting, production, performance, or genre-specific awards when it meets the criteria.

Gaise Baba also reflected on his prior experience at The Headies, where he was nominated in the Inspirational Music category for his song “Particularly,” featuring Tope Alabi. He noted that nominees in this category, which included Anendlessocean, Mercy Chinwo, Dunsin Oyekan, and Limoblaze, were not honored during the ceremony, which he found disappointing. He questioned how an event lasting over five hours could overlook announcing all listed categories.

The singer’s critique extends beyond the ceremony’s organization. He raised concerns about the evaluation of music, suggesting that songs with controversial themes can be assessed for their artistic merit, while faith-based songs are often segregated into separate categories.

Gaise Baba encouraged the organizers and the broader music industry to reflect on whether separating faith-based music from mainstream categories limits its visibility. He also called attention to the cultural impact of gospel records and questioned if songs like “Favour” and “No Turning Back II” have less influence than other tracks released during the awards cycle.

Despite his criticisms, Gaise Baba is nominated for this year’s Headies. He is up for Best Inspirational Single alongside Lawrence Oyor’s “No Turning Back II,” competing against works from Sunmisola Agbebi, Lawrence Oyor, Sinach, EmmaOMG, and Mercy Chinwo.

As the event approaches, it will be important to see if The Headies organizers address Gaise Baba’s concerns and whether future editions of the awards will adopt a more inclusive approach to recognizing faith-based music within the Nigerian music scene.