Little Simz, Olivia Dean, kwn and Jim Legxacy lead the nominations for the 2026 MOBO Awards, with four nods apiece.
The event will take place on March 26 at Manchester’s Co-op Live, marking the first time the ceremony has been held in the city as part of the MOBO Organisation’s 30th anniversary.
Little Simz is nominated for Album of the Year (Lotus), Best Female Act, Best Hip Hop Act and Video of the Year for Flood.
Olivia Dean matches her with nominations for Album of the Year (The Art of Loving), Best Female Act, Best R’nB/Soul Act and Song of the Year for Man I Need.
Rising R’nB artist kwn appears in Best Newcomer, Best Female Act, Best R’n’B/Soul Act and Song of the Year for Do What I Say.
Jim Legxacy completes the top group with nominations for Best Male Act, Best Newcomer, Song of the Year for 3X with Dave and Video of the Year for Father.
Central Cee, FLO, PinkPantheress and Skepta follow with three nominations each.
Central Cee is recognised for Album of the Year (Can’t Rush Greatness), Best Male Act and Best Hip Hop Act.
FLO’s debut Access All Areas earns them a place in Album of the Year, alongside Best Female Act and Best R’n’B/Soul Act.
PinkPantheress appears in Best Female Act, Best Electronic/Dance Act and Song of the Year for Illegal.
Skepta is shortlisted for Best Male Act, Video of the Year for Back 2 Back and Song of the Year for Victory Lap.
The Best Newcomer category highlights 10 emerging acts, including EsDeeKid, Finessekid, YT, Skye Newman, DC3, Nia Smith, Namebliss and Sekou.
The MOBO Awards also continue to recognise achievements in film and television. Netflix’s Adolescence earns two nominations for Best Performance in a TV Show/Film, with Ashley Walters and Stephen Graham both shortlisted. Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) and Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners) also receive nominations.
In the Best Media Personality category, nominees include DJ AG, TikTok creator Bemi Orojuogun (“Bus Aunty”), stylist Melissa Holdbrook-Akposoe and the teams behind In My Opinion and Winners Talking.
International categories reflect the global reach of Black music, with Ayra Starr, Tyla and Moliy nominated for both Best African Music Act and Best International Act. Vybz Kartel appears in Best Caribbean Music Act and Best International Act.
Public voting is now open for select categories at voting.mobo.com.
The 2026 MOBO Awards nominations:
BEST MALE ACT IN ASSOCIATION WITH PROSTATE CANCER UK
CENTRAL CEE
ELMIENE
JIM LEGXACY
NEMZZZ
ODEAL
SKEPTA
BEST FEMALE ACT IN ASSOCIATION WITH got2b
FLO
KWN
LITTLE SIMZ
OLIVIA DEAN
PINKPANTHERESS
SASHA KEABLE
ALBUM OF THE YEAR IN ASSOCIATION WITH AMAZON MUSIC
CENTRAL CEE – CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS
EZRA COLLECTIVE – DANCE, NO ONE’S WATCHING
FLO – ACCESS ALL AREAS
KOJEY RADICAL – DON’T LOOK DOWN
LITTLE SIMZ – LOTUS
OLIVIA DEAN – THE ART OF LOVING
SONG OF THE YEAR
AJ TRACEY FEAT. JORJA SMITH – CRUSH
DONAE’O FEAT. OMAR, LEMAR + HOUSE GOSPEL CHOIR – NIGHTS LIKE THIS
FRED AGAIN, SKEPTA + PLAQUEBOYMAX – VICTORY LAP
JIM LEGXACY + DAVE – 3X
KWN – DO WHAT I SAY
MYLES SMITH – NICE TO MEET YOU
OLIVIA DEAN – MAN I NEED
PINKPANTHERESS – ILLEGAL
RAYE – WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!
TIM DUZIT – KAT SLATER
BEST NEWCOMER
DC3
ESDEEKID
FINESSEKID
JIM LEGXACY
KWN
NAMESBLISS
NIA SMITH
SEKOU
SKYE NEWMAN
YT
VIDEO OF THE YEAR IN ASSOCIATION WITH VEVO
POZER – SHANGHIGH NOON (DIR. BAS HASELAGER)
FKA TWIGS – EUSEXUA (DIR. JORDAN HEMINGWAY)
JIM LEGXACY – FATHER (DIR. LAUZZA)
LITTLE SIMZ – FLOOD FEAT. OBONGJAYAR + MOONCHILD SANELLY (DIR. SALOMON LIGTHELM)
RAYE – WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! (DIR. THE REIDS)
SKEPTA + FRED AGAIN – BACK 2 BACK (DIR. DOMAMANIC + SKEPTA)
BEST R’N’B/SOUL ACT
ELMIENE
FLO
KWN
ODEAL
OLIVIA DEAN
SASHA KEABLE
BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ACT
ALT BLK ERA
BLOOD ORANGE
HAK BAKER
MICHAEL KIWANUKA
NOVA TWINS
RACHEL CHINOURIRI
BEST GRIME ACT SUPPORTED BY TRENCH
CHIP
JAYAHADADREAM
KASST 8
RUFF SQWAD
SCORCHER
WILEY
BEST HIP HOP ACT
AITCH
ASCO
CATCH
CENTRAL CEE
D-BLOCK EUROPE
KOJEY RADICAL
LITTLE SIMZ
LOYLE CARNER
WRETCH 32
YOUNGS TEFLON
BEST DRILL ACT
36
BOOTER BEE
CHY CARTIER
ESDEEKID
K-TRAP
LEOSTAYTRILL
NEMZZZ
POZER
TWIN S
WOHDEE
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
AYRA STARR
CARDI B
CLIPSE
GUNNA
KEHLANI
LEON THOMAS
MARIAH THE SCIENTIST
MOLIY
TYLA
VYBZ KARTEL
BEST MEDIA PERSONALITY
BEMI OROJUOGUN (BUS AUNTY)
DJ AG
IN MY OPINION
MELISSA HOLDBROOK-AKPOSOE (MELISSA’S WARDROBE)
NADIA JAE
NIKO OMILANA
PK HUMBLE
REMI BURGZ
UCHE NATORI
WINNERS TALKING
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A TV SHOW/FILM
AARON PIERRE – MUFASA: THE LION KING
ASHLEY THOMAS – HOSTAGE
ASHLEY WALTERS – ADOLESCENCE
CYNTHIA ERIVO – WICKED
DAMSON IDRIS – F1
DAYO KOLEOSHO – EASTENDERS
LENNIE JAMES – MR LOVERMAN
MARIANNE JEAN-BAPTISTE – HARD TRUTHS
STEPHEN GRAHAM – ADOLESCENCE
WUNMI MOSAKU – SINNERS
BEST AFRICAN MUSIC ACT
ADEKUNLE GOLD (NIGERIA)
AYRA STARR (NIGERIA)
DAVIDO (NIGERIA)
JOSHUA BARAKA (UGANDA)
MOLIY (GHANA)
REMA (NIGERIA)
SHALLIPOPI (NIGERIA)
TIWA SAVAGE (NIGERIA)
TYLA (SOUTH AFRICA)
WIZKID (NIGERIA)
BEST CARIBBEAN MUSIC ACT
AYETIAN
LILA IKÉ
MASICKA
SHENSEEA
VYBZ KARTEL
YUNG BREDDA
BEST JAZZ ACT
CKTRL
EGO ELLA MAY
EZRA COLLECTIVE
KOKOROKO
NUBYA GARCIA
YAZMIN LACEY
BEST ELECTRONIC/DANCE ACT SUPPORTED BY BEMA + MIXMAG
FKA TWIGS
JAZZY
KILIMANJARO
PINKPANTHERESS
SALUTE
SHERELLE
BEST GOSPEL ACT SUPPORTED BY PREMIER GOSPEL
ANNATORIA
DC3
FAITH CHILD
IMRHAN
SONDAE
STILL SHADEY
BEST PRODUCER
INFLO
JAE5
MILES CLINTON JAMES
P2J
SAMMY SOSO
ZACH NAHOME
