Olivia Dean and Little Simz are the top nominees for this year’s MOBO Awards.
The So Easy (To Fall in Love) singer has capped off her successful breakout year with four nominations, including Best Female Act, Best R&B/Soul Act, Album of the Year for her second record, The Art of Loving, and Song of the Year for Man I Need.
Meanwhile, Little Simz, a three-time MOBO winner, is up for Best Female Act, Best Hip Hop Act, Album of the Year for her sixth record, Lotus, and Video of the Year for Flood.
Rising stars Kwn and Jim Legxacy also received four nominations, while Central Cee, FLO, PinkPantheress and Skepta picked up three nods apiece.
Dean and Simz feature in the Album of the Year category alongside Central Cee’s Can’t Rush Greatness, Ezra Collective’s Dance, No One’s Watching, FLO’s Access All Areas and Kojey Radical’s Don’t Look Down.
The MOBOs annually celebrate music of Black origin in the U.K., however, artists from around the world are recognised in the Best International Act category. Nominees include Ayra Starr, Cardi B, Clipse, Gunna, Kehlani, Leon Thomas, Mariah The Scientist, Moliy, Tyla and Vybz Kartel.
Outside of the music categories, there is a prize for the best performance in a TV show or film, and the shortlist features Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Ashley Walters (Adolescence), Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners), Damson Idris (F1), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths) and Aaron Pierre (Mufasa: The Lion King), among others.
The awards ceremony, now in its 30th year, will take place on 26 March at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester. Performers and presenters will be announced at a later date.
