This years 2026 show will mark 30 years since the birth of the MOBO organisation.
The MOBO Awards have finally announced their nominations for the 2026 edition of Europe’s biggest Black award show.
With 20 categories, the shortlist recognises talented acts and respected releases from the dates 1 September 2024 to 1 October 2025.
Leading this year’s nominations are Little Simz, Olivia Dean as well as rising stars kwn and Jim Legxacy, earning four nominations each.
Little Simz, who is already a 3x MOBO champion is up for Album of the Year in association with Amazon Music for her critically acclaimed Lotus, Best Female Act in association with got2b, Best Hip Hop Act, and Video of the Year in association with Vevo for Flood, featuring Obongjayar and Moonchild Sanelly.
Olivia Dean scoops up multiple nominations including Album of the Year with the chart-topping ‘The Art of Loving’, Best Female Act, Best R&B/Soul Act, and Song of the Year for ‘Man I Need’.
kwn cements her place as one of the UK’s most exciting new R&B stars to watch. She is in contention for Best Newcomer, Best Female Act, Best R&B/Soul, and Song of The Year for Do What I Say.
Jim Legxacy has been named on The Official Charts Ones To Watch list 2026, he is nominated for Best Male Act, Best Newcomer, Song of the Year for his collaboration with track 3x which features Dave, and Video of The Year for father.
Central Cee, FLO, PinkPantheress and Skepta score three nominations each in heavily-coveted categories.
AJ Tracey, RAYE, Scouse Alt rapper EsDeeKid as well as others have been nominated for awards too.
Founder and CEO of MOBO Group, Kanya King CBE said:
“This year’s nominees are a powerful reflection of the culture and moment we are living in. Their voices matter – not only in how they soundtrack our lives, but in how they shape the future. From sharp, socially conscious lyricism to boundary-pushing creativity that defies genre, this generation of artists is deeply connected to their communities.
“Spanning R&B, dance-electronic, and experimental rap, what unites these artists is the power of their storytelling, their confidence and cultural impact.”
MOBO will be partnering with Amazon Music who will sponsor the Album of the Year. Vevo also joins as a partner this year, sponsoring Video of the Year and supporting the category’s celebration of visual excellence.
They’ll be joining previously announced returning partners Prostate Cancer UK and got2b.
the MOBO Awards will take place in Manchester, as part of the MOBO Organisation’s 30th anniversary celebrations and will be collaborating with Manchester City Council to deliver the MOBO Fringe Festival, a week-long celebration of music, culture, and creativity in the run-up to the Awards.
Tickets are available now and can be purchased HERE.
The full list of nominations for every category of the MOBO Awards 2026 can be found below:
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 ONES 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’ (DIRECTED BY BAS HASELAGER) FKA TWIGS – ‘EUSEXUA’ (DIRECTED BY JORDAN HEMINGWAY) JIM LEGXACY – ‘FATHER’ (DIRECTED BY LAUZZA) LITTLE SIMZ – ‘FLOOD’ FEAT. OBONGJAYAR & MOONCHILD SANELLY (DIRECTED BY SALOMON LIGHTHELM) RAYE – ‘WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!’ (DIRECTED BY THE REIDS) SKEPTA & FRED AGAIN – ‘BACK 2 BACK’ (DIRECTED BY DOMAMANIC and SKEPTA)
BEST R&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
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 – ADOLESENCE WUNMI MOSAKU – SINNERS
