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In 2024, Raye achieved unprecedented success, notably at the Brit Awards, where she secured a record-breaking six awards in a single ceremony. Her accolades included: Album of the Year for ‘My 21st Century Blues’, Artist of the Year, Song of the Year for ‘Escapism’, Best New Artist, R&B Act, and Songwriter of the Year. This achievement surpassed the previous record of four wins in one ceremony, held by artists such as Harry Styles, Adele, and Blur. Additionally, Raye received seven nominations at the 2024 Brit Awards, setting a new record for the most nominations in a single year. 
In addition to her record-breaking success at the 2024 Brit Awards, Raye achieved significant recognition in other prestigious music awards throughout the year. The singer received her first-ever Grammy nominations, securing nods in three major categories: Best New Artist, Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for her work on ‘Algorithm’ by Lucky Daye. At the esteemed Ivor Novello Awards, which honour excellence in songwriting and composing, Raye was nominated for Best Album for ‘My 21st Century Blues’ and awarded Songwriter of the Year with Amazon Music, acknowledging her exceptional contributions to music over the past year.

Raye won Songwriter of the Year at the Ivor Novello Awards 2024 pic.twitter.com/koFdXY9aRr — ellie (@liampainnnn) July 28, 2024

At the Music of Black Origin (MOBO) Awards, Raye has been nominated in two categories: Best Female Act, Video of the Year for ‘Genesis’. The MOBO Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on February 18, 2025, at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle.

Raye is celebrated for her ability to blend genres, effortlessly merging elements of pop, R&B, soul, and electronic music. Her 2023 album, ‘My 21st Century Blues’, was praised for its emotional depth and experimental production. As a songwriter, Raye has penned hits not just for herself but also for other major artists, including Beyoncé, Little Mix, and David Guetta.

The singer has also been a vocal advocate for artist rights, particularly after her public departure from her record label, Polydor Records, in 2021. This bold move highlighted the challenges artists face within traditional label systems, including lack of creative freedom and gender disparities. Her story inspired discussions about equity and transparency in the music industry, influencing how labels and artists navigate their relationships.

An extra London date has been added to Jorja’s UK & EU tour. Tickets are available now. https://t.co/yHL8rZxvNF pic.twitter.com/T1jW3YflZs

— Jorja Smith (@JorjaSmith) November 15, 2024

Jorja Smith is a British singer-songwriter known for her soulful voice, poignant lyrics, and genre-blending music. She rose to prominence with her 2016 debut single ‘Blue Lights’, a socially conscious track addressing racial profiling. The track peaked at No. 29 on June 21, 2018, and remained on the UK Singles Chart for six weeks. Her critically acclaimed debut album, ‘Lost & Found’ (2018), earned her numerous accolades, including a Brit Award for British Female Solo Artist in 2019.

Her sophomore album, ‘Falling or Flying’ (2023), showcases artistic growth, blending emotional depth with bold experimentation. She is celebrated for her collaborations with artists like Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and Burna Boy, solidifying her position as a versatile and influential artist. Jorja Smith has also recently received notable recognition for her work, particularly from the MOBO Awards, which honour achievements in music of Black origin. For the 2025 MOBO Awards, she has secured three nominations: Best Female Act, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year. The ceremony is scheduled for February 18, 2025, at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle.

Jorja Smith and Cleo Sol are nominated for triple honors at the 2025 MOBO Awards, including: • Best Female Act, • Album of the Year, • Best R&B/Soul Act. pic.twitter.com/yL7YNSa6B0 — Culture Replica (@CultureReplica) December 4, 2024

In addition to her touring and award nominations, Jorja Smith has continued to release new music. In November 2024, she shared two new tracks, ‘Loving You’ and ‘Don’t Let Me Go’, further expanding her discography and engaging her audience. ‘Loving You’ features a collaboration with Irish singer-songwriter Maverick Sabre, marking their first joint effort since ‘Slow Down’ in 2016. ‘Don’t Let Me Go’ delves into themes of vulnerability and emotional resilience, further highlighting the singer’s signature soulful sound.

Fans eagerly anticipate Jorja’s next musical chapter, with each project pushing boundaries and exploring new artistic territories.  Tickets for the tour can be found on Ticketmaster and DICE.

In a post on Instagram, she said the diagnosis was something she “never saw coming” and that she’s “still processing this unexpected reality.” She wrote that “this diagnosis has tested me in ways I never imagined, but it has also given me a renewed sense of purpose”, reminding us that “life isn’t just about how long you live; it’s about how deeply you live.”

Speaking to a friend in her video, she confidently told them that she believes “these things happen for a reason. I’ve overcome so many things in my life, this is another thing that I’ll overcome.” She also encouraged others to be alert and aware of their wellbeing – “Be proactive, be the CEO of your own health”, recommending getting tests, namely FIT (fecal immunochemical tests) and being vigilant if something doesn’t feel right.

 

 

 

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Kanya, the founder and CEO of the MOBO awards, was recently awarded the 2024 LIVEtime Achievement honour at the music industry’s LIVE Awards, recognising her incredible contribution to the industry and culture since the 90’s.

While working as a TV researcher after studying at Goldsmiths University, she realised there was no British awards ceremony celebrating black music and its influence. Setting out to make her own, she struggled to find financial backing – determined to make it a reality, she re-mortgaged her house to fund the TV production. She then persuaded Carlton TV to broadcast the first ceremony in 1996 at London’s Connaught Rooms, managing and organising the event within just six weeks.

The MOBO’s have been a driving force in shining a spotlight on British music that might not receive the recognition it deserves elsewhere – celebrating and giving categories to genres like Jungle, Garage, Grime and Drill.

Their shows have been star-studded spectacles before, welcoming appearances from international stars throughout the years like Lauryn Hill, Damien Marley and 50 Cent. They’ve also helped to platform talent on their rise to fame, giving the Best Newcomer accolade to artists like Akala, Kano, Ms Dynamite before their mainstream breakthroughs, and giving Stormzy the award for Best Grime Act in 2014 when he was on the cusp of stardom.

As well as the groundbreaking awards ceremony, the MOBO’s organization does charitable work through the MOBO Trust, advancing education in the performing arts for young people with diverse backgrounds. The organization also runs programmes to provide opportunities to emerging talent to aid their creative development, as well as providing grants to support the careers of talented artists.

In another Instagram post, the MOBO’s shared the news of Kanya’s diagnosis and commended her resilience and wished her well. They said she “remains unshakeably determined and full of purpose”, setting her sights on being at the next awards “to celebrate the achievements of our community.”

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Next year’s MOBO Awards nominees have been announced recently with an exciting shortlist: grime legends like Bashy and Ghetts, R&B stars including Jorja Smith and Sampha, electronic acts like Nia Archives and alternative rockers such as Hak Baker and Bob Vylan. The awards will be hosted in Newcastle for the first time, at the Utilita Arena on the 18^th February, 2025.

To vote for your favourite nominees, click here.

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The key nominees and categories for 2025 are:

Best Male Act: Central Cee, Ghetts, Bashy, Sampha

Best Female Act: Jorja Smith, Little Simz, Raye, Cleo Sol, Nia Archives

Best R&B/Soul Act: Jorja Smith, Cleo Sol

Album of the Year: Jorja Smith’s ‘Falling or Flying’, Ghetts’ ‘On Purpose, With Purpose’, Cleo Sol’s ‘Gold’

Song of the Year:
Central Cee Feat. Lil Baby – ‘Band4band’
Chase & Status, Stormzy – ‘Backbone’
Darkoo Feat. Dess Dior – ‘Favourite Girl’

Best International Act: Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Tems.

Jorja Smith, Cleo Sol, and Central Cee are all triple nominees in the 2025 MOBO awards.

Jorja Smith is a British singer-songwriter known for her soulful voice and blend of R&B, jazz, and pop. Her album ‘Falling or Flying‘ was released in September 2023 and showcases a more introspective, experimental sound compared to her earlier work. The record explores themes of love, self-reflection, and empowerment, often paired with eclectic production that mixes jazz, UK garage, and electronic influences. Standout tracks include ‘Try Me’ and ‘Little Things’ emphasizing her artistic growth and emotional depth. Critics praised the album for its innovation and lyrical honesty.

Cleo Sol is a British singer-songwriter known for her soothing voice and deeply introspective lyrics. She is a member of the music collective Sault, but her solo work stands out for its blend of soul, R&B, and neo-jazz influences. Her music often explores themes of love, family, self-discovery, and spirituality. Her albums, such as  ‘Rose in the Dark‘ (2020) and ‘Gold‘ (2023), have received critical acclaim for their emotional depth and minimalist production. Cleo’s work has solidified her as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary soul music.

Central Cee is a British rapper and songwriter, recognized for his dynamic style blending UK drill with melodic elements. Emerging from West London, he gained mainstream attention with tracks like ‘Loading’ and ‘Day in the Life’, which solidified his position as one of the leading voices in UK rap. Last year’s MOBO awards were hosted in Sheffield where Central Cee won Best Male Act and Song of the Year for ‘Sprinter’. RAYE then also won Best Female Act.

You can vote on MOBO’s website for your favourites and get tickets to the event here.

Simz took to Instagram to voice her thoughts on the release, as well as her love for her fans, commenting: “Love you all, I need you to know. Your continued support gives me the confidence to step outside my comfort zone and experiment with the thing I love most like any true artist should. So thank you for giving me grace and allowing me the space to do so. hope you enjoy.”

She also revealed her excitement surrounding her new website visuals, adding: “Also my website is fire. Will be giving exclusive news and more only to those signed up to my mailing list so be the first to get the latest”.

The EP was co-created by music producer, songwriter, and DJ James Jacob, who composed the soundtrack for A24’s exhilarating, coming-of-age film How To Have Sex. Crafted by artists Marco Grey and Jeremy Cole, the black and white artwork depicts Simz wearing some kind of futuristic, chrome armour with a butterfly floating next to her, with her new highly stylised website showcasing the same sci-fi, avant-garde imagery. Once on the explore page, the site presents fans with a series of different symbols with options to buy merchandise, stay connected on her social media pages, join her mailing list or stream the new EP, which can be selected by clicking the same butterfly symbol, a thread in the album’s storyline that remains unclear thus far.

Following a sold-out UK tour last November, the British Vogue cover star appears to be at the top of her game, with plenty more exciting announcements planned for the year ahead. ‘Drop 7′ is out now on Forever Living Originals via AWAL Recordings. You can listen to the first track ‘Mood Swings’ below:

 Full ‘Drop 7’ tracklist:

1. ‘Mood Swings’
2. ‘Fever’
3. ‘Torch’
4. ‘SOS’
5. ‘I Ain’t Feeling’
6. ‘Power’
7. ‘Far Away’

Well this is We’re playing the @OfficialNTAs! Watch on @ITV from 7.30pm on 9th September pic.twitter.com/2us62Metwe

— JLS (@JLSOfficial) September 1, 2021

JLS aka Jack The Lad Swing’s vocal lineup includes Ashton Merrygold, Marvin Humes, Oritse Williams and JB (Jonathan Benjamin) Gill. The band entered the fifth series of X-Factor in 2008 and were runners up following Alexandra Burke’s win.

Following the competition, the band were signed to Epic Records and released singles “Beat Again” and “Everybody In Love” with both singles hitting the number one spot in the UK Official Singles Charts. Success continued with a further four number one singles and the release of the band’s debut album JLS released on November 9th 2009 which sold 1 million copies.

The band then went on to release albums, Outta This World (2010), Jukebox (2011), and Evolution (2012), as well as win a Mobo Award for Best Single for “Beat Again” and a Mobo Award for Best Newcomer in 2009.

The band further went on to win 2 Brit Award’s for British Breakthrough and Best Single for their single “Beat Again”. and Best Newcomer in 2010. The band are known for popular singles “The Club Is Alive” and “She Makes Me Wanna”.

On April 23rd 2013 the band announced their split, released the album Goodbye- The Greatest Hits and embarked on a farewell tour. The band bowed out for the last date of their tour at the 02 Arena in London on December 22nd 2013. Band members Merrygold, Humes, Williams and Gill went on to pursue solo projects following the band’s split with Merrygold, Humes and Gill also having children.

It was then reported in November 2019 that the band were to reunite. Confirmation of a reunion arrived on February 12th 2020 and the band then announced that they were to embark on a reunion tour known as The Beat Again Tour. Another announcement followed in March 2020 that the band had signed to BMG and were set to release new music.

The band’s plans were placed on hold due to the Covid 19 Pandemic and they have now expressed their happiness to finally be able to release new music and have also rescheduled their postponed reunion tour. The band have not been able to release new music for 8 years with a further delay caused by the Covid 19 Pandemic following their reunion announcement in 2020. 

This is all set to change tomorrow with the release of their new single “Eternal Love” penned by Humes and Ed Sheeran and it seems a new album is also on the way. Williams stated “We’re putting together an album and a couple of singles. It feels like the time is right” Humes added “We have got three, possibly four, tracks already down”

The band have not yet announced news for an album release. The band are working with Wayne Hector for their new material and look set to ignite the charts once more with their new single “Eternal Love”.

Who’s ready for tomorrow? #EternalLove #JLSReturns pic.twitter.com/R87R2X1H9u — JLS (@JLSOfficial) September 2, 2021

Access JLS’s pre-save link for their new single here

Nahhh you nearly had us #EternalLove out Friday #JLSReturns pic.twitter.com/Dc5SaC9wCB — JLS (@JLSOfficial) September 1, 2021

See JLS’s Tour dates below. Tickets are available here

20/10/21 The SSE Hydro- Glasgow
21/10 The SSE Hydro- Glasgow
22/10 Utilita Arena- Newcastle
23/10 Resorts World Arena- Birmingham
25/10 Motorpoint Arena- Cardiff
26/10 Motorpoint Arena- Cardiff
28/10 FlyDSA Arena- Sheffield
29/10 FlyDSA Arena- Sheffield
30/10 First Direct Arena- Leeds
31/10 Motorpoint Arena- Cardiff
02/11 M&S Bank Arena- Liverpool
03/11 M&S Bank Arena- Liverpool
04/11 The O2- London
05/11 The O2- London
06/11 Utilita Arena- Newcastle
08/11 Brighton Centre- Brighton
09/11 Bournemouth International Centre- Bournemouth
10/11 Hull Bonus Arena- Hull
14/11 SSE Arena- Belfast
15/11 3Arena- Dublin
17/11 Motorpoint Arena- Nottingham
18 /11 Motorpoint Arena- Nottingham
19/11 The O2- London
20/11 The O2- London
23/11 AO Arena- Manchester
24/11 AO Arena- Manchester
26/11 Resorts World Arena- Birmingham
27/11 Resorts World Arena- Birmingham (free NHS matinee charity show)

A Massive congratulations to all of our 2020 #MOBOAwards winners!

— MOBO (@MOBOAwards) December 9, 2020

Headie One scooped the award for Best Male Act, seeing off competition from nominees including Stormzy, J Hus and AJ Tracey. The  Tottenham trap star also picked up a second award for his collaboration with Young T & Bugsey on Don’t Rush, which secured the coveted Song of the Year title based on a public vote.

A night of MOBOs glory capped off an exceptional year for Headie One (real name Irving Adjei) whose debut album Edna soared to number one in the UK Albums Charts in October. In their review of the record, NME described the LP, which was named after Adeji’s late mother, as “a clear and persuasive bid for transatlantic stardom“; labelling the artist the “global King of drill.”

Leicestershire songstress Mahalia also enjoyed a memorable evening. The British-Jamaican singer, who made her second successive appearance in the US Adult R&B Top 20 this year with single BRB, was named Best Female Act on the night. The East Midlander also came up trumps in the Best R&B/Soul Act category, fending off WSTRN, Tiana Major9, Lianne La Havas and Mercury Prize winner Michael Kiwanuka. Mahalia told the RTÉ network that it was “an honour” to feature in an awards show close to her heart, saying “I remember seeing my first Mobos…As a young black female artist, it really is special to be here and to be recognised in this way.”

There were further gongs for North London rapper Nines – aka Courtney Leon Freckleton – who won the Album of the Year award for his third studio LP Crabs In A Bucket, which topped the UK Albums Chart at the end of the summer. Nines also pipped J Hus, Ms Banks, D-Block Europe, Krept & Konan and Potter Payper to the Best Hip Hop Act prize.

Elsewhere there was success for Hackney-born Jme in the Best Grime category; while Samuel Nwachukwu – known by his stage name of  Calledout Music – was named Best Gospel Act. The Nigerian-born, UK-raised singer is a rising star of Christian music globally, and has been touted as a prospective collaborator with Stormzy and Wretch 32 in the past. In a special feature on gospel music last year, The Big Issue described him as “a much needed breath of fresh air” on the scene, with an “infectious sound.”

Other award winners on the night included Lancashire rapper Aitch – who secured a top ten hit in the UK Albums Chart this year with his EP Polaris – in the Best Newcomer category; and Ella Mai, whose eponymous 2018 debut album was recognised as the best LP released over the two years that passed without a MOBO Awards ceremony. There was also a win for East London rap collective NSG in the Video of the Year category; while South Londoner Ego Ella May got the nod for Best Jazz Act. Stratford-based Jae-5 picked up the Best Producer award, telling Audio Media International: “It’s beautiful to be acknowledged and to win an award that promotes what I am.”

Meanwhile non-UK winners on the night included Nigerian Afrobeats merchant Burna Boy (Best International Act) and compatriot Wizkid (Best African Act). Jamaican dancehall veteran Buju Banton also bagged the Best Reggae Act award. The full list of musical winners at the MOBO Awards were:

Best Female Act – Mahalia
Best Male Act – Headie One
Album of the Year – Crabs in a Bucket (Nines)
Song of the Year – Dont Rush (Young T & Bugsey feat. Headie One)
Best Newcomer  – Aitch
Video of the Year – Lupita, NSG
Best R&B/Soul Act – Mahalia
Best Hip Hop Act – Nines
Best Grime Act – Jme
Best International Act – Burna Boy
Best Album (2017 – 2019) - Ella Mai (Ella Mai)
Best African Act – Wizkid
Best Reggae Act – Buju Banton
Best Gospel Act – Calledout Music
Best Jazz Act – Ego Ella May
Best Producer – Jae 5
Best Performance in a TV Show/Film - Micheal Ward (as Marco in Blue Story)
Best Media Personality - Chunkz
Inspiration Award - Steve McQueen

The continued absence of a category to recognise rock music was highlighted ahead of the awards ceremony by Londoners Nova Twins. The self-described ‘urban punk’ duo rightly pointed to the key role pioneers like Sister Rosetta Sharp, Chuck Berry and Little Richard played in the development of guitar music and rock ‘n’ roll as an overarching genre. The MOBOs judging panel responded directly on Twitter by saying they would “…continue to review potential category expansions for future Award ceremonies.”

Our open letter to the @moboawards :

We’re asking for your help in the hopes that a Rock/Alternative category will be added to the MOBO (Music Of Black Origin) Awards in 2021, recognising the POC contributors to the genre.

Please RT, sharing this message far and wide!  pic.twitter.com/wol3iCi4uH

— NOVA TWINS (@NovaTwinsMusic) November 30, 2020

“We want to use our platform to raise the voices of the unheard, diversifying the space for alternative POC bands but we can’t do it alone. People often don’t know that rock ’n’ roll was in fact largely originated by a black woman,” the group wrote in an open letter to the awards. “We all owe her a huge debt and with the help of others, we want to continue the pioneering work she started. We feel strongly that this needs to be represented in the MOBO Awards.”

The group also highlighted the importance of a rock category in inspiring and encouraging young Black musicians. “This is more than just a category, it’s a message to all young black people, letting them know that they can do and be anything that they choose. That they have more creative options available to them, other than the ones society has offered them.” They continued. “It’s up to us all to give the new generation the tools and encouragement to do so. It’s time to create a different landscape to the one we entered.”

The statement has received an outpouring of support online, with many fans and fellow musicians openly agreeing with the sentiment. “Absolutely agree with this. Black music is so much more than what people assume it to be, and that needs to be celebrated and recognised in general” said one Twitter user. Another chimed in. “Hope it happens, rock/ alternative (and Even metal) needs more representation.”

We see you Nova Twins! Rock and the alternative music genre certainly has its roots in black music and the contributions of talented musicians in this field deserve to be further celebrated (1/2). https://t.co/raEVNkwSYc

— MOBO (@MOBOAwards) November 30, 2020

The MOBO Awards soon responded to the statement, reacting positively to the group’s call to action. “We see you Nova Twins! Rock and the alternative music genre certainly has its roots in black music and the contributions of talented musicians in this field deserve to be further celebrated.” The awards responded. “The MOBO Awards Judging Panel have actually discussed this and we will continue to review potential category expansions for future Award ceremonies. We will always do our best to represent Black music talent across a variety of genres.”

The 2020 MOBO Awards are set to be held on the 9^th of December, being broadcast on BBC1 at 10.45pm. The awards show will also be live-streamed earlier on in the evening, starting at 7pm.

You can watch the awards show through the link here.

#MOBOAwards season is almost here. You ready?! pic.twitter.com/Oa469Xzyft

— MOBO (@MOBOAwards) November 23, 2020

The full show will be livestreamed on YouTube on the 9th of December at 7pm. The BBC will then show a hightlight show the same night at 10:35pm. BBC Radio 1Xtra will also be covering the awards starting on Sunday 6th December from 9pm with a special 1Xtra Talks show hosted by Richie Brave which will look back at the last 24 years of MOBO history and look at how music has changed and evolved over the last two decades.

The hosts for the awards show was announced yesterday as presenter Maya Jama and comedian Chunkz. There will also be performances on the night from Headie One, Ms Banks, Kojey Rachal and Tiwa Savage.

YAAAAAS. Very very excited for this one! Il be back hosting the 2020 #MOBOAwards this time with my hunty @Chunkz & it’s gna be on @YouTube & @BBCOne Congratulations to all the nominees see you next month pic.twitter.com/8ZBZut3VPQ

— Maya Jama (@MayaJama) November 24, 2020

Speaking about the awards show, founder Kanya King said; “Recognising the unique role the MOBO Awards plays for so many, and the challenging year we find ourselves in, it is now more important than ever to be there and to continue the rich history of showcasing the very best of black music and culture. We are proud to partner with YouTube and the BBC to bring this year’s celebration to millions of music fans, and continue to uplift creative voices here in the UK and around the world.”

YouTube Music’s Director of EMEA, Dan Chalmers said; “It’s a real privilege to be partnering with The MOBO Awards to bring a global audience to such an important British music event. It’s vital that artists and creators from across all backgrounds, genres and sounds are given a platform to build an audience and fanbase. I’m honoured to continue to lift up and support the Black British music community, which continues to be at the heart of the music experience in the UK. I look forward to watching the nominees and winners on this special night and supporting them on their journey forwards.” 

The MOBO awards will be livestreamed on YouTube at 7pm on the 9th of December. The full list of nominations is below.

Best Male Act
Headie One
J Hus
Stormzy
Nines
AJ Tracey
Young T & Bugsey

Best Female Act
Lianna La Havas
Ms Banks
Tiana Major9
Mahalia
Darkoo
FKA Twigs

Album Of The Year
J Hus – Big Conspiracy
Stormzy – Heavy Is The Head
Mahalia – Love And Compromise
Nines – Crabs In A Bucket
Lianne La Havas – Lianne La Havas

Song Of The Year
Young T & Bugsey – Don’t Rush (feat Headie One)
Digga D – Woi Darkoo – Gangsta (feat Acen)
Tion Wayne – I Dunno (feat Stormzy and Dutchavelli)
Abra Acadabra – On Deck

Best Newcomer
Aitch
Alicaì
Darkoo
Dutchavelli
Ivorian Doll
M1llionz
Miraa May
Pa Salieu
Shaybo
Tiana Major9
M Huncho
Loski

Video of the Year
Bree Runway – Apeshit
Nines – Clout
NSG - Lupita
Jorja Smith - By Any Means
Knucks - Home
Kojey Radical - 20/20

Best R&B/Soul Act
WSTRN
Tiana Major9
Michael Kiwanuka
Mahalia
Lianne La Havas

Best Hip-Hop Act
J Hus
Nines
Ms Banks
D-Block Europe
Krept & Konan
Potter Payper

Best Grime Act
Ghetts
P Money
Manga Saint Hilare
Capo Lee
JME

Best International Act
Burna Boy
Drake
Koffee
Megan Thee Stallion
Pop Smoke
Popcaan
Roddy Ricch
Rema
Shenseea
Summer Walker
H.E.R
Lil Baby

Best Performance in a TV Show/Film
Kane Robinson – Top Boy
Michaela Coel - I May Destroy You
Ncuti Gatwa – Sex Education
Jessica Plummer - EastEnders
Micheal Ward - Blue Story
Damson Idris - Snowfall

Best Media Personality
Munya Chawawa
Chunkz
Yung Filly
Mo Gilligan
Clara Amfo
Maya Jama
Henrie Kwushue
KSI
Harry Pinero
Zeze Millz

Best Album 2017-2019
Dave – Psychodrama
Kano – Hoodies All Summer
Ella Mai - Ella Mai
Skepta - Ignorance is Bliss
Nines - Crop Circle
Little Simz - Grey Area

Best African Act
Burna Boy
Tiwa Savage
Davido
Fireboy DML
Rema
Master KG
Adekunle Gold
NSG
Afro B
WizKid
StoneBwoy
Shatta Wale

Best Reggae Act
Popcaan
Koffee
Lila Iké
Buju Banton
Protoje

Best Gospel Act
Calledout Music
Noel Robinson
Guvna B
The Kingdom Choir
Shekinah

Best Jazz Act
Moses Boyd
Joe Armon-Jones
Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes
Yazmin Lacey
Ego Ella May

Best Producer
Jae 5
808 Melo
Sir Spyro
TSB
Steel Banglez
M1onthbeat

Craig David impressively beat heavyweights such as Kano, Skepta, Stromzy, Tinie Tempah. Grime continued its momentum from last year’s growth. Kano said of Grime’s continuing success:

“It feels like a second chance – doing it the right way. We don’t want to make it to a mainstream audience by doing just anything. Let’s not hide the fact we’re British, when in the past we have, with American accents.”

Michael Kiwanuka also added:

“You can’t really escape it. Up until now, grime has been pushed to one side and not seen as relevant. It’s always been credible but people are finally sitting up and taking notice. So it’s a good year, I think, and good to be a part of it.”

Best male act – Craig David
Best female act – Lady Leshurr
Best newcomer – WSTRN
Best album – Kano ‘Made In The Manor’
Best hip hop act – Section Boyz
Best song – Abra Cadabra ft Krept & Konan ‘Robbery (remix)
Best video – Nadia Rose ‘Skwod’ (Directed by Reece Proctol)
Best R&B/soul – Shakka
Best grime act (in association with BBC Radio 1Xtra) – Chip
Best international act – Drake
Best jazz act – Esperanza Spalding
Best gospel act – Guvna B
Best reggae act – Popcaan
Best African act – Wiz Kid
Paving the way – Nicola Adams and Ms Dynamite

Listen to the single ‘Nothing Like This’ below: