Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock and comedian Munya Chawawa are set to co-host the 2021 MOBO Awards.
A celebration of all things Black music and culture, the ceremony on December 5 at the Coventry Building Society Arena in the West Midlands, is not only set to see performances from nominees Ghetts, Pa Salieu, Bree Runway, Tems and NSG, and more, but one-third of one of the biggest girl groups of all time, Leigh-Anne, 30, and the British-Zimbabwean funnyman, 28, will take charge of proceedings.
Dave leads the way as the most nominated artist.
The 23-year-old rapper – who received wide appraise for his chart-topping second studio album, ‘We’re All Alone in This Together’, this year – is in with a chance of taking home an impressive haul, including Album, Song and Video of the year, along with Best Male Act and Best Hip-Hop Act.
Hot off his tail, Drill star Central Cee has landed four nods, while rap stars Ghetts and Little Simz, soul star Cleo Sol, and Mercury Prize-winner Arlo Parks have earned three nods apiece.
The Best Male Act nominees also include AJ Tracey, Ghetts, Headie One, and Potter Payper.
Shaybo, Bree Runway, Little Simz, Cleo, Arlo, and Tiana Major9, meanwhile, will face-off for Best Female Act.
will crown the first-ever winner of the inaugural Best Drill Act prize, with the best British stars in the genre, including
Central Cee, Digga D, Headie One, K-Trap, Loski, M1llionz, Russ Millions, SR, Tion Wayne, and Unknown T up for the accolade.
Backroad Gee, Enny, Joy Crookes, and Pinkpantheress are up for Best Newcomer.
The likes of Doja Cat, Drake, Kanye West, Lil Nas X, and Megan Thee Stallion lead the Best International Act shortlist.
Elsewhere, in the Best Performance In A TV Show/Film category, Idris Elba, Letitia Wright, and Daniel Kaluuya are among the nominees.
Kanya King CBE, Founder and CEO of MOBO Group, said: “The past 20 months have been extremely challenging for artists everywhere but as always we are seeing creatives rise up and adapt, even in a global pandemic. This year’s crop of MOBO nominees have not only shown resilience but incredible talent and range. We could not be prouder to celebrate their achievements across the 18 categories that span genres, as well as excellence in TV, film and media. Congratulations and best of luck to all of our nominees. Here’s to a big night on 5th December in Coventry!”
The ceremony will be live-streamed on YouTube at 8pm GMT – visit youtube.com/mobotv .
Plus, the special ‘MOBO Awards 2021: Access All Areas’ will air on December 8 at 10.35pm GMT on BBC One.
To vote for your favourite acts head to voting.mobo.com, tickets for the show are on sale now via www.cbsarena.co.uk.
The nominations for the 2021 MOBOs are:
BEST MALE ACT
AJ TRACEY
CENTRAL CEE
DAVE
GHETTS
HEADIE ONE
POTTER PAYPER
BEST FEMALE ACT
ARLO PARKS
BREE RUNWAY
CLEO SOL
LITTLE SIMZ
SHAYBO
TIANA MAJOR9
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
ARLO PARKS – ‘COLLAPSED IN SUNBEAMS’
CELESTE – ‘NOT YOUR MUSE’
CLEO SOL – ‘MOTHER’
DAVE – ‘WE’RE ALL ALONE IN THIS TOGETHER’
GHETTS – ‘CONFLICT OF INTEREST’
HEADIE ONE – ‘EDNA’
SONG OF THE YEAR – IN ASSOCIATION WITH COVENTRY BUILDING SOCIETY
A1 X J1 – ‘LATEST TRENDS’
CENTRAL CEE – ‘COMMITMENT ISSUES’
DAVE FEAT. STORMZY – ‘CLASH’
ENNY FEAT. AMIA BRAVE – ‘PENG BLACK GIRLS’
PA SALIEU FEAT. BACKROAD GEE – ‘MY FAMILY’
TION WAYNE & RUSS MILLIONS, ARRDEE, BUGZY MALONE, BUNI, DARKOO, E1 (3X3), FIVIO FOREIGN & ZT (3X3) – ‘BODY (REMIX)’
BEST NEWCOMER – IN ASSOCIATION WITH ASOS
ARLO PARKS
ARRDEE
BACKROAD GEE
BERWYN
CENTRAL CEE
ENNY
JOY CROOKES
MIDAS THE JAGABAN
PINKPANTHERESS
WES NELSON
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
BREE RUNWAY – ‘HOT HOT’ (DIRECTED BY JOCELYN ANQUETIL)
FREDO FEAT. DAVE – ‘MONEY TALKS’ (DIRECTED BY EDEM WORNOO)
LITTLE SIMZ FEAT. CLEO SOL – ‘WOMAN’ (DIRECTED BY LITTLE SIMZ)
M1LLIONZ – ‘LAGGA’ (DIRECTED BY TEEEEZY C)
PA SALIEU FEAT. BACKROAD GEE – ‘MY FAMILY’ (DIRECTED BY FEMI LADI)
SLOWTHAI FEAT. A$AP ROCKY – ‘MAZZA’ (DIRECTED BY THE REST)
BEST R&B/SOUL ACT
BELLAH
CLEO SOL
JORJA SMITH
SAULT
TIANA MAJOR9
WSTRN
BEST GRIME ACT
BUGZY MALONE
CHIP
D DOUBLE E
FRISCO
GHETTS
SKEPTA
BEST HIP HOP ACT
DAVE
D-BLOCK EUROPE
FREDO
LITTLE SIMZ
POTTER PAYPER
SLOW THAI
BEST DRILL ACT – IN ASSOCIATION WITH TRENCH
CENTRAL CEE
DIGGA D
HEADIE ONE
K TRAP
LOSKI
M1LLIONZ
RUSS MILLIONS
SR
TION WAYNE
UNKNOWN T
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
DOJA CAT
DRAKE
KANYE WEST
LIL NAS X
MEGAN THEE STALLION
POLO G
REMA
SKILLIBENG
WIZKID
YOUNG STONER LIFE (YOUNG THUG & GUNNA)
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A TV SHOW/FILM
ASHLEY THOMAS AS HENRY IN ‘THEM’
DAMSON’
IDRIS ELBA AS FRANKLIN SAINT IN ‘SNOWFALL’
DANIEL KALUUYA AS FRED HAMPTON IN ‘JUDAS & THE BLACK MESSIAH’
LETITIA WRIGHT AS ALTHEIA JONES-LECOINTE IN ‘SMALL AXE’
MICHEAL WARD AS FRANKLYN IN ‘SMALL AXE’
BEST MEDIA PERSONALITY
CHARLENE WHITE
CHUNKZ & YUNG FILLY
HARRY PINERO
HENRIE KWUSHUE
JULIE ADENUGA
MAYA JAMA
MO GILLIGAN
MUNYA CHAWAWA
NELLA ROSE
ZEZE MILLZ
BEST GOSPEL ACT – IN ASSOCIATION WITH PREMIER GOSPEL
CALLEDOUT MUSIC
CECE WINANS
GUVNA B
KIRK FRANKLIN
MAVERICK CITY MUSIC
S.O.
BEST AFRICAN MUSIC ACT
AYRA STARR
BURNA BOY
CKAY
DAVIDO
KING PROMISE
NSG
REMA
TEMS
TIWA SAVAGE
WIZKID
BEST REGGAE ACT
LILA IKE
POPCAAN
SEAN PAUL
SHENSEEA
SKILLIBENG
SPICE
BEST JAZZ ACT – IN ASSOCIATION WITH BBC 6MUSIC
ALFA MIST
BLUE LAB BEATS
EMMA-JEAN THACKRAY
JACOB COLLIER
NUBIYAN TWIST
SONS OF KEMET
BEST PRODUCER – IN ASSOCIATION WITH COMPLEX UK
GOTCHA
JAE 5
JULS
M1ONTHEBEAT
P2J
TSB