Olivia Dean and Little Simz lead the nominations for the 2026 MOBO Awards, which celebrate Black music in the UK and beyond, with both artists securing four nods each.
Dean earns her first MOBO citations on the back of a standout year, as her critically acclaimed album The Art of Loving is shortlisted for Album of the Year.
The London-born singer is also nominated for Best Female Act, Best Soul Act and Song of the Year for Man I Need. The album is currently number one in the UK charts.
Little Simz, already a three-time MOBO winner, also receives four nominations for her sixth studio album, Lotus. She is shortlisted for Best Female Act, Best Hip-Hop Act and Video of the Year, with the recognition marking a significant moment following her recent split from long-time collaborator Inflo.
Other artists with multiple nominations include PinkPantheress, Skepta, Central Cee and vocal harmony trio FLO, alongside newcomers KWN and Jim Legxacy.
The awards ceremony will take place in Manchester on March 26, 2026.
The 2026 edition will also mark the 30th anniversary of the MOBO organisation, founded in 1996 by Kanya King to champion music of Black origin.
Over the years, the awards have supported the rise of artists such as So Solid Crew, Ms Dynamite, Stormzy and Dave before their mainstream breakthroughs.
“Time and again, artists have taken the recognition of a MOBO Award and transformed it into fuel for lasting success,” King said while announcing this year’s nominees.
Hotly tipped rapper Jim Legxacy, who finished second in the BBC’s Sound of 2026 poll, is nominated for four awards.
These include Video of the Year for Father and Song of the Year for 3x, his collaboration with Dave.
Rising R&B singer KWN, pronounced “K-One”, also earns four nominations: Best Newcomer, Best Female Act, Best Soul Act and Song of the Year for Do What I Say.
The 25-year-old enjoyed a breakout year in 2025 after scoring a viral hit with Worst Behaviour, a collaboration with Kehlani, just months after being dropped by her record label.
Also returning to the spotlight is Sasha Keable, who is nominated for Best Female Act and Best Soul Act.
The singer first gained attention in 2013 through her work with Disclosure before re-emerging in 2024 with Hold Up, followed by Act Right in 2025.
West London rapper Central Cee, who has scored 33 UK Top 40 hits in five years, is nominated for his debut album Can’t Rush Greatness. He set a MOBO record last year by winning Best Male Act for the third time.
FLO also collect three nominations, including Album of the Year for their debut, Access All Areas. The group recently made history as the first UK girl group in 20 years to receive a Grammy nomination.
Other Album of the Year contenders include Ezra Collective for Dance, No One’s Watching and Kojey Radical for Don’t Look Down.
The winners will be announced at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena, with performers and presenters to be revealed later.
Ahead of the ceremony, organisers will work with Manchester City Council to host a fringe festival featuring concerts, workshops and panel discussions.
