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2013, AN EPIC YEAR FOR THE MOBO AWARDS: 18^TH ANNIVERSARY, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19 AT THE SSE HYDRO, GLASGOW

Photos and video from the announcement can be downloaded here

This year is set to be the MOBO Awards’ most exciting yet as 18^th anniversary celebrations kick off on Monday, June 24 in Glasgow – the host city for MOBO Awards 2013.

Inspirational MOBO founder and CEO, Kanya King MBE will be joined by star performers, past and present, including chart topping girl group Stooshe and the legendary music maker, Jazzie B of Soul II Soul who won an award at the first ever show in 1996.

Reflecting on 18 years of incredible MOBO memories Jazzie B says “Thank you MOBO for Soul II Soul's first ever UK award way back in ’96!  We had been in the UK industry for a while before we were awarded for Soul II Soul’s achievements and MOBO was the one that recognised this.  It was an iconic moment for Soul II Soul.”

Stooshe also paid tribute to the MOBO Awards and commented: “It’s such an honour to be celebrating 18 years of MOBO Awards success. Our appearance at the show last year was truly instrumental in building our profile and music careers and we are really looking forward to this year’s anniversary event at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow. It’s gonna be an amazing celebration!”

Looking ahead, there’s a lot to talk about and even more to share:

Chart toppers, Rudimental and the dynamic Iggy Azalea are the first names announced to perform at this year’s ceremony which has seen the world’s biggest urban music names over the years and offered a first stage to many UK artists including the likes of Rita Ora and Emeli Sandé

MOBO Awards 2013 will make its debut at the hotly anticipated, new entertainment venue, The SSE Hydro in Glasgow

Together with our official partner, HTC as part of the 18^th anniversary celebrations, the MOBO Organisation will soon be launching competitions with ‘money can’t buy’ experiences for lucky fans to win throughout the country

The MOBO Awards will be doing various things to ‘honour the past and inspire the future’ with a host of initiatives in the run-up and during the show

MOBO Founder and CEO, Kanya King commented: “MOBO turning 18 is a huge achievement and a special time for us.  Starting an awards’ ceremony which has changed the industry, helped represent a diverse range of music that’s at the heartbeat of youth culture and given a platform to emerging talent which has then gone on to achieve global and commercial success, is something to be proud of and we will continue to build a positive legacy that can be enjoyed by various generations. We are ecstatic to be coming back to Glasgow for the third time and are working flat out on making our 18^thanniversary show a truly unforgettable one. Get ready for one of the biggest nights of 2013.”

HTC, official partner of the MOBO Organisation, brings our audience even closer to some of the hottest urban acts by providing unique experiences and helping to enrich MOBO’s platform for aspiring talent. HTC will be involved in various ‘MOBO 18’ activities including MOBO UnSung, MOBO Acoustic Sessions and the MOBO Tour.  Phil Blair, president, EMEA commented: “HTC is proud to partner with the MOBO Organisation in what is a milestone year. With our award-winning HTC One handset, and its amazing BoomSound stereo speakers, we want to bring people closer to the music they love. We will also be working alongside MOBO to provide opportunities and support for the UK’s up-and-coming musical talent.”

Tickets for the MOBO Awards, varying from £25 to £49 will go on general sale Tuesday, June 25 at 13:00 via www.mobo.com.

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For more media information and to secure attendance and interviews, please contact:

NOTES TO EDITORS

 Tickets are being sold at £25, £35 and £49 respectively

•  Photos and video from the announcement can be downloaded here
•  General sale tickets will be available to the public from 13:00 June 25 from www.mobo.com/tickets and www.thehydro.com
•  The 18^th MOBO Awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, October 19 at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland
•  The 18^th MOBO Awards ceremony will be aired on BBC3, repeated on BBC1 and broadcast worldwide via BBC World News reaching an estimated audience     of 400 million people around the world. 

Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader, Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau said: “I’m very much looking forward to welcoming the MOBO Awards back to Glasgow in October. As a UNESCO City of Music, Glasgow enjoys an enviable reputation as one of the world’s top music cities and we’re home to the best audiences for music events in the UK, which is why leading shows like the MOBO Awards return time and again. This year, I’m delighted that we’ll be hosting the MOBO Awards at The SSE Hydro, which will provide a foretaste of what music fans and visitors can expect from this terrific new venue in years to come, especially when MOBO return in 2015 to celebrate their 20^th birthday in their second home.

 Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB) is the official destination marketing organisation for the city of Glasgow. As custodian of the ‘Glasgow: Scotland with style’ brand, GCMB works with partners, stakeholders and businesses to position and promote Glasgow across national and international markets as one of Europe’s most vibrant, dynamic and diverse cities in which to live, work, study, invest and visit. For more information, visit: www.seeglasgow.com or follow @seeglasgow on Twitter·         Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said: “I’m very much looking forward to welcoming the MOBO Awards back to Glasgow in October. As a UNESCO City of Music, Glasgow enjoys an enviable reputation as one of the world’s top music cities and we’re home to the best audiences for music events in the UK, which is why leading shows like the MOBO Awards return time and again.  “This year, I’m delighted that we’ll be hosting the MOBO Awards at The Hydro, which will provide a foretaste of what music fans and visitors can expect from this terrific new venue in years to come, especially when MOBO return in 2015 to celebrate their 20^th birthday in their second home.”

EventScotland is working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org and follow @EventScotNews on Twitter. EventScotland is part of VisitScotland, the national tourism organisation which markets Scotland as a tourism destination across the world, gives support to the tourism industry and brings sustainable tourism growth to Scotland.

Opening on the site of the SECC later this year, the SSE Hydro will play host to national and international music mega stars as well as global entertainment and sporting events. With a seating capacity of 12,000 The Hydro will augment the SECC’s existing facilities and will play host to around 140 events per annum. The global significance of this iconic building, designed by Foster + Partners, cannot be overestimated. Aspiring to attract an audience of 1 million visitors each year will position The Hydro in the top five busiest indoor music arenas in the world alongside such iconic venues as Madison Square Garden and The O2 arena.  The Hydro has the potential to inject an additional £131 million annually into the local economy.

Scottish Enterprise is Scotland's main economic development agency and aims to deliver a significant, lasting effect on the Scottish economy. Our role is to help identify and exploit the best opportunities for economic growth. We support ambitious Scottish companies to compete within the global marketplace and help build Scotland’s globally competitive sectors. We also work with a range of partners in the public and private sectors to attract new investment to Scotland and to help create a world-class business environment.

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