** Link to red carpet and show images via Getty here **
Download clips of performances and acceptance speeches from the show here

Credit: MOBO Organisation

BBC ONE’s exclusive ACCESS ALL AREAS show

Hosted by BBC 1Xtra’s DJ Target on 7 DECEMBER at 10.40PM

Tune in to BBC 1Xtra on 7 DECEMBER for coverage on performances from the night, special backstage interviews and behind the scenes action

THE STARS TURNED UP IN FORCE FOR THE UK’S BIGGEST CELEBRATION OF MUSIC OF BLACK ORIGIN

KNUCKS and LITTLE SIMZ BOTH WIN THE PRESTIGIOUS
ALBUM OF THE YEAR ACCOLADE IN AN UNPRECEDENTED MOVE IN
MOBO HISTORY

KANO WINS BEST PERFORMANCE IN A TV SHOW/FILM FOR HIS ROLE IN “TOP BOY”

DRILL MC CENTRAL CEE SCORES BEST MALE ACT and VIDEO OF THE YEAR IN ASSOCIATION WITH MCDONALD’S MCCRISPY FOR ‘DOJA’
 

FAST-RISING SINGER-SONGWRITER PINKPANTHERESS WINS
BEST FEMALE ACT

SONG OF THE YEAR IN ASSOCIATION WITH LUCOZADE GOES TO DREYA MAC, FELIXTHE1ST & FINCH FETTI’s ‘OWN BRAND (BADDIE)’

NOTTINGHAM-BASED MC BRU-C TAKES HOME BEST NEWCOMER IN ASSOCIATION WITH ASOS

DJ NIA ARCHIVES WINS INAUGURAL BEST ELECTRONIC/DANCE ACT SUPPORTED BY MIXMAG

The 25^th MOBO Awards in association with Lucozade took place at London’s OVO Arena Wembley, hosted by Chunkz and Yung Filly

Featuring performances by Nile Rodgers, Craig David, Kojey Radical,
Tion Wayne, Fireboy DML, Cat Burns, FLO, Eliza Rose, Beenie Man, and a special tribute to Jamal Edwards by Emeli Sandé

1 DEC 2022: The 25^th MOBO Awards in association with Lucozade celebrated its biggest show ever last night and is proud to reveal this year’s winners, following an epic show at London’s OVO Arena Wembley – hosted by Chunkz and Yung Filly. The biggest names in music such as Nile Rodgers, Craig David, Beenie Man and Emeli Sandé – who performed a tribute to the late Jamal Edwards MBE – were on the line-up with stars like Tion Wayne, Kojey Radical, FLO, Eliza Rose with Sonique and Sweet Female Attitude, Cat Burns, Fireboy DML with Black Sherif.

Knucks, Little Simz and Central Cee scooped up the top accolades at last night’s 25^th MOBO Awards in association with Lucozade. The ceremony also honoured legend Nile Rodgers with MOBO’s Lifetime Achievement Award and British R&B singer-songwriter and DJ Craig David with Outstanding Contribution at the epic show at London’s OVO Arena Wembley – hosted by Chunkz and Yung Filly.

The biggest names in music and culture showed up including Anthony Joshua, Sir Mo Farah, Eve, Louis Theroux, Oti Mabuse, Edward Enninful, Jourdan Dunn and more.

MOBO founder Kanya King CBE said: “What an incredible night it has been celebrating the 25^th MOBO Awards with our family of artists and talent. It has been a night of legends and the hottest stars, an absolutely glittering array of talent. Huge congratulations to all the winners tonight, with special mention to the incredible trailblazer, Jamal Edwards MBE, the posthumous recipient of our Paving The Way award, as well as our Lifetime Achievement recipient Nile Rogers and Craig David for his Outstanding Contribution. Huge thanks also to our headline partner Lucozade Energy and everyone else who has supported us on our journey. Just take a look at all the myriad of genres covered by the show, it is unprecedented. None of this would be possible without the incredible diversity of the Black music scene and culture, significant both to the community and the economy. From on stage to behind the scenes via MOBOLISE, MOBO continues to push for increased representation in music and across creative industries.”

BBC One will broadcast a special hour-long MOBO Awards 2022: Access All Areas show on 7 December at 10.40PM, presented by BBC 1Xtra’s DJ Target. This will include highlights from the ceremony, exclusive behind the scenes action, performances and red carpet interviews. This will also be available on BBC iPlayer.

Consistently renowned for being the UK’s best indicator of future music trendsetters, this year’s winners represent the breadth and depth of music of Black origin in its richest form – with Rap, Drum and Bass, Jungle and Garage representing the sound of the underground informing the next wave in popular culture.

In an unprecedented move, for the first time in MOBO history, the prestigious Album of The Year accolade is awarded to two winners: Knucks’ “Alpha Place” and Little Simz’s “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert”. This category is voted by MOBO’s Judging Panel who, after much internal debate, couldn’t choose one of these albums over the other to solely award. The dual honour is nothing short of indicative of the UK’s current thriving and boundary-pushing music scene, which continues to inspire the next generation of creatives.

Fast-rising DIY musician PinkPantheress wins Best Female Act. The hotly-tipped artist, renowned for her concise tracks that fuse Alt-Pop, Drum and Bass, and Garage has gone from TikTok sensation to becoming one of the UK’s most promising future pop sensations, steadily making waves in the industry in her own terms. In the past year, the 21-year old has earned over 6.8 million monthly Spotify listeners and released collaborations with WILLOW, Lil Uzi Vert and Shygirl. She is representative of a new wave of creatives across the world who actively forge a path of their own by blurring genres and creating a sound that is authentically their own.

Central Cee scoops up Best Male Act and Video of The Year (in association with McDonald’s McCrispy) for his highest charting hit yet, ‘Doja’. Arguably the most buzzed-about Drill MC of the year, this year’s double-win instantly puts Central Cee as one of MOBO’s fastest-rising multi-winners; having already scored Best Newcomer and Best Drill Act last year.

Nottingham-based MC Bru-C takes home MOBO’s Best Newcomer in association with ASOS. Boasting unarmoured honesty, motivational rave-inspired sounds with community, Bru-C is the MC at the forefront of the Drum and Bass, Bassline and UK Bass scene.

Song of The Year in association with Lucozade goes to West London TikTok viral sensation Dreya Mac, FelixThe1st and Finch Fetti’s ‘Own Brand (Baddie)’. The song has soundtracked over 8 million TikTok videos to date, earning nods from Rihanna and Kehlani. It is clear that multi-hyphenate rapper, singer and dancer Dreya Mac is destined to break barriers a Black queer woman making waves with her art beyond spontaneous content creation. Watch this space.

Bradford-born dancefloor don, Nia Archives, takes home the inaugural MOBO Best Electronic/Dance Act, following a killer year where she emerged as one of the forces driving the Jungle revival. The DJ, producer and singer-songwriter is representative of an exciting new wave in the underground dance music scene coming to the mainstream, led by Black female creatives. 

2022 MOBO AWARDS in association with Lucozade WINNERS

BEST MALE ACT 
CENTRAL CEE

BEST FEMALE ACT IN ASSOCIATION WITH ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND
PINK PANTHERESS

ALBUM OF THE YEAR (joint winners)
KNUCKS - 'ALPHA PLACE'
LITTLE SIMZ - 'SOMETIMES I MIGHT BE INTROVERT'

SONG OF THE YEAR IN ASSOCIATION WITH LUCOZADE 
DREYA MAC, FELIXTHE1ST & FINCH FETTI - 'OWN BRAND (BADDIE)'

BEST NEWCOMER IN ASSOCIATION WITH ASOS
BRU-C

VIDEO OF THE YEAR IN ASSOCIATION WITH MCDONALD’S MCCRISPY   
CENTRAL CEE - 'DOJA'

BEST R&B/SOUL ACT
MAHALIA

BEST GRIME ACT
D DOUBLE E

BEST HIP HOP ACT IN ASSOCIATION WITH MIXTAPE MADNESS   
D BLOCK EUROPE

BEST DRILL ACT SUPPORTED BY TRENCH

K-TRAP

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT

BURNA BOY

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A TV SHOW/FILM
KANE ROBINSON (KANO) AS SULLY – TOP BOY

BEST MEDIA PERSONALITY
NELLA ROSE

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ACT IN ASSOCIATION WITH MARSHALL
BOB VYLAN

BEST ELECTRONIC/DANCE ACT SUPPORTED BY MIXMAG

NIA ARCHIVES

BEST AFRICAN MUSIC ACT SUPPORTED BY AFROZONS

BURNA BOY

BEST GOSPEL ACT SUPPORTED BY PREMIER GOSPEL

STILL SHADEY

BEST JAZZ ACT SUPPORTED BY JAZZ FM

EZRA COLLECTIVE

BEST CARIBBEAN MUSIC ACT

SKILLIBENG

BEST PRODUCER SUPPORTED BY COMPLEX UK

INFLO

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

NILE RODGERS

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD

CRAIG DAVID

PAVING THE WAY AWARD SUPPORTED BY BBC 1XTRA

JAMAL EDWARDS MBE

The 25^th MOBO AWARDS in association with Lucozade

SHOW SETLIST

Tion Wayne – Medley: ‘Me or The Lifestyle’ / ‘IFTK’ / ‘I Dunno’ / ‘Body’ / ‘Wow’

FLO – ‘Immature’ and ‘Cardboard Box’

Kojey Radical – ‘Pusher Man: BWI’

Craig David – Medley

Cat Burns – ‘Go’

Beenie Man – Medley

Eliza Rose – ‘B.O.T.A.’ / ‘Flowers’ with Sweet Female Attitude / ‘It Feels So Good’ with Sonique

Emeli Sandé – ‘Heaven’

Black Sherif – ‘Second Sermon’ / ‘Kwaku The Traveller’

Fireboy DML – ‘Bandana’ / ‘Peru’

Nile Rodgers – ‘Good Times’

The BBC is an official broadcast partner for the MOBO Awards 2022 and will reflect the ceremony across TV, radio and online.

BBC One will broadcast a special hour-long MOBO Awards 2022: Access All Areas show on 7 December at 10.40PM, presented by BBC 1Xtra’s DJ Target. This will include highlights from the ceremony, exclusive behind the scenes action, performances and red carpet interviews. This will also be available on BBC iPlayer.

BBC 1Xtra will bring listeners a special show on 7 December with performances from the night and exclusive backstage interviews with this year’s hottest acts.

Alongside this, BBC 1Xtra and BBC Sounds will celebrate the MOBO Awards at 25 in a special five-part podcast. Across the episodes they’ll celebrate the arrival of Afrobeats, growth of Garage, the re-instillation of Dance and more. Fronted by 1Xtra’s DJ Ace, the series will see the likes of Sean Paul, Nia Archives, FUSE ODG and more reflect on what the MOBO Awards mean to them and celebrate the rise and rise of black British music.

Note to editors:

For media enquiries, contact The Outside Organisation:

David Lim – [email protected]

Suzie Fellows – [email protected]

Joe Brett – [email protected]
Caitlin Buller – [email protected]

Follow MOBO Awards:

YouTube |Instagram |Twitter |Facebook | Website

About MOBO

Since 1996, the MOBO Organisation has discovered and supported talent in music, film and TV. MOBO operates 365 days a year to create events, content, partnerships and opportunities for young people in the entertainment industries and beyond. For 25 years, the MOBO Awards has remained a significant cultural event in the British music industry, celebrating excellence in Black music. Its enduring legacy as the premiere outlet for recognising and honouring the artistic achievement of exceptional British and international talent in Hip-Hop, Grime, R&B and Soul, Reggae, Jazz, Gospel and African music has been unparalleled. Global superstars who have been part of the Awards include Janet Jackson, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Sade, Lionel Richie, Beyoncé, Jay Z, Diddy, Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse, Usher, Rihanna, Cardi B, Davido and H.E.R. just to name a few. The Awards has proudly been hosted all over the United Kingdom in over the years including shows in London, Liverpool, Leeds, Glasgow and Coventry, the UK’s City of Culture. Beyond the Awards, MOBO supports undiscovered talent in music via MOBO UnSung, and across the wider creative and tech industries MOBO supports and connects career opportunities for black talent via MOBOLISE, a platform to empower diversity, excellence and transformation in the workplace.