Jorja Smith and Cleo Sol are among the nominees for the MOBO Awards 2025.
The prestigious ceremony celebrating excellence in black music and culture will head to Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on February 18, and several stars have scored three nods, including Jorja and Cleo. The venue, which holds up to 11,000 people, has previously hosted numerous high-profile music events.
Jorja’s ‘Falling Or Flying’ and Cleo’s ‘Gold’ will go head-to-head with Bashy’s ‘Being Poor Is Expensive’, Ghetts’ ‘On Purpose, With Purpose’, Sampha’s ‘Lahai’, and Skrapz’ ‘Reflection’ for the Album of the Year prize. These albums have collectively garnered millions of streams across various platforms.
Jorja, 27, and Cleo, 34, are also up for Best Female Act, with Raye, Little Simz, Nia Archives, and Darkoo also vying for the crown, and Best R’n’B/Soul Act. The Best Female Act category has historically been one of the most competitive at the MOBOs.
Elmiene, Flo, Jaz Karis, Nippa, Odeal, Sasha Keable, Shae Universe, and Sinead Harnett are also in contention for the latter prize. This category showcases the growing diversity in British R&B and soul music.
Sampha, 36, is up for Best Male Act and Album of The Year for his acclaimed LP ‘Lahai’ and his music video ‘Only’ has been shortlisted for Video of the Year. The multiple nominations reflect his significant impact on the music industry this year.
As well as Sampha, Bashy, Central Cee, D-Block Europe, Ghetts, and Nemzzz will battle it out for Best Male Act. Each artist has made significant contributions to their respective genres throughout the year.
Central Cee, Bashy, Ghetts and Odeal all earned three nods each. Their multiple nominations demonstrate the strength and diversity of British urban music.
Song of the Year is a contest between Central Cee and Lil Baby’s ‘BAND4BAND‘, Chase and Status and Stormzy’s ‘Backbone’, Darkoo and Dess Dior’s ‘Favourite Girl’, Jordan Adetunji’s ‘Kehlani’, Leostaytrill’s ‘Pink Lemonade’, and Odeal’s ‘Soh-Soh’. These tracks have dominated streaming platforms and radio playlists throughout the year.
“Each and every time we unveil the MOBO Awards nominations, I am taken aback by the sheer amount of incredible talent we have in the UK,” MOBO Founder Kanya King said in a statement. “It inspires us all to continue pushing the industry to be more inclusive of a greater variety of Black music and culture. The music coming out of the UK this past year has been some of the best we have had in years. These distinct, uncompromising voices – across different genres from R’n’B and Soul to Grime, Hip-Hop to Jazz and Alternative – are not just soundtracks for our days. They provide healing and reflection, and also escapism in times of need. For several years now we have also seen the growth of our MOBO UnSung talent programme, as it continues to be a beacon for spotlighting and empowering emerging artists. Some of the artists tipped by UnSung have gone on to achieve great things and we’re so proud to be following their journey, and celebrating their success. A huge congratulations to all our nominees across music, film and television, and entertainment. We look forward to welcoming you in Newcastle!”
The MOBO Awards have been instrumental in launching and supporting the careers of numerous British artists since their inception in 1996. Past winners include influential artists such as Craig David, Amy Winehouse, and Stormzy, who have gone on to achieve international success.
This year’s ceremony promises to be particularly significant as it marks the return to a full-scale live event following previous years’ adaptations due to global circumstances. The awards show will feature live performances from nominated artists and special guests, though the full performance lineup is yet to be announced.
For tickets, head to mobo.com/tickets.
