AceShowbiz - The 2026 MOBO Awards, celebrating three decades of recognizing music of black origin, took place on Thursday, March 26, at the Co-op Live in Manchester. The event marked the 30th anniversary of the MOBOs' inaugural ceremony in 1996 and featured a diverse lineup of nominees and performances spanning multiple genres.

Olivia Dean was the standout artist of the night, securing three prestigious awards in her first-ever MOBO nominations. Her sophomore album, The Art of Loving, earned the Album of the Year title, while her breakout single, Man I Need, won Song of the Year. Additionally, she was crowned Best Female Act, further cementing her rising status in the music industry. Olivia Dean also performed live during the ceremony, delivering a captivating set.

These wins add to an impressive streak for Olivia Dean, who recently won the Best New Artist award at the Grammys and claimed four accolades at the BRIT Awards. Her success at the MOBOs highlights her growing influence and recognition within the industry.

Northampton-born rapper DC3 also made a significant impact by winning multiple awards, including Best Newcomer and Best Gospel Act. His achievements underscore the rising talent within the MOBOs’ broad genre categories.

Jim Legxacy took home the Best Male Act award, marking his first major career accolade. His mixtape Black British Music, released through XL Recordings in 2025, garnered critical acclaim and led to three BRIT nominations the previous month. His win at the MOBOs signals growing industry acknowledgment.

Raye was recognized with the Music Video of the Year award for her track Where Is My Husband!, directed by The Reids. The award highlights the creative excellence present in contemporary music videos.

The ceremony featured a wide range of genre-specific awards. FLO won Best R&B/Soul Act, Ezra Collective took home the Best Jazz Act, WizKid was honored as the Best African Music Act, and Chip earned the Best Grime Act award. Other winners included Central Cee for Best Hip Hop Act, Twin S for Best Drill Act, and Ayra Starr as Best International Act.

Special honors were also presented, with Pharrell Williams receiving the Global Songwriting Award and Slick Rick awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his longstanding contribution to music.

The night's performances were a highlight, featuring appearances by FLO, Tiwa Savage, Aitch, and Myles Smith. A special medley celebrated 25 years of grime music, showcasing performances from Chip, D Double E, Wiley, Nolay, and Scorcher.

The event was hosted by comedian Eddie Kadi and musician Eve, and was broadcast live via Amazon Music's Twitch channel. In the lead-up to the celebration, MOBO founder Kanya King described the 30th anniversary as a "testament to endurance and the imagination and power to shape Black culture far beyond the U.K."

Below is the complete list of winners at the 2026 MOBO Awards:

Best Male Act

• Central Cee
• Elmiene
• Jim Legxacy (Winner)
• Nemzzz
• Odeal
• Skepta

Best Female Act

• Flo
• Kwn
• Little Simz
• Olivia Dean (Winner)
• PinkPantheress
• Sasha Keable

Album of the Year

• Central Cee - Can't Rush Greatness
• Ezra Collective - Dance, No One's Watching
• Flo - Access All Areas
• Kojey Radical - Don't Look Down
• Little Simz - Lotus
• Olivia Dean - The Art of Loving (Winner)

Song of the Year

• AJ Tracey feat. Jorja Smith - "Crush"
• Donae'o feat. Omar, Lemar & House Gospel Choir - "Nights Like This"
• Fred Again, Skepta & Plaqueboymax - "Victory Lap"
• Jim Legxacy & Dave - "3x"
• Kwn - "Do What I Say"
• Myles Smith - "Nice To Meet You"
• Olivia Dean - "Man I Need" (Winner)
• PinkPantheress - "lllegal"
• Raye - "Where Is My Husband!"
• Tim Duzit - "Kat Slater"

Best Newcomer

• DC3 (Winner)
• EsDeeKid
• Finessekid
• Jim Legxacy
• Kwn
• namesbliss
• Nia Smith
• Sekou
• Skye Newman
• YT

Video of the Year

• Pozer - "Shanghigh Noon" (Directed by Bas Haselager)
• FKA Twigs - "Eusexua" (Directed by Jordan Hemingway)
• Jim Legxacy - "'Father" (Directed by Lauzza)
• Little Simz - "Flood" (Directed by Salomon Lighthelm)
• Raye - "Where Is My Husband!" (Directed by The Reids) (Winner)
• Skepta & Fred Again - "Back 2 Back" (Directed by Domamanic and Skepta)

Best R&B/Soul Act

• Elmiene
• Flo (Winner)
• Kwn
• Odeal
• Olivia Dean
• Sasha Keable

Best Alternative Music Act

• Alt Blk Era
• Blood Orange
• Hak Baker
• Michael Kiwanuka
• Nova Twins (Winner)
• Rachel Chinouriri

Best Grime Act

• Chip (Winner)
• Jayahadadream
• Kasst 8
• Ruff Sqwad
• Scorcher
• Wiley

Best Hip Hop Act

• Aitch
• Asco
• Catch
• Central Cee (Winner)
• D-Block Europe
• Kojey Radical
• Little Simz
• Loyle Carner
• Wretch 32
• Youngs Teflon

Best Drill Act

• 36
• Booter Bee
• Chy Cartier
• Esdeekid
• K-Trap
• Leostaytrill
• Nemzzz
• Pozer
• Twin S (Winner)
• Wohdee

Best International Act

• Ayra Starr (Winner)
• Cardi B
• Clipse
• Gunna
• Kehlani
• Leon Thomas
• Mariah The Scientist
• Moliy
• Tyla
• Vybz Kartel

Best Media Personality

• Bemi Orojuogun (Bus Aunty)
• DJ AG
• In My Opinion
• Melissa Holdbrook-Akposoe (Melissa's Wardrobe)
• Nadia Jae
• Niko Omilana (Winner)
• PK Humble
• Remi Burgz
• Uche Natori

Best Performance in a TV Show/Film

• Aaron Pierre - Mufasa: The Lion King
• Ashley Thomas - Hostage
• Ashley Walters - Adolescence
• Cynthia Erivo - Wicked
• Damson Idris - F1
• Dayo Koleosho - Eastenders
• Lennie James - Mr Loverman
• Marianne Jean-Baptiste - Hard Truths
• Stephen Graham - Adolescence (Winner)
• Wunmi Mosaku - Sinners

Best African Music Act

• Adekunle Gold (Nigeria)
• Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
• Davido (Nigeria)
• Joshua Baraka (Uganda)
• Moliy (Ghana)
• Rema (Nigeria)
• Shallipopi (Nigeria)
• Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
• Tyla (South Africa)
• Wizkid (Nigeria) (Winner)

Best Caribbean Music Act

• Ayetian
• Lila Iké
• Masicka
• Shenseea
• Vybz Kartel (Winner)
• Yung Bredda

Best Jazz Act

• Cktrll
• Ego Ella May
• Ezra Collective (Winner)
• Kokoroko
• Nubya Garcia
• Yazmin Lacey

Best Electronic/Dance Act

• FKA Twigs
• Jazzy
• Kilimanjaro
• Pinkpantheress
• Salute
• Sherelle (Winner)

Best Gospel Act

• Annatoria
• DC3 (Winner)
• Faith Child
• Imrhan
• Sondae
• Still Shadey

Best Producer

• Inflo
• Jae5
• Miles Clinton James
• P2J (Winner)
• Sammy Soso
• Zach Nahome

Global Songwriting Award

• Pharrell Williams (Winner)

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Slick Rick (Winner)

The 2026 MOBO Awards successfully showcased a rich tapestry of Black musical talent, honoring both established and emerging artists. The event’s 30th anniversary underscored the MOBOs' ongoing commitment to celebrating and shaping Black culture on a global scale.