MOBOs to return with first live show since 2017

The MOBO awards have announced their 2021 show, which will be a live event for the first time since 2017.

The awards, which have celebrated music of black origin since 1996, will take place in Coventry on 5 December, and fans will be able to attend in person.

Like many other events, MOBOs took place online last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Last year's socially-distant show saw Mahalia and Nines winning two awards each.

Organiser Kanya King says the awards will be "the most significant event in UK Black culture this year".

"In 2020, we proudly did the unthinkable by producing an awards show amid a global pandemic, which was no easy feat."

Coventry is the current UK City of Culture.

Mahalia won Best R&B/Soul and Best Female last year

The 2020 awards saw Mahalia taking home Best R&B/Soul and Best Female and Nines winning Best Album and Best Hip Hop act.

Aitch picked up Best Newcomer with Young T and Bugsey awarded Best Song for Don't Rush.

Previous winners also include Stormzy - who won three awards in 2017, and Kano, who won best album in 2016.

Other names honoured in recent events include Krept & Konan, Nicola Adams, Skepta, Lenny Henry, Ms. Dynamite and Sam Smith.

• MOBO Awards back and 'more important than ever'

A1 (left), 16, and J1, 18, juggle school work with making music for millions of fans

Two people who will be at this year's MOBOs are A1 x J1.

They met on the Houseparty app during lockdown in March 2020, bonding over music and going viral on TikTok - eventually reaching number two in the UK charts with their track Latest Trends.

For A1, who's from Coventry, it's a special moment.

"It shows the Coventry music scene has come a long way. It's finally getting the recognition it deserves. So for me to be a part of it, is just amazing," he tells Radio 1 Newsbeat.

They've watched the MOBOs growing up, with J1 calling Stormzy an inspiration and the reason he wanted to start rapping.

A1 has enjoyed Krept and Konan's performances at the awards, adding "just seeing that motivated me to be at the MOBOs".

They're hoping to be nominated - and it's not confirmed whether or not they'll be performing at the ceremony.

But just being at an awards show they've grown up watching "shows anything is possible", according to A1.

• A1 x J1 on how Houseparty changed their lives

When will it be on?

The ceremony will take place on Sunday 5 December at Coventry Building Society Arena.

It will be live-streamed on YouTube, with BBC One broadcasting a behind-the-scenes show with interviews and performances.

BBC Radio 1Xtra will also be covering the awards, with DJ Target's weekday shows bringing performances and interviews with this year's nominees and winners.

The performers, hosts and nominees will be announced in the coming weeks.

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