Sheffield’s Utilita Arena has been chosen as the location for the Music of Black Origin Awards (MOBOs) on February 7. The event has previously been held in several other cities around the United Kingdom, including London, Glasgow, Liverpool, Coventry, and Leeds. The founder of MOBO, Kanya King, announced in a press release that the 26th MOBO Awards would kick off the 2024 Awards season and would be held in Sheffield for the very first time. She went on to say that MOBO was eager to bring together a diverse group of talented artists from around the world as well as their fans to celebrate black music’s present and future and elevate the culture.
King added that she was also excited about the “rich underground scene” that Sheffield had to offer and that the MOBOs’ community outreach would engage and elevate the “talent yet to break through” in the city. Sheffield city council leader Tom Hunt expressed his delight at the MOBOs’ selection of his city as the host. He described Sheffield as a city with a rich musical history that has a reputation for hosting major events. This event, according to Hunt, would allow the city to celebrate its diverse music and culture.
Kanya King also praised the newly introduced category of Best Electronic/Dance Act, which was won by Nia Archives at last year’s MOBO Awards. King believes that the return of garage, drum ‘n’ bass, and jungle music is thrilling because a new generation of artists is interpreting it in a new way. She added that the sound reminded her of the early days of the MOBO Awards in the 90s with Goldie, Ms. Dynamite, Katy B, and others who have soundtracked the club scene for years. Archives had been part of a campaign to bring back the electronic dance category, writing an open letter to the awards series after its earlier elimination.
Tickets for the 2024 MOBO Awards are now available for purchase. Anyone interested in attending the ceremony or wanting to find more information about it should go to the MOBO website
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