- Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Nominations for the annual MOBO awards unveiled
- Date: 5th September 1999
- Summary: UNSIGNED BAND 'FIERCE' PERFORMING
- Embargoed: 20th September 1999 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Reuters ID: LVA41W49K776NJT2ZYK63GHEEKDM
- Story Text: The nominations for the annual MOBO awards were unveiled at a celbrity-packed event at the Hanover Grand late on Thursday (September 02).The awards have 18 categories including achievements in hip hop, jazz, Dance, R & B, and Drum and Bass.
The Mobo Awards are returning to London's Royal Albert Hall this October with organisers already reporting huge interest from international artists approached to appear at the event.
TLC and Lauryn Hill dominate the international categories with four nominations each while the UK's impact on contemporary soul music is by both Beverly Knight and Kele Le Roc receiving three a piece.
With a great year behind her Knight is keen to see all her hard work pay off."This year has been a roller coaster year I have worked very hard initially at the beginning of the year and it has just rocketed with the re-release of made it back and then greatest day Personally my profile has risen substantially.People know who I am.Now people on the street point.Its been a great year Its its been a fulfilling year for me."
The Honeyz, last years vistors have become strong contenders themselves.Nominated for two awards they also performed their latest single for the celebraty crowd.
The girls were overwhelmed by this years MOBO success.
"Recognition of our music.The most important thing to us is our music and to know that we have reached alot if people to be nominated is really special to us we are just like WOW you know really really pleased"
Boy Band Another Level made another good showing at the 1999 MOBO's with a nomination for best R&B act."Its always good to be nominated for an award we were down here last year and nominated for two awards best newcomers and best new single we picked up best single it was actually our first award ceremony and we are back here again this year and its a great acheivement for us and we are here represent =ing black music and we a representing R an B straight out of the UK"
Mobo Organisation founder and ceo Kanya King is confident the Malibu-sponsored spectacular is set to make another leap forward having established itself as the premier UK event for black-originated music during its first three years.
She is also keen to promote Britains young unsigned talent.
"We also have something that is very important to us called the Diesel unsigned act award and we have had the three finalist performing here tonight and they are our future and it England has z rich heritage of musical talent and you only have to see the artist that are unsigned performing and we say wow why haven't they been snapped up so its important to us to not only celebrate the cream of the crop but to also the up and coming our future"
The event's main target this year is further building its international profile, having last year reached a worldwide TV audience of 100m viewers, according to the organisers.
The Mobo name will be further exploited by the launch in August of a website through which the public will be able to buy tickets and vote.Public tickets go on sale on July 31. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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