PRS Foundation Grantees Receive More Than 24 Nominations at This Year’s MOBO Awards

PRS Foundation grantees have secured over 24 nominations at this year’s MOBO Awards. The nominated grantees have received support through the International Showcase Fund, PPL Momentum Music Fund, Women Make Music, The Open Fund, POWER UP, Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition, The Hitmaker Fund, and the BBC Music Introducing partnership.

Skepta was supported through PRS Foundation X MOBO Tour. He was also supported indirectly through our Open Fund to the Manchester International Festival, which commissioned his project DYSTOPIA987—an immersive experience held at Mayfield Depot for three nights during the festival in 2019.

Hitmaker grantee Scott Styles is a writer on Central Cee’s album CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS, which is nominated for Album of the Year. Elsewhere, DONAE’O, who received support through PRS Foundation’s International Showcase Fund, collaborated with Hitmaker grantee Liza-Marie Jennings and the House Gospel Choir, founded by POWER UP grantee Natalie Maddix. Also, in the running for the top album prize, Flo’s Access All Areas features songwriting contributions from Mike Brainchild, Cole YoursTruly, and Jamal Woon- all past recipients of PRS Foundation’s Hitmaker Fund support. Finally, Kojey Radical’s nomination in the same category features PPL Momentum Music Fund grantee Swindle as a producer.

The nominated grantees are:

BEST MALE ACT IN ASSOCIATION WITH PROSTATE CANCER UK

• SKEPTA – Supported indirectly through our Open Fund to the Manchester International Festival

BEST FEMALE ACT IN ASSOCIATION WITH got2b

• LITTLE SIMZ – International Showcase Fund, PPL Momentum Music Fund, BBC Introducing & PRS Foundation Partnership
• SASHA KEABLE – PPL Momentum Music Fund

ALBUM OF THE YEAR IN ASSOCIATION WITH AMAZON MUSIC

• CENTRAL CEE – CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS – Scott Styles (writer on the album who received Hitmaker Fund)
• EZRA COLLECTIVE – DANCE, NO ONE’S WATCHING – PPL Momentum, ISF, Steve Reid Innovation Award and BBC Music Introducing partnership support
• FLO – ACCESS ALL AREAS – writers Mike Brainchild, Cole YoursTruly  & Jamal Woon (Hitmaker Fund)
• KOJEY RADICAL – DON’T LOOK DOWN – International Showcase Fund, Swindle featured as a producer (PPL Momentum)
• LITTLE SIMZ – LOTUS – International Showcase Fund, PPL Momentum Music Fund, BBC Introducing & PRS Foundation Partnership

SONG OF THE YEAR

• AJ TRACEY FEAT. JORJA SMITH – ‘CRUSH’ – International Showcase Fund
• DONAE’O FEAT. OMAR, LEMAR & HOUSE GOSPEL CHOIR – ‘NIGHTS LIKE THIS’ –  DONAE’O (International Showcase Fund), Liza-Marie Jennings (The Hitmaker Fund) & Natalie Maddix (Power Up)

BEST NEWCOMER

• NAMESBLISS – POWER UP, International Showcase Fund

VIDEO OF THE YEAR IN ASSOCIATION WITH VEVO

• LITTLE SIMZ – ‘FLOOD’ FEAT. OBONGJAYAR & MOONCHILD SANELLY (DIRECTED BY SALOMON LIGTHELM) – International Showcase Fund, PPL Momentum Music Fund, BBC Introducing & PRS Foundation Partnership
• SKEPTA & FRED AGAIN.. – BACK 2 BACK – PRS Foundation X MOBO Tour & SKEPTA supported indirectly through our Open Fund to the Manchester International Festival

BEST R&B/SOUL ACT

• SASHA KEABLE – PPL Momentum Music Fund

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ACT

• ALT BLK ERA – POWER UP, PRS Foundation BBC Introducing Partnership, PPL Momentum Music Fund
• HAK BAKER – International Showcase Fund, PPL Momentum Music Fund
• NOVA TWINS – International Showcase Fund, POWER UP, PPL Momentum Music Fund

BEST GRIME ACT SUPPORTED BY TRENCH

• JAYAHADADREAM – Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition

BEST HIP HOP ACT

• KOJEY RADICAL – International Showcase Fund
• LITTLE SIMZ – International Showcase Fund, PPL Momentum Music Fund, BBC Introducing & PRS Foundation Partnership

BEST DRILL ACT

• K-TRAP – PPL Momentum Music Fund

BEST JAZZ ACT

• EGO ELLA MAY – PPL Momentum, International Showcase Fund, POWER UP
• EZRA COLLECTIVE – PPL Momentum, ISF, Steve Reid Innovation Award and BBC Music Introducing partnership support
• KOKOROKO – International Showcase Fund, Women Make Music, PPL Momentum Music Fund
• NUBYA GARCIA – Steve Reid Innovation Award, International Showcase Fund, PPL Momentum Music Fund
• YAZMIN LACEY – POWER UP, PPL Momentum Music Fund, BBC Introducing Partnership

BEST ELECTRONIC/DANCE ACT SUPPORTED BY BEMA & MIXMAG

• SALUTE – International Showcase Fund, PPL Momentum Music Fund

BEST GOSPEL ACT SUPPORTED BY PREMIER GOSPEL

• STILL SHADEY – PPL Momentum Music Fund