The organisers of this year’s MOBO Awards have decided to take a trip back to the 90s for the event’s first ever trip to Newcastle later this month, with a music icon from the decade on the latest lit of performers for the ceremony.
After all the excitement over it coming to Newcastle, there are now less than two weeks to go until the MOBOs 2025 take over the Utilita Arena and now, after the announcement of Krept & Konan, Spice and Bashy last month, the identities of some more acts who’ll be taking to the stage at the city centre event on Tuesday, February 18 have been revealed. And among them is Shola Ama, the singer who landed huge hits in the 90s with You Might Need Somebody and You’re The One I Love, as well as garage smash Imagine.
Shola will be one of the acts involved in a huge R&B celebration medley, led by legendary tastemaker and KISS host DJ Ace and bringing together some of the most powerful voices in UK R&B on one stage. Jaz Karis, Nao, Sasha Keable, Shae Universe and UK R&B royalty Shola will unite for a special performance honouring the genre’s rich legacy and future.
The 2025 MOBO Awards, hosted by Indiyah Polack and Eddie Kadi, will see an explosive mix of genres and energy brought to the stage with performances from Darkoo, Nova Twins, DJ AG, Pozer and LeoStayTrill at the Utilita Arena, with tickets available HERE.
Odeal will be performing on a night when he is up for three awards: Best R&B/Soul Act Supported by KISS, Best Newcomer and Song of the Year for ‘Soh-Soh’. Pushing the boundaries of R&B, the complex Alté artist credits his genre-surfing musical style to a nomadic life growing up and his ability to cross cultures when he fuses afrobeats with rich and silky R&B vocals. He capped a series of releases in 2024 with the EP Lustropolis, which he described as
The MOBO Awards R&B medley will see some of the hottest voices – including three nominees for Best R&B/Soul Act supported by KISS – coming together on the MOBO Awards stage for the first time. Jaz Karis, took in her family’s Gospel, Soca and Soul influence to create her own unique blend of R&B, Soul, Amapiano and Afropop, dropping her debut album Safe Flight in September.
Sasha Keable, a former Disclosure collaborator, is hotly tipped for 2025, touted as an ‘artist to watch’ by both Spotify and Amazon. Last year the unique Shaé Universe released the concept album Love’s Letter, exploring the ten messages love might send through life’s journey.
The nominees will be joined by East Londoner NAO, who will release her new brand album, Jupiter, on 21st February – her first since 2021’s acclaimed And Then Life Was Beautiful. The lineup is completed by London R&B legend Shola, who shot to fame in 1997 with the Top 5 hit ‘You Might Need Somebody’ and has enjoyed an illustrious career since she was overheard singing on a platform at Hammersmith Tube station at the age of 15.
The night will feature a performance from MOBO Award-nominated alternative mavericks Nova Twins – Amy Love and Georgia South – who are renowned for their electric live shows and even bigger tunes. The pair have won fans in icons from Tom Morello to Elton John, and this month unveiled the blistering new single Monsters, offering a glimpse of a boundary-pushing album to come.
Darkoo kicked off 2025 with her latest single, ‘Focus On Me (All The Sexy Girls In The Club)’, an infectious anthem packed with upbeat afrobeats vibes, and is nominated for Best Female Act In Association with got2b and Song Of The Year for ‘Favourite Girl’ featuring Dess Dior at the MOBO Awards 2025. After exploding onto the scene in late 2019 with the anthemic trac Gangsta, featuring One Acen she has built up more than 4.5 million monthly listeners.
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