With three weeks to go until the 2026 MOBO Awards takes over Manchester, Europe’s biggest celebration of Black music and culture has announced two more star performers for the show. Manchester’s own rap star Aitch and British singer-songwriter Myles Smith will join already announced performers Olivia Dean, FLO, Tiwa Savage and the ‘MOBO Salutes: Grime 25‘ medley with Wiley, Chip, Nolay, Scorcher and D Double E.
The 2026 MOBO Awards takes place live from Manchester’s Co-op Live on Thursday 26 March, hosted by global hip-hop icon Eve and comedian and broadcaster Eddie Kadi. The ceremony will be available to watch on the Amazon Music UK channel on Twitch from 8pm on 26 March.
Mancunian rap star Aitch is flying the flag for the North at the 2026 MOBO Awards. With nine UK Top 10 singles and over 1.5 billion combined streams, Aitch is a local hero who has taken the sound of the North to a global audience with his signature cheeky charisma and lyrical prowess. He took home his first MOBO Award in 2020 for Best Newcomer and gained two more MOBO nominations in 2022 for Album of the Year and Song of The Year.
British singer-songwriter Myles Smith has quickly established himself as one of the UK’s most compelling new voices, connecting with audiences through heartfelt storytelling and melodic sincerity. His global smash hit Stargazing became the longest-running charting track by a UK artist on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2024, helping him surpass 1.1 billion streams worldwide to date. Building on that momentum, Myles recently released his collaboration with Niall Horan, Drive Safe, which has already amassed more than 13.5 million streams on Spotify and continues to climb.
How to get tickets
Tickets for the MOBO Awards 2026 in Manchester are available now here.
Free MOBO Fringe Festival in Manchester
Ahead of the ceremony, MOBO is also collaborating with Manchester City Council to deliver the MOBO Fringe Festival, a week-long celebration of music, culture, and creativity in the lead-up to the Awards. The free programme will feature industry panels, talent showcases, live performances and creative workshops spanning music, tech, and the arts, creating opportunities for the next generation while spotlighting Manchester’s vibrant local scene.
As part of MOBO Fringe, MOBO recently announced the MOBO Fringe: Manchester Talent Programme supported by PPL, a new initiative designed to champion 10 emerging artists from Greater Manchester. The programme will deliver education workshops, industry insight and live performance opportunities during MOBO Fringe week, creating a platform for local talent to shine.
