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The best way to motivate yourself to get into the gym is if your workout gear is cute. At least, that’s what we’ve told ourselves here at ShopBillboard.

Hitting the gym and building a better version of yourself can be challenging if you lack motivation. The solution? Wearing cute activewear that’ll have you wanting to sweat up a storm. BLACKPINK’s Jisoo’s activewear line with Alo Yoga is both stylish and functional, featuring hits like flared leggings and footwear, as well as ballet-inspired skirts.

The aforementioned sneaker is a signature style for Jisoo called the ALO Sunset Sneaker, a low-top style retailing for $275. While it originally only came in a singular pink colorway, the brand recently launched an alternate colorway called Caramel Cream, a tan caramel hue that is wildly more versatile than the OG.

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Below, we’ve compiled some of our favorites from Jisoo’s collections available to shop now at Alo Yoga, that includes the new shoe colorway. We’ve gathered a few everyday pieces one could wear while running errands or grabbing a quick matcha, along with more work out-centric items made to boost performance and get you on the right track.  

These sneakers are ready to go with you on adventure after adventure. These low-top sneakers are an excellent blend of athletic and leisure and retail for $275. The silhouette is available in Bloom Pink, and now a Caramel Cream hue and is crafted from 100% suede for a unique textural finish. Current sizing is available for women ranges from 5 to 10. The caramel style is much more versatile, working as a neutral that’ll go with most everything in your closet.

The shoe comes with two lace options: plain white cotton and a fuzzy style, allowing buyers to change up their shoe game depending on their mood. The pair is finished with Shumon star charms, a Jisoo signature, and non-slip outsoles that offer traction whether you’re going for a jog or selling out shows a la Jisoo.

Leggings are a must-have athleisure piece in your wardrobe. The silhouette is easy to throw on for a casual coffee date or a trip to the nail salon, while simultaneously being ideal for getting a quick morning jog in. This collaborative style is the best of both worlds, athletic enough for intense workouts but comfy enough for a day lounging on the couch, and it retails for just $128.

The Jisoo-crafted bottoms are high-waisted and come with a stylish boot-cut flair that further elevates these otherwise basic leggings, making them super stylish. These leggings are made of a breathable stretch fabric that offers compression but enough stretch for pilates, one of Jisoo’s go-to low-impact workouts. Sizing for these leggings currently ranges from XXS to Large.

One thing we at ShopBillboard love about this collection is how fashion-forward each piece in this collection is. There’s an attention to detail that you can’t really find anywhere else, and that’s likely thanks in part to how stylish Jisoo is. With her help, items like this Airbrush Streamlined Bra Tank not only become an athletic piece, but also a fashion statement.

The style retails for $78 and comes in white with black accents. Not your mama’s sports bra, this bra top is structured, transitioning from a strappy and blocky bodice to curved lines that outline the bust. The fabric offers slight compression and light to medium support, ideal for low-impact activity like yoga. Sizing ranges from XXS to Large.

These Match Point Shorts for $78 are comfort personified, crafted with easy breezy material that allows your body to breathe while working up a sweat. The high-waisted style comes in sizes XXS to Large and features a boxing-inspired silhouette with a branded elasticized waistband and a boxy finish. You’ve got built-in briefs for extra support and ample pockets built with zipper closures to keep your goods, from your phone, keys and wallet, safe and sound while you workout. 

Whether you’re hitting balls over a net or grabbing coffee with friends, this Alosoft Encore Tennis Dress is a winner in our book. Casual, flowy and made of a soft and stretchy Alosoft fabric, this piece is extremely versatile and can be utilized as a layering piece under cardigans, a la Jisoo, or paired with tights for a warmer look. If all that wasn’t enough, this dress has a built-in onesie, giving you extra coverage, and hidden pocket detailing to hold your phone or cards while working out or running errands.

There’s nothing better than cozying up in a cardigan. This Jisoo-approved Supernatural Sweater Cardigan style is another versatile piece we can see our readers wearing and re-wearing time and time again, especially as it gets colder. The cardigan boasts a stylish, cropped fit and is made of 100% cotton, making it extremely lightweight and an excellent layering piece over dresses or cropped tops. If you don’t like the black, the Supernatural Sweater Cardigan also comes in Ivory, Burgundy, Navy and Green Olive.

A tennis skirt is a timeless piece. How Alo Yoga and Jisoo made the silhouette even more stylish, we don’t know. The Airlift Down The Line Tennis Skirt and comes in this adorable pink smokey quartz color. The skirt is made of a silky, free-flowing material and features built-in shorts for extra coverage and hidden side pockets. The fabric is sculpting, looking sleek and slim on the body. The pink hue is a stand-out for sure, a color we’re sure you don’t already have in your closet. If you’re not into the quartz, the skirt also comes in black.

Alo Yoga is famed for its leggings. It’s all thanks to the brand’s high-compression Airlift fabric that gives the frame a secure, slim fit. Or maybe it’s the fact that these leggings fit like a glove? Whatever the case may be, these 7/8 High-Waist Airlift Leggings are a hit. Jisoo wears the smoky pink quartz colorway, but we also like the Pink Wild Rose shade if you’re into pink. These bottoms are complete with a wide, double-layered waistband for a fit that holds you all in. The beauty of these leggings is that they’re made to move and stretch with you, no weird tugging or bunching.

You’ll make waves this holiday season if you gift these Make Waves Sweatpants, retailing for $148. The high-waisted silhouette is equipped with this really cool color-blocked wave pattern that sets them apart from any old sweats you probably used to. The style is made of a unique French terry fabric that’s smooth on the outside and fleecy on the inside, keeping you nice and cozy while lounging or out running errands.

We’re sure this tank top will be your go-to, pun intended. Unlike your average tank styles, the Goddess Ribbed Go-To Tank, retailing for $68, is designed with light compression and no built-in bra, keeping the girls in place without feeling the oppressive weight of cups or wires. The tank is sorta like a sports bra and features funky ribbed detailing that gives the style textural interest. If you’re not rocking with the white, the Goddess Ribbed Go-To Tank also comes in Black and Brown.

As the weather gets chillier, it’s imperative that you have outwear that you can trust to keep you nice and cozy throughout the colder season. Our vote for the coziest outerwear in town is this Faux Leather Premier Bomber for $298. The faux-leather number features an elasticized waist, hefty pockets for storing all your essentials and a comfy boxy fit. The buttery soft faux-leather construction is easier to keep clean and maintain, unlike your typical leather jackets.

This tennis skirt is a grand slam, and we’re not just talking about the name. The Grand Slam Tennis Skirt is a pleated option retailing for $98. It’s a more modern take on the OG silhouette, what with the higher hemline and built-in shorts for comfort. The pleating offers some textural interest while the high waist keeps the wearer nice and secure. If you’re scared of getting the white fabric dirty, the Grand Slam also comes in Black and Navy.

If you’re tired of your cozy sweaters swallowing you whole, then the Extreme Cropped Pullover for $98 is for you. This cropped pullover is, as the name suggests, extremely cropped, giving you shape and a flared fit unlike your traditional crewnecks. Don’t let the crop fool you, however, this piece is just as cozy thanks to the soft French terry construction with fuzzy lining that insulates heat. We’d style this over a sports bra or cropped tank top for extra warmth and style points.

You can’t go wrong with gifting socks this season, and these Unisex Scrunch Socks are the only socks that should be on your gifting list. The style retails for $32 and comes in this ultra-cute, smoky pink quartz colorway. They’re made of a breathable cotton fabric, too, so your feet won’t sweat during an intense workout. These socks sit slouchy on the feet, giving a similar effect to legwarmers. If pink isn’t your thing, there are about 12 other colors to choose from, great for everyone on your list.

The K-Pop star’s collaborative athleisure is comfortable and feminine with pastel pinks, creams and versatile black hues, along with form-fitted silhouettes all crafted with Alo Yoga’s quality fabrics. The pair have been collaborating as far back as 2023, crafting athleisure for low and high impact workout sessions that make the wearer feel confident sweating up a storm in their athletic endeavors.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best fleece-lined leggings, pleated skirts and running shorts.

Richard Marx is nearing the 40th anniversary of first appearing on, and topping, Billboard charts as a lead recording artist. His initial entry, “Don’t Mean Nothing,” debuted on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart on May 23, 1987, and led the list dated that July 4. In 1988, “Hold on to the Nights” became his first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and he led again with his next two hits: “Satisfied and “Right Here Waiting,” in 1989.

For his latest album, he went back 40 years before his chart career began.

“I pretended it was 1948 and I was a young songwriter pitching a song to Sinatra,” Marx tells Billboard of his mindset behind creating After Hours, due tomorrow (Jan. 16).

With a catalog centered on pop ballads and, especially early on, crunchy rock anthems, before segueing to pop-opera (Marx wrote Josh Groban’s debut hit, “To Where You Are”), R&B (he and Luther Vandross co-wrote the latter’s Grammy-winning “Dance With My Father”) and country (he has co-penned three Hot Country Songs No. 1s, one recorded by Kenny Rogers in the mid-’80s and two by Keith Urban in the 2010s), Marx channels the American songbook on his new set. The 13-song collection blends covers of such classics as “Summer Wind,” “The Way You Look Tonight” and “Young at Heart” with originals in the same stately vein.

Meanwhile, After Hours tracks such as tango invite “Magic Hour” — which Marx co-wrote with wife Daisy Fuentes — pulsate with jazzy flair, adding tempo to the album’s overall sultry vibe.

Marx — whose first visit to the Hot 100’s top spot was via backing vocals on mentor Lionel Richie’s 1983 smash “All Night Long (All Night)” (“That’s me!,” he playfully points out in concert when singing the response to Richie’s call in the song’s hook) — recently chatted with Billboard about the new album, recording it live with a full band and what the ‘80s version of himself would think of his latest inventive turn.

Billboard: How did the idea for the new album originate? I know you’ve been performing “Fly Me to the Moon,” the closing song on the set, in concert for a few years.

Marx: That was probably the brainchild. I sort of reinvented it for myself and wrote [an] intro so that when I would do it live, no one knew what song I was doing until I got to the first line. I got so many standing ovations for that song, and it’s really fun to sing.

But I guess the reason that it didn’t translate into an album sooner was because the idea of doing a standards album never appealed to me because I’m a songwriter. So, even though I love to sing, and love to sing those songs, I [couldn’t] imagine doing a covers album of any genre, because that [was] just not that interesting to me. And, I just frankly wasn’t smart enough to come up with the idea to write half the album until a year and a half ago.

Months before I started even thinking about making After Hours, I was in the studio recording a handful of songs I’d written that really were more like tributes to ‘70s rock. I decided I wanted to make a genre record that sounded like it could have been in 1977. So I had my Stones song, my J.D. Souther song, my Eagles song, and I really was into that project. And then this thing just sidetracked me.

It was an aesthetic thing, too. I pictured myself getting dressed up and what that would look like and how that would maybe open up different kinds of gigs. And then I decided, well, let me see what happens as a writer. Like, if I can’t really come up with the goods as a songwriter on the other half of the album, then it’s pointless.

And any new compositions would have to match the quality of timeless songs.

That’s a tall order. The first song I wrote was “All I Ever Needed,” which is track two of the record. I wrote it so quickly and effortlessly. And when I realized what the chord changes I was writing in my head were, I pretended it was 1948 and I was a young songwriter pitching a song to Sinatra. And then I wrote “Magic Hour.” I was like, “Okay, this makes sense now.”

What I didn’t think of until maybe weeks later was, “Oh, I have to do this whole album live. We have to cut this live. This can’t be a computer project.” So I thought about different arrangers because I do love to arrange, but I’m not that guy. I did the arrangement on “Fly Me to the Moon,” but that was it. I had worked a couple of years ago with Rob Eckland, the main arranger/conductor for the BBC [Symphony] Orchestra. And I did a show for the BBC called Piano Room, three or four songs and Rob did the charts. He was so incredible — I just love when I run into people that are just so exceptional at what they do.

I reached out to Rob and I told him what I was doing. And he said, “That’s so right up my alley. I would love to do this with you. Why don’t I do one arrangement? I’ll mock it up for you, and if you like it then I’d love to do the whole project.” The first thing he did was “All I Ever Needed,” and I was like, “Okay, we’re in.”

So, then we booked three afternoons at Evergreen [Studios] in Burbank [Calif., in February 2025], because we needed a room big enough to house 28 people. I got [drummer] Vinnie Colaiuta, [guitarist] Dean Parks, and Randy Waldman played piano. It was my dream rhythm section. And then the idea was: “I have to sing live with everybody, because that’s what Sinatra used to do.” That’s what Dean [Martin] did. All those records back then, Peggy Lee, Julie London, Ella [Fitzgerald], Sarah Vaughan, the singers would go in and sing each take live, beginning to end. I thought, “Okay, that’s what we’re going to do.” And I dressed up every session.

It was the most fun record I’ve ever made in my life. I just was on pins and needles every day, and so many of these musicians said, “We never get to do this, to be all together and play and have it all be live and you singing  — this was such a joy for us. Please, let’s do another one and let’s go on the road.”

I was like, “If I could afford you, I’d take you on the road.”

How refreshing to hear that you wanted to do this as organically as you could.

I’m not a grumpy old man when it comes to AI. I did this record this way, even with that technology in existence, because I don’t think that there are very many people that can say that they did. I’m very proud of the fact that I chose the right musicians and that I am at a point in my vocal career where I could pull it off. So, it’s really just bragging rights. It’s so worth it.

Did you ever meet Frank Sinatra?

No. I saw him live once, though, right before he retired. I guess it would’ve been 1983 or ‘84. I was so into other kinds of music. I never didn’t respect Sinatra, and my parents certainly were fans, and I heard plenty of Sinatra growing up, but he didn’t become important to me until later in my life.

Same with Dean, and Sammy Davis Jr. — although I did see [him] when I was a kid, and he blew my mind. Same with Tony Bennett, when I was about 14. But I didn’t get into that music until I was in my 40s, really.

What was it like recording “Young at Heart” with Rod Stewart? Was that a lifetime dream come true?

Absolutely. For those people who say never meet your heroes, they clearly never met Rod Stewart [with whom Marx has toured, with more dates set]. We’ve become really good friends the last, almost three years. It was his idea to do a duet on this album with me. We were drinking at the time, so I thought, “no …” The next day, he texted me and said, “I was serious about doing a song together.” I was, like, “Really?” He said, “I was thinking maybe we should do ‘Young at Heart.’ ” I was like, “That’s perfect.”

Rod, Chris Botti and Kenny G are the only non-live parts of the record because they were overdubs on these tracks. His vocal is so incredible. To be able to cross that one off my bucket list means I have to have a new bucket list now, because the only thing left on my bucket list was working with Rod Stewart.

In the era of streaming, standards are so accessible, when before you had to listen on, maybe, 78s. Now, it’s more just another style that people can do.

It’s also the groundwork laid by Rod, his The Great American Songbook albums [in 2002-10], the entire career of Michael Bublé. I would say Michael and Rod, and to a degree, Diana Krall, really are the most responsible for making it part of modern pop music, even though they’re very old songs. So I certainly tip my hat to them.

And I think that the other reason that I made this record was because the first thought in my brain was, “This has been done.” Then the second thought was, “But when’s the last time? Oh, it’s been a while. Maybe it’s time.” I’m very proud to throw my hat in this ring.

What would younger Richard Marx think about this album?

“Dude, what the **** are you doing?! You’re ‘Don’t Mean Nothing,’ man! You can’t do this. I mean, yeah, those songs are great, but you can’t do that. What is wrong with you? What am I, 100 years old?!”

I was just so dumb, just like every other 20-something.

I feel like your father would be really proud of this album, given the arranging background that he had.

He’d be very proud of it … unless he were still alive and I used Rob Eckland to do the arrangements. He would never speak to me again.

My dad did quite a few arrangements for me [including the sweeping coda on 1990’s top 15 Hot 100 hit “Children of the Night”], and he was masterful. He was an incredible arranger, especially with horns and strings. I’ve thought about that many times. He would have done the arrangements. He would have been sitting in the control room. He would have been giving me the big thumbs up. And both my parents would have really loved this record.

The ‘70s-themed album you were talking about, is that what could come next?

Probably, who knows? I honestly don’t know about another album past this one. I never say never, and it’s possible that I might look at how [After Hours] goes and say, “I want to do another one of these,” another half-standard, half[-new] song set, because I really loved writing these songs.

There were a couple of opportunities missed because I only came up with the ideas too late. I really wanted to write a song with Paul Williams. And the other Paul I want to write another song with is Anka. He and I are great friends. When he realized what I was doing with this record, he was like, “Why the **** didn’t you have me write a song with you?” I was like, “It just happened. But I’m going to do more and I want to write a song with you.”

So, just the opportunity to work with people like that again might be a good excuse to do another album like this. The ‘70s thing, I really love what I recorded in that genre, so maybe it’ll be the palate cleanser in between the standards records. It might just be a series of [song] releases.

Hopefully if there’s an artist that listeners have grown up with and have always looked to for a new album every few years, a collection of songs, fans will still want that.

I believe that that’s true, which is why we’ve pressed [After Hours] vinyl and have CDs. If you’ve been around long enough and you have fans who are even older than you, which I do, that takes on a different set of possibilities.

You’re touring again with Rod Stewart this year. Will you play any of these songs in concert?

I’ve done “Magic Hour” two or three times now, at a couple of gigs and we used tracks. So, you hear the horns. That took me a while to wrap my brain around, because I was so anti-tracks for a while. And then I’m looking around and U2’s doing it and Coldplay’s doing it and everybody’s doing it. The audience doesn’t care. The audience isn’t going, “Hey, I’m hearing horns and I’m not seeing them. I want my money back.” Those days are long gone.

So, there’s a little bit in the show that I did the last few months. The video screen opens with this old clip of Dean Martin saying something very funny, which is: “I feel sorry for you people who don’t drink. When you wake up in the morning, that’s as good as you’re going to feel all day.”

And then we kick into “Magic Hour” and, I’m not [kidding] you, it got as big a reaction as “Hold On to the Nights” and “Right Here Waiting.” People were up and dancing. It’s such a fun song to do.

The first time I heard that song, I actually thought it was a standard. It’s really catchy. It also reminded me of something that, like, Ricky Ricardo would have done.

I just knew that there was something. I couldn’t get it out of my head. But I couldn’t come up with a lyric at all. It was really hiding from me. Then I went to Australia to do a tour. Daisy and I had a couple of days off from the tour and we were on a beach. I’m just sort of absent-mindedly sitting there [singing]. She looks at me and goes, “Are you kidding me? You still haven’t written lyrics for that?”

She just started throwing out lines. It was her lyric, it was her concept. She was like, “You walked in the door with someone… It wasn’t me.” And I was like, “That’s cool. We can write a story about that, right?”

It sort of became like “Copacabana” meets … whatever. It became a really fun lyric to write. We wrote the whole lyric on the beach in an hour. I just needed my wife to make it happen.

Global superstar Pitbull is celebrating his 45th birthday Thursday (Jan. 15) with exciting news: His return to the road with the I’m Back Tour, Billboard can announce exclusively. Produced by Live Nation, the 35-city trek through North America will begin in the spring and have Lil Jon as special guest.

The tour kicks off May 14 at the iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida, making stops in Houston, Los Angeles, the New York Tri-State Area, Toronto and more, before wrapping on Sept. 26 at the Mystic Lake Amphitheater in Shakopee, Minnesota. The announcement follows his highly anticipated European leg, playing in stadiums, amphitheaters and outdoor venues across multiple countries in the summer.

Known for No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 such as “Give Me Everything” with Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer and “Timber” with Kesha, Mr. Worldwide — as Pitbull is also known — remains one of the most consistent live performers of his generation. The Cuban-American rapper and singer has grossed more than $250 million and sold more than 4.7 million tickets globally throughout his career, according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore. His last run, Party After Dark Tour, was the biggest solo tour of his career, with over 50 dates in 13 countries.

Tickets for the I’m Back Tour go on sale Jan. 30 at 10 a.m. local time at LiveNation.com. To participate in a Pitbull’s Artist Presale on Jan. 28 at 10 a.m. local time, you must sign up at livemu.sc/pitbull by Jan. 26 at 10 p.m. ET. The tour will also offer a variety of VIP packages and experiences for fans. For more information, visit vipnation.com.

Find all the dates announced below.

PITBULL I’M BACK TOUR NORTH AMERICA DATES: 

May 14 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
May 16 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
May 17 – Charleston, SC – Credit One Stadium
May 19 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park
May 20 – Charlotte, NC – Truliant Amphitheater
May 22 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
May 23 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
May 27 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
May 29 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
May 30 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
June 3 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
June 6 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheater
June 7 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
Aug. 19 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
Aug. 21 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
Aug. 22 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium
Aug. 25 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
Aug. 26 – Syracuse, NY – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater
Aug. 28 – Hartford, CT – The Meadows Music Theatre
Aug. 29 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
Aug. 31 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater
Sept. 2 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Sept. 3 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
Sept. 5 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre
Sept. 9 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
Sept. 10 – Grand Rapids, MI – Acrisure Amphitheater
Sept. 12 – East Troy, WI – Alpine Valley Music Theatre
Sept. 13 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
Sept. 15 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
Sept. 16 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
Sept. 18 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
Sept. 19 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
Sept. 22 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP
Sept. 25 – Kansas City, MO – MORTON Amphitheater
Sept. 26 – Shakopee, MN – Mystic Lake Amphitheater

PITBULL I’M BACK TOUR EUROPE / UK DATES:

June 23 – Stockholm, SE – 3Arena
June 27 – Werchter, BE – Werchter Boutique
June 30 – Belfast, UK – Ormeau Park (Belsonic)
July 1 – Glasgow, UK – Glasgow Summer Sessions, Bellahouston Park
July 3 – Leeds, UK – American Express Presents Roundhay Park
July 7 – Dublin, IE- Marlay Park
July 8 – Limerick, IE- Thomond Park Stadium
July 10 – London, UK – American Express Presents BST Hyde Park London
July 12 – Nice, FR – Allianz Arena
July 15 – Arnhem, NL – GelreDome
July 19 – Dusseldorf, DE – Arena Im Open Air Park
July 21 – Budapest, HU – Puskas Arena
July 23 – Warsaw, PL – PG Narodowy
July 26 – Prague, CZ – Airport Letnany
July 29 – Riga, LV – Mezaparks Great Bandstand
July 31 – Kaunas, LT – Darius and Girenas Stadium

Olivia Dean and Little Simz are among the leading acts nominated for the 2026 MOBO Awards.

Both artists, as well as rising stars Jim Legxacy and Kwn, score four nominations across the genre-spanning categories, with Dean and Simz also competing in the prestigious album of the year field.

The 2026 ceremony marks 30 years of the MOBOs organisation which was co-founded by Kanya King and Andy Ruffell. The MOBO Awards, held annually, champion Black music and culture across a wide spectrum of genres and disciplines.

The ceremony will take place on March 26 at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena, and follows the BRIT Awards in moving to the venue. In recent years, the MOBOs has toured British cities such as Newcastle (2025), Sheffield (2024), Coventry (2021) and Leeds (2019).

British stars Central Cee, Skepta, PinkPantheress and FLO are recognised in three categories each. Cynthia Erivo will feature in the best TV/film performance category for her turn in Wicked, going up against Stephen Graham for his role in the Netflix hit drama Adolescence, among others.

Dean will compete in the album of the year category, as well as best female act, song of the year (“Man I Need”), and best R&B/soul act; these are her first nominations for the MOBO Awards. In the album of the year category, she’ll be up against Central Cee’s Can’t Rush Greatness; Ezra Collective’s Dance, No One’s Watching; FLO’s Access All Areas; Kojey Radical’s Don’t Look Down; and Little Simz’ Lotus. The latter shared the album of the year prize with Knucks in 2022 for her fourth LP Sometimes I Might Be Introvert.

Ten artists will feature in the best artist field with a number of strong names included in the category: DC3; EsDeeKid; FineeseKid; Jim Legxacy; Kwn; namesbliss; Nia Smith; Sekou; Skye Newman; and YT. 

The MOBOs celebrate a wide range of genres, including jazz, electronic, gospel and alternative music. A number of global stars feature in the international act category, including Cardi B, Gunna, Leon Thomas, and Kehlani. 

Tickets for the event are on sale now from the MOBOs’ official website, with performers and special honorees to be announced in due course. See the full list of nominees below.

Best male act

Central Cee

Elmiene

Jim Legxacy

Nemzzz

Odeal

Skepta

Best female act

Flo

Kwn

Little Simz

Olivia Dean

PinkPantheress

Sasha Keable

Album of the year

Central Cee – Can’t Rush Greatness

Ezra Collective – Dance, No One’s Watching

Flo – Access All Areas

Kojey Radical – Don’t Look Down

Little Simz – Lotus

Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving

Song of the year

AJ Tracey feat. Jorja Smith – “Crush”

Donae’o feat. Omar, Lemar & House Gospel Choir – “Nights Like This”

Fred Again, Skepta & Plaqueboymax – “Victory Lap”

Jim Legxacy & Dave – “3x”

Kwn – “Do What I Say”

Myles Smith – “Nice To Meet You”

Olivia Dean – “Man I Need”

PinkPantheress – “lllegal”

Raye – “Where Is My Husband!”

Tim Duzit – “Kat Slater”

Best newcomer

DC3

EsDeeKid

Finessekid

Jim Legxacy

Kwn

namesbliss

Nia Smith

Sekou

Skye Newman

YT

Video of the year

Pozer – “Shanghigh Noon” (Directed by Bas Haselager)

FKA Twigs – “Eusexua“ (Directed by Jordan Hemingway)

Jim Legxacy – “’Father“ (Directed by Lauzza)

Little Simz – “Flood“ (Directed by Salomon Lighthelm)

Raye – “Where Is My Husband!“ (Directed by The Reids)

Skepta & Fred Again – “Back 2 Back“ (Directed by Domamanic and Skepta)

Best R&B/soul act

Elmiene

Flo

Kwn

Odeal

Olivia Dean

Sasha Keable

Best alternative music act

Alt Blk Era

Blood Orange

Hak Baker

Michael Kiwanuka

Nova Twins

Rachel Chinouriri

Best grime act

Chip

Jayahadadream

Kasst 8

Ruff Sqwad

Scorcher

Wiley

Best hip hop act

Aitch

Asco

Catch

Central Cee

D-Block Europe

Kojey Radical

Little Simz

Loyle Carner

Wretch 32

Youngs Teflon

Best drill act

36

Booter Bee

Chy Cartier

Esdeekid

K-Trap

Leostaytrill

Nemzzz

Pozer

Twin S

Wohdee

Best international act

Ayra Starr

Cardi B

Clipse

Gunna

Kehlani

Leon Thomas

Mariah The Scientist

Moliy

Tyla

Vybz Kartel

Best media personality

Bemi Orojuogun (Bus Aunty)

DJ AG

In My Opinion

Melissa Holdbrook-Akposoe (Melissa’s Wardrobe)

Nadia Jae

Niko Omilana

PK Humble

Remi Burgz

Uche Natori

Winners Talking

Best performance in a TV show/film

Aaron Pierre – Mufasa: The Lion King

Ashley Thomas – Hostage

Ashley Walters – Adolescence

Cynthia Erivo – Wicked

Damson Idris – F1

Dayo Koleosho – Eastenders

Lennie James – Mr Loverman

Marianne Jean-Baptiste – Hard Truths

Stephen Graham – Adolesence

Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners

Best African music act

Adekunle Gold (Nigeria)

Ayra Starr (Nigeria)

Davido (Nigeria)

Joshua Baraka (Uganda)

Moliy (Ghana)

Rema (Nigeria)

Shallipopi (Nigeria)

Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)

Tyla (South Africa)

Wizkid (Nigeria)

Best Caribbean music act

Ayetian

Lila Iké

Masicka

Shenseea

Vybz Kartel

Yung Bredda

Best jazz act

Cktrll

Ego Ella May

Ezra Collective

Kokoroko

Nubya Garcia

Yazmin Lacey

Best electronic/dance act

FKA Twigs

Jazzy

Kilimanjaro

Pinkpantheress

Salute

Sherelle

Best gospel act

Annatoria

DC3

Faith Child

Imrhan

Sondae

Still Shadey

Best producer

Inflo

Jae5

Miles Clinton James

P2J

Sammy Soso

Zach Nahome