Sheffield artists' pride as Mobo Awards come to their home city

Sheffield is to host the 2024 Mobo Awards, which celebrate the best of black music and culture.

Founded in 1996, the Mobos have championed artists from a range of genres such as grime, hip hop and R&B - and the prestigious event always attracts the very biggest names in the industry.

As organisers confirmed the 26th annual ceremony would take place at Sheffield's Utilita Arena on 7 February next year, BBC News spoke to three of the city's artists about what the announcement meant to them.

Lavelle Daley, who found fame on ITV's Britain's Got Talent in 2017, moves to the beat of a track in a studio - the grin on her face conveying her passion for music.

She has much to celebrate. Earlier this year, she soared to the top of the iTunes UK R&B/Soul chart with her single Baby Boy.

The decision to hold next year's Mobo Awards in her home city of Sheffield has come at just the right time, she says.

"People up here, who are so hardworking, have had no light shown on what they have done, just because of where they're from.

"If the people I know, who are so hardworking, were in London they would be so much further."

Despite feeling at a disadvantage due to geography, she is clearly determined to go far.

"I am not going to let the fact that I'm a black girl from Sheffield make me think I can't be as big as I want to be - because I can."

Lavelle thinks the city playing host to next year's Mobos will "shine a light on black music in Sheffield", adding that it will "bring some awareness".

With another grin, she says: "It's going to be good to not have to get five trains and six taxis to get home."

"Massive," says Dominic Heslop, summing up in one word what he thinks it will mean to young people to see the stars in Sheffield on the night the Mobo awards come to the city.

The music producer's animated body language gives a sense of what this announcement means to the city's black music scene.

Dom says: "For me, growing up, the Mobos was, and still is, the number one platform for UK artists, the culture and community."

Through his project SlamBarz, he helps develop young artists at the Make Noise Studios in Sheffield's Trinity Street.

He explains: "We are trying to nurture the community in really positive ways."

His pride at the Mobos coming to his home city is clear.

"All these artists we look at on YouTube, or we have grown up watching on MTV Bass or whatever, will be here - in our city," he says.

"All of us are just embracing it. It's going to be mad."

TeeWhyWho is new on the scene in Sheffield and believes the Mobo awards coming to his city presents an opportunity for emerging talent to get noticed.

"We're on the map now," he says.

"It's not like we're looking at awards ceremonies in London and saying, 'ah I wish I could go to London.

"It's on our front doorstep, man. It's giving opportunities."

TeeWhyWho says he has "always watched the Mobos".

"Every time it's come on, I've always watched it to see the likes of Jay-Z, Beyonce - the biggest artists that walk on the planet Earth.

"You can't get bigger than the Mobos," he adds.

He says he is already looking forward to the ceremony taking place in Sheffield.

"For the Mobos to be in my home town, with underground artists such as myself asked to represent it, it's an opportunity out of this world, I'm not going to lie," he says.

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