STARS GET READY FOR THE 17^TH ANNUAL MOBO AWARDS

Performances from Emeli Sandé, JLS, Trey Songz, Labrinth, Conor Maynard, Wiley, Stooshe, Angel and Misha B 

Special Awards for Dionne Warwick and TLC 

Miquita Oliver and Adam Deacon to host 

Plan B and Rita Ora to present awards on the night

With just days until the eyes of the world turn to Liverpool for the 17^th Annual MOBO Awards on Saturday 3^rd November, some of the hottest acts are preparing to put their best foot forward for an electrifying night of music.

British TV and radio personality Miquita Oliver and BAFTA-winning actor, director and rapper Adam Deacon will oversee the action on the night as hosts.  Guest presenters will be jetting in from across the globe to show their support for the annual Awards.

Five-time MOBO Award nominated Plan B will be on hand to present the Best Female Act Award and the multi-nominated global superstar Rita Ora is flying in from the American leg of her tour especially to hand out the gong for Best Hip Hop / Grime.

Dionne Warwick’s success in the music industry has been stratospheric.  Throughout her 50 years in the business, her poise, elegance and strength of character have led the way for waves of female vocalists to break into the mainstream. Dionne’s heartbreaking delivery and unique vocals make her instantly recognisable as one of the leading voices in the business.  MOBO is proud to welcome Dionne as its guest of honour and present the leading lady with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

TLC were one of the all-time biggest R&B girl groups and enjoyed colossal global success throughout the 1990s. The tragic death of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes – host of the MOBO Awards in 2000 – marked the start of the group's hiatus from the industry. MOBO are proud to welcome Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas to this year’s ceremony where they will be honoured with a MOBO Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.  

The MOBO Awards has supported the multi-platinum, world renowned Emeli Sandé from the very beginning of her career, so it is only fitting that Emeli will return to the Awards with five nominations for Best Female Act*, Best R&B/Soul, Best Video for My Kind Of Love, Best Song* for Next To Me and Best Album for Our Version Of Events. Emeli is set to wow the crowd with a special opening performance of her powerfully emotive single, My Kind of Love.

JLS have spent the past three years riding high with four albums and countless sell-out arena tours. Aston, J.B., Marvin and Oritsé will arrive in Liverpool in style on a specially chartered easyJet flight for a performance of their newest single Hottest Girl in the World. The group are also in the running to add to their bulging trophy cabinet with a nomination for Best Video for Do You Feel What I Feel.

Trey Songz has melted hearts across the world with his super smooth vocals - having spent the past 10 years travelling the globe with his own brand of R&B, he is set to deliver a star performance of his smash single Simply Amazing.

Under the wing of his mentor Ne-Yo, Conor Maynard has been making huge waves in the charts with three top five singles under his belt and a number one album, and he'll be taking to the stage with a medley. Labrinth has launched a full assault on the music scene, taking on the charts with his own take on urban pop, and he will perform a mash up of his biggest hits on the night.

Wiley, widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of grime, will take to the stage with guests Skepta and Ms. D to perform his first number one single in a 15-year-long career, Heatwave. He'll also be playing his second 2012 smash single, Can You Hear Me.

Misha B burst onto the UK's television screens in 2011 and her talent could not be tamed. She has gone on to storm the music scene with her fresh and fun style which will be showcased on the night with a banging version of her debut single, Home Run.

Singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Angel is regarded as one of the industry’s best kept secrets. MOBO are proud to showcase his emerging talent and he will perform his 2012 top ten single Wonderful at the Awards. 

Stooshe have won over critics and fans with their Motown inspired hits and lashings of attitude. As well as picking up a nomination for MOBO Best Newcomer in association with HTC, the three-piece will draw the evening to a close with a special performance of their latest single, a cover of TLC’s Waterfalls with endorsement from T-Boz and Chilli.

MOBO Founder Kanya King MBE says: “The level of originality and creativity shown across this year’s nominations is staggering. As if having some of the world’s biggest stars in the industry wasn’t enough, we’re honoured to host some true legends in music who have made it possible for today’s talent to flourish.

Arena and VIP tickets for the MOBO Awards on Saturday 3^rd November at the Echo Arena Liverpool can be purchased at www.mobo.com/tickets where hotel information can also be found.

* ‘Best Newcomer in association with HTC’

* ‘Best Female Act in association with Tresor Paris’

* ‘Best Song in association with PRSforMusic’

Twitter: @moboawards   #MOBO

For press enquiries, media accreditation and further details, please contact House PR - 0207 291 3000 mobo@housepr.com

Notes to Editor:

About HTC

Founded in 1997, HTC Corp. (HTC) is the creator of many award-winning mobile devices and industry firsts. By putting people at the centre of everything it does, HTC pushes the boundaries of design and technology to create innovative and personal experiences for consumers around the globe. HTC’s portfolio includes smartphones and tablets powered by HTC Sense™, a multi-layered graphical user interface that vastly improves user experience. HTC is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE: 2498). For more information, please visit www.htc.com.

About PRS for Music

PRS for Music represents the rights of 90,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in the UK. As a not-for-profit organisation it ensures creators are paid whenever their music is played, performed or reproduced; championing the importance of copyright to protect and support the UK music industry. The UK has a proud tradition of creating wonderful music that is enjoyed the world over and PRS for Music has been supporting the creators of that music since 1914. PRS for Music provides business and community groups with easy access to over 10m songs through its music licences. In an industry worth £3.8bn PRS for Music is uniquely placed to be a voice for music and music creators. Collecting £630.8m in 2011 PRS for Music is one of the world’s most efficient combined rights organisations. With 150 representation agreements in place globally, PRS for Music’s network represents over 2 million music creators. www.prsformusic.com