By Kevin Jackson—-
THE success singer OMI enjoyed in 2015 has been rewarded with a nod for Best Reggae Act at the 20th annual UK MOBO Awards.
OMI competes with Popcaan, Chronixx, Protoje and last year’s winner Stylo G in that category.
The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin) ‘recognises artistes of any ethnicity or nationality performing black music’.
This is the first nomination for both OMI and Protoje. It is the second for Chronixx and third for Stylo G while Popcaan earns his fourth nomination.
In an interview with the Jamaica Observer, OMI commented on the nomination.
“This is truly one of my greatest achievements of 2015. I feel like my work is being recognized on a different level and this is the dream of every artist,” he said.
The singer topped the British pop charts as well as the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States last summer. Globally, Cheerleader has sold over five million copies.
OMI’s debut studio album, Me 4 U, is set for an October release on Ultra Music.
Stylo G is currently riding the British pop chart with My Number 1 (Love Me, Love Me, Love Me) featuring Gyptian.
This year, Popcaan made strides in the UK with songs like Where We come From and Bad Inna Real Life. Last year, he teamed with British singer Melissa Steel on the UK Top 10 single Kisses for Breakfast.
Protoje topped the Billboard Reggae Album Chart this year with Ancient Future, while Chronixx got some traction in the UK with Ghetto People and Light it Up.
Former dancehall artist Bugsy Malone (who now does Grime music) is nominated in the Best Grime Artist and Best Newcomer categories.
British singer FK Twigs (real name Tahliah Debrett Barnett) whose father is Jamaican, is nominated in the Best Female and Best Video categories.
The hip hop duo Krept and Konan which comprises Casyo Johnson and Karl Wilson (son of singer Delroy Wilson) leads the pack with four nominations. They scored a surprise UK Top 10 hit over the summer with Freak of the Week, which samples producer Jeremy Harding’s Playground beat. Krept and Konan are nominated in the categories Best Hip Hop, Best Album, Best Male and Best Song.
The MOBO Awards will take place on November 4 at the Leeds’ First Direct Arena.
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