Craig David wins Best Male Act at MOBOs

4 November 2016

Craig David won Best Male Act at the 2016 MOBO Awards on Friday (04.11.16).

Craig David

The 35-year-old singer/songwriter - who released his sixth album, 'Following My Intuition' this year - beat off competition from Skepta, Stormzy, Kano and Tinie Tempah to take home the coveted prize, 15 years after he last won a MOBO award.

This is Craig's ninth MOBO award and the star also performed at the ceremony at Glasgow's SSE Hydro, alongside stars including Clean Bandit, Professor Green and Wiley.

He said: "I'm overwhelmed and honoured. The public have supported me from the beginning. To be back here with a new album it's just crazy. I just want to thank everyone who's been there since 1999 and the Artful Dodger days.

"The crowds here have been amazing over the course of my 16 years performing, so to be actually able to perform here again - and the MOBOs have supported me from 2000, so it's been an amazing journey. It's a celebration of music and I'm just happy to be a part of it to be honest."

Lady Leshurr beat Laura Mvula, Katy B, and Nao to take home the top prize in the Best Female Act category.

And there was a surprise in the Best Album category as Kano's 'Made In The Manor' beat favourite Skepta's 'Konnichiwa'.

R&B trio WSTRN were mistakenly announced as winners of Best Song and even gave a speech before it was revealed that MC Abra Cadabra had won.

MOBO organisers blamed a production error and said: "Of the many worthy winners of best song, we deeply regret a mistake was made."

Meanwhile, there was also controversy before the show when Tinie Tempah pulled out of a planned performance, citing "industry politics".

He posted a handwritten note on Instagram, which read: "I will not be performing at this year's MOBOs for reasons that are outside mine and the MOBOs control.

"The MOBOs is a ceremony I have grown up watching and take pride in. It's given a platform to so many artists, who have inspired me.

"So I always go above and beyond to attend. I am gutted to not be performing

"I didn't go into this much detail because I want to have a moan. I wrote this because my music and my culture is very important to me and this has been the same issue year after year.

"It is frustrating when music industry politics dictate my ability to celebrate either. It's been a great year for British music, especially the underground. I will be watching and supporting (sic)."

The 21st annual MOBO Awards were hosted by Melvin Odoom and his Kiss Breakfast Show co-host Rickie Haywood Williams.

2016 MOBO Awards Winners

Best Male Act - Craig David

Best Female Act - Lady Leshurr

Best Newcomer - WSTRN

Best Album - Kano 'Made In The Manor'

Best Hip Hop Act - Section Boyz

Best Song - Abra Cadabra ft Krept & Konan 'Robbery (remix)

Best Video - Nadia Rose 'Skwod' (Directed by Reece Proctol)

Best R&B/Soul - Shakka

Best Grime Act (in association with BBC Radio 1Xtra) - Chip

Best International Act - Drake