One of the world’s most prestigious music ceremonies, the MOBO Awards, has been secured for Scotland through a partnership of EventScotland, Glasgow City marketing Bureau, Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise. 

Here Kanya King MBE, founder of the MOBO Awards explains why she has chosen to bring the prestigious event to Scotland.

MOBO Awards have been going from strength to strength now since 1996.  Did you ever imagine that the concept of an award specifically for artists performing music of black origin would prove to be such a huge success?  

My original goal was to give black music the opportunity to shine and be celebrated and that goal has never diminished.  I'm extremely proud of everything that we have accomplished but the nature of the MOBO organisation is such that we continually find ways to innovate, expand and to improve upon our success.  I'm also pleased and inspired by the fact that others have felt as strongly about our remit as we do and this has ensured that from the first day we have always felt that we have a very relevant message to broadcast.     

Did you plan to build the brand MOBO when you launched the MOBO Awards or has this grown organically?  

 My plan in the beginning was to provide an immediate method of recognising and celebrating artists writing and performing music within the MOBO genre.  Since then we have strived to build upon this, ever mindful of the fact that passion, determination and hard work can drive a business not only forward but also encourage a growth in breadth.  From the outset I have been contacted by individuals wanting advice and support in bringing to life their own entrepreneurial dreams and encouraging business-builders, this has become an important part of what we do.  Today MOBO truly embodies our motto of being "More than Music".

Moving from their home in London is a big step for MOBO Awards.  What made you make such a big decision for the event?  

We have enjoyed 13 fantastic years in London, but found ourselves being asked when we were going to spread our wings and take the awards out into the rest of the UK.  It seemed a good time, at the beginning of our 'teenage' years, to give this idea some serious thought - after all we're continuing to grow all the time!  We were approached by a variety of cities across the country and it proved that we were at the right stage of our development to take that next huge step...  the momentum since then has been enormous. 

What do you see as the main advantages of hosing this year’s event in Glasgow?  

Glasgow has such a lively music scene, hosting over 125 live music events every single week, which shows that music really is embedded in the culture of the city.  There has been a great deal of enthusiasm from every quarter since we announced the location of the 2009 awards and we're certain that the welcome we have received to date, will ensure that the ceremony this year is one of our most memorable ever. 

Have you spent much time in Scotland?  What do you think of it as a destination?  

From what I have seen so far it has been absolutely amazing. I have been fortunate enough to speak at the Scottish Institute for enterprise summit as well as seeing a few live events at the SECC. I am looking forward to spending much more time here!  Scotland has a great deal to offer and is a country with a strong cultural landscape that spans all aspects of society, music and the arts.  Glasgow was named a UNESCO city of music at the end of last year and it continues to grow in both stature and diversity across the board.  I think these are exciting times for Scotland and would recommend that people take the opportunity to visit in 2009, there's a great deal to discover about this vibrant and beautiful country. 

What does Scotland’s events industry have to offer for events like MOBO Awards?  

First and foremost Scotland has a proven track record of hosting world class events. Our Scottish partners have been 100% involved in every aspect of our plans for the event this year and have already proven to have the energy and enthusiasm to really get behind everything that we are trying to achieve.  It is a growing industry that truly recognises the potential for hosting high-profile, large scale events and is very visionary in that respect.  The future looks fantastic!    

Do you think MOBO Awards’ audience will appreciate the move?  

The audience for the awards and for the music generally is both national and international, it can be found in every corner of the British Isles and across the world - we are keenly aware of this and it is a strong motivation behind the move.  We have had extremely positive feedback from our audience who appreciate this is the next step in bringing MOBO music to the global stage. I am also thrilled that so many people from London want to travel to Glasgow to see the show, many of them for the first time.

Do you think the artists will be keen to perform in Scotland?  

 Scotland is already on the map as far as international music is concerned, artists such as NeYo, Sean Paul and the Black-Eyed Peas have all performed here.  In fact during our launch announcement, both Lemar and JLS were very complimentary about the reaction of the fans in Glasgow which they found extremely warm and enthusiastic.  I'm certain other artists will be keen to sample the same great hospitality and energy that can be found here.  

How will the move to Glasgow help the brand’s development and where do you see MOBO in 10 years time?  

Taking MOBO from its birthplace up to Glasgow is the first step in putting MOBO further on to the world stage.  Artists who perform and are inspired by black musical roots are now in the mainstream of the music industry and taking MOBO out into the UK is proof of our commitment to recognising that there is a huge national, indeed international, audience for this genre of music.  In ten years time I hope that we will still be innovating and pushing back the boundaries, still working hard to recognise and promote talent; and doing so on a global scale!   

You’ll be spending a bit of time up in Scotland this year.  What are you most looking forward to about experiencing the country? 

 I'm very interested in the cultural and scenic landscape, I'm also passionate about music and the arts, so I'm looking forward to experiencing all that Scotland has to offer in that respect.  I also enjoy fashion and I know that there are some great shopping areas in Glasgow - in the weeks leading up to the show I am usually working 24/7 - but if I can find five minutes in my day then it would be good to hit the shops and see if I can find something special to wear for the ceremony!