Mobo Awards: Tulisa Battles Jessie J For Gong

Rival talent show judges Jessie J and Tulisa Contostavlos are to battle it out for Best Female at this year's Mobo Awards.

The Voice coach and the X Factor judge go head-to-head for the music awards at a ceremony at Liverpool's Echo Arena on November 3.

Last year Jessie J swept the board at the Mobos, picking up four out of the five gongs she was nominated for - Best UK Act, Best Newcomer, Best Song for Do It Like A Dude and Best Album for Who You Are.

Also in the running for the Best Female title are Emeli Sande, along with Jay-Z's protege Rita Ora, former X Factor contestant Rebecca Ferguson and Running singer Jessie Ware.

Plan B and Emeli Sande lead the nominations with five nods each.

Rapper, actor and director Plan B - whose real name is Ben Drew - is up for Best Male, Best Hip-Hop/Grime Act, Best Video, Best Song and Best Album for Ill Manors.

As well as Best Female, Sande is nominated for Best R&B/Soul Act, Best Video for My Kind Of Love, Best Song for Next To Me and Best Album for Our Version Of Events.

Hot Right Now singer Rita Ora and artist and producer Labrinth follow with four nominations each.

Ora has been recognised in the categories for Best Female, Best Video for RIP featuring Tinie Tempah, Best Album for Ora and Best Newcomer.

Tempah's loyalties may be divided as he also features on Labrinth's track Earthquake, which is up for Best Song.

Ora's competition for the Best Newcomer gong includes Misha B and Conor Maynard.

Ed Sheeran, who was the golden boy of this year's Brit Awards, has three nominations.

Husband and wife Jay-Z and Beyonce compete for the title of Best International Act. Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and Canadian star Drake are also among the nominees for that category.

Contostavlos said it was "scary" to be nominated for a Mobo without her former N-Dubz bandmates by her side.

She said at the nominations launch party at London's Floridita nightclub: "It feels amazing. But pretty scary.

"It feels strange knowing all the past years I've been here it's been with N-Dubz, so it's a weird experience."

As for being nominated against rival judge Jessie J, she said: "What about it?"