Mobo Awards: Emeli Sande Scores Hat-Trick

Singer-songwriter Emeli Sande has taken a hat-trick of titles at the Mobo Awards, beating Jessie J and Tulisa Contostavlos to the Best Female gong.

The 25-year-old also won Best Album for her number one-selling Our Version Of Events and Best R&B/Soul act at Liverpool's Echo Arena

Sande, who also opened the night with a specially-crafted rendition of My Kind Of Love, said she was "over the moon".

"I really didn't expect to win three and getting the Album of the Year was a big thing for me, so I feel like all the hard work pays off when you get acknowledgement like that," she said.

London hip-hop artist Plan B snapped up Best Male Act and Best Hip Hop/Grime, which he collected from rising global star Rita Ora.

Mobo founder Kanya King MBE said this year's event had been particularly special.

She said: "Each year we're staggered by the calibre of the talent on display at the Mobo Awards.

"This year has been outstanding and we're honoured to showcase the best of the best on the night.

"Tonight has been a night for not only homegrown talent such as Emeli Sande and Plan B, who we've championed from the beginning of their careers, but also less represented genres of music such as gospel, jazz and African, which are equally important for Mobo."

TLC's Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins and Rozonda 'Chilli' Thomas collected this year's Mobo Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.

Members of Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes's family jetted in to celebrate the honour on her behalf. The singer - the L in TLC - died in a car accident 10 years ago.

Rita Ora flew in from the US leg of her tour to pick up Best Newcomer.

Chart star Labrinth, who was a major hit with fans lining the red carpet, was awarded Best Song in association with PRS for Music for Earthquake and treated the room to a mash-up of his biggest hits.

His fellow chart toppers JLS collected the gong for Best Video for Do You Feel What I Feel and got the crowd on their feet with a performance of their newest single, Hottest Girl In The World.

Misha B presented Rachel Kerr with the Best Gospel gong for her smooth, spellbinding vocals, and D'Banj was awarded Best African Act.

Best Jazz went to Zoe Rahman, who collected the accolade from Delilah and previous double Mobo Award winner YolanDa Brown.

And after an outstanding year, Nicki Minaj beat off stiff competition for Best International Act. Sean Paul was awarded Best Reggae.

The night also saw guest of honour Dionne Warwick presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award to celebrate half a century in the business.

"It means I'm being thought of in a very, very special way and it's always a pleasure to be thought of in that way," she said.

The event - now in its 17th year - was interspersed with a series of performances from special guests including rapper Wiley, who shared the stage with Skepta and Ms D to perform his new release Can You Hear Me and number one single Heatwave.

Rising star Misha B treated crowds to a version of her debut single Home Run, and Angel wowed the crowd with a super smooth version of his single Wonderful.

Stooshe performed their cover of TLC's Waterfalls on stage, introduced by T-Boz and Chilli.