Dedicated fangirls and fanboys camped out at MuchMusic’s Toronto headquarters last week to obtain wristbands for Toronto’s biggest party of the year – the MuchMusic Video Awards – which will go down on Sunday, June 16! This year, the line-up includes co-host PSY, Demi Lovato, Pretty Little Liars Shay Mitchell and Lucy Hale, Taylor Swift and her current RED tourmates Ed Sheeran and Austin Mahone – just to name a few!
“This is my first time as a VJ being a part of it,” says new MuchMusic VJ Scott Willats. “I can remember last year being on the outside looking in and seeing this city come alive. Every club becomes a VIP club. Every place you go, you’re destined to run into one or two celebs. This is one of those events where the city becomes very magical. It’s the party of the year.”
We caught up with Scott amidst all the hustle and bustle at MuchMusic just days before the MMVAs to talk about his pre-show emotions, his favourite interviews in his past year as a MuchMusic VJ and his predictions for the big night.
This is your first time hosting the MuchMusic Video Awards and it’s also your first year being a VJ! How are you feeling?
I’m feeling great and confident. I can’t wait to perform and get out in front of all of those people and be a part of this MMVA legacy. All of my favourite VJ’s have hosted the MMVAs and now it’s weird that I’m one of them. So, I’m very excited about it and a tad nervous. It’s promised to be a great night and when you see the outfit that I’m wearing you’re gonna lose your mind!
Assuming that you’ve watched the MMVAs on TV or from the crowd in the past, is it crazy knowing that you’ll be behind the scenes and a major part of all the action on-stage in a few days?
It’s nuts! Last year I was going to all the parties but I was still on the outside looking in. About five or six years ago, I was on the streets watching all the performances like Kanye West performing “Jesus Walks” and seeing Kim Kardashian walk beside me. It’s so surreal to actually be a part of it this year and to watch the stage go up over the past two weeks, to do all these crazy shoots and rehearsals. It’s very exciting and you have this extra bit of adrenaline that’s pushing you through because you know that you’re a part of something that’s so big and awesome. You walk around with a grin on your face all the time.
June 16 is going to be an amazing, star-filled night. Who are you most looking forward to seeing perform and present?
Since I’ve started working here I’ve become really good friends with Marianas Trench. It’s always a pleasure to see them perform. I can’t wait to see what they have in store not with just the performance but the arrival. They always pop the cake with their arrival – the gerbil balls, the bouncy castle… They whispered some things in my ear when I was last with them about what they have planned for this year and if they can pull through it, it is going to be insane!
In terms of presenters, when I did The Big Jingle, Austin Mahone was one of the performers. I am really inspired by this kid’s work ethic. He’s a little 16-year-old kid who is just absolutely way too talented than he should be for his age. I can’t wait to catch up with him. Also, Demi Lovato is always a great performer so I’m very much looking forward to her, as many of her Lovatics around Canada are.
It’s also pretty cool that Austin Mahone is currently on tour with Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift, and they will all be at this year’s MMVAs!
I guess the question is who’s going to be Taylor Swift’s date when she walks the red carpet? I think it’d be cute if she walked with Ed Sheeran, but it would be even cuter if she walked with Austin Mahone. There are so many intangibles of this night that you don’t know what to look for and every minute there’s a new story. I’m so excited!
This year’s awards include some major categories like Video of the Year and Your Fave International Artist or Group. Do you have any predictions for who will come out on top?
Of course my opinion means nothing. I wish I got to vote but I don’t because it’d be kind of biased since I get to interview these guys and I’m friends with some of them.
For Video of the Year, the big one, there’s Classified, Drake, Marianas Trench, Serena Ryder, and The Weeknd. It’s between Drake and Serena Ryder for me. Drake is Drake. This song, “Started from the Bottom”, is huge all across the world. It’s one of those anthems and I’m really proud of what this video represents to him and what it means to this city – to this country. However, Serena Ryder is one of those girls that I used to see play at little pubs and hearing “Stompa” used in commercials and other television shows in the United States was something that joyed my soul. Everyone in that group deserves to win but my pick would be Serena Ryder.
For your Fave International Artist or Group, I would love if PSY wins because he’s the host and he deserves it for helping be my colleague that day. Demi Lovato’s “Give Your Heart a Break” is probably my favourite song out of the songs that are nominated. Let’s be honest though – it’s been One Direction’s year. Every time we play a One Direction song, my Twitter blows up!
Who are some of your favourite musicians?
Chris Malinchak is someone that I’m really feeling right now. He has a song called “So Good To Me” that I’m really obsessed with. Goldroom is a DJ who does a lot of great remixes. He has a remix to Charli XCX’s “You (Ha Ha Ha)”. He’s part of that new disco crowd. I’m also a huge fan of everything that 2 Chainz is putting out right now. Those three artists get the most plays on my iPod, but here’s another one because the name is so crazy: Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (TEED for short). I love everything that this guy is putting out. Those are some names that I really hope you check out – they might not be your cup of tea but it’s definitely good party music and good music for a Friday night.
If you could add one singer, dead or alive, to the MMVA lineup, who would you add and why?
Wow! I’m going to go with Freddie Mercury from Queen because I would love to see him perform and he has one of the greatest voices in the history of mankind. Secondly, I would love to see Biggie Smalls. He is one of my favourite rappers and maybe not the greatest rapper alive but I would love to see him to do a little “Hypnotize” and get everyone bumpin’. Also, how could I answer this without saying Bob Marley? He’s probably the greatest musician of all time.
What is your favourite part about being a MuchMusic VJ?
The interaction! Talking to my fans, meeting up with people, and sharing music with people. I get to talk to Canada every day and I get to share my passions and insights. I get to learn from my fans about what’s poppin’ and what’s trendy right now, so I love that aspect. Plus, my coworkers Phoebe, T-rex and Damian are awesome and Lauren is like my best friend.
Who has been your favourite celebrity to interview as a MuchMusic VJ?
I interviewed Snooki last week and she was awesome! I don’t get starstruck anymore because I’ve interviewed a lot of people, but meeting her was kind of surreal. She was larger than life. In the past 5 years, she’s become one of these pop culture icons and seeing the way that she acts in real life compared to on TV is weird because it’s the exact same. It was like I had known her for a while. We sat down, we hit it off pretty well and she was a great girl and a lot of fun.
I also just interviewed Fabolous last week and for me growing up, Fabolous was one of my favourite rappers so that was another larger than life situation. I had a really good interview with Ke$ha where we just immediately hit it off and it didn’t even feel like an interview. Probably my favourite interview and the most fun interview that I’ve had was with Marlon Wayans.
How did you get your start as a MuchMusic VJ and what advice would you give to those who want to be a TV host like you?
I put in a lot of work at another TV station, I went to school for radio broadcasting and I just tried to get better. I never said no to any opportunity. When I finally got my opportunity to audition for MuchMusic, I just went full out and I started thinking in my head that I already had the job. It wasn’t, “If I get the job” or “I hope I get the job” – it was, “When I get the job.” My advice is if you want it, you have it. You need to need it. Also, never shut yourself down or, specifically for a VJ where we’re talking about music, never shut yourself off to a certain kind of music. I’ll admit to you I’m not a huge country fan but I have not shut it out of my life. I still listen to some country songs. Everybody loves their own certain type of music and there’s something that you can relate to in every genre of music, so keep an open ear.
Thank you, Scott! Don’t miss the 2013 MuchMusic Video Awards on MuchMusic this Sunday, June 16 at 9 p.m. EST / 6 p.m. PST!