This was my 4^th MMVAs, the first for covering the event for FYI Music, and the night started with an exciting and loud Red Carpet, with Alessia Cara, Joe Jonas, Camila Cabello, Niall Horan, Lights all talking and taking photos with fans.

I love it when they do this! 

We waited for Marianas Trench to arrive. In the past the band has made its entrance in a truck, a hot tub, hamster balls, and this year didn’t disappoint with the band members being covered from head-to-toe in balloons.

Canadian DJs, A Tribe Called Red, took home their first ever award for Video of the Year (“R.E.D.”) and Best Director (“Stadium Pow Wow,” directed by Kevan Funk). Meanwhile, hometown hip-hop sensation (but no-show) Drake won two awards, for Most Buzzworthy Canadian and iHeartRadio Canadian Single of the Year for “One Dance.” 

Camila Cabello and Niall Horan kicked off their solo careers with winning the awards for Best New International Artist and Fan Fave International Artist or Group respectively, each doing a medley of their hits, “I Have Questions/Crying in the Club” and “This Town/Slow Hands”.

Two of the great live acts today performed. Arkells hit the stage with an unforgettable performance of “Knocking At The Door,” which won an MMVA for Fan Fave Video, and iHeartRadio International Group of the Year winner Imagine Dragons delivered a knockout performance with local drum line 416BEATS on a medley of their hits “Believer” and “Thunder”.

But all eyes were on Lorde, a sure-bet to have a #1 album in the world next week as her Melodrama came out on Friday (perfect timing, Much!). She closed the show with a medley (why should everyone just play one when you can play two?) of “Green Light” and “Perfect Places.”

Shawn Mendes won Best Pop Video for his smash hit “Mercy”; Toronto rapper Tasha the Amazon, took home her first MMVA, Best Hip Hop Video for “Picasso Leaning”, and also became the first woman to ever win in this category; Grimes, winner of Best EDM/Dance Video for “Venus Fly”, her duet with Janelle Monae; PartyNextDoor for Best New Canadian Artist; and Justin Bieber was crowned Fan Fave Artist or Group for the second year in a row, showing there’s still no stopping Justin.

Since it’s the MMVAs, I had a chance to ask performers and presenters what video what their favourite. Here’s what they said:

MAX KERMAN, ARKELLS

Heartbreaker by Mariah Carey

GRAND THEFT

Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden

JOSEPH OF MERCURY

Jamiroquai’s Virtual Insanity. When the room is spinning you KNOW that one is a classic.

SEAN FRANK

Audioslave‘s Cochise video where they launch a million dollars worth of fireworks behind them, and I love that video. Other than that, probably Radiohead’s Just.

WINTERSLEEP

I always liked Spike Jonze's videos. I like Sabotage by Beastie Boys, that always a favourite. All of the Beastie Boys videos are pretty cool.

TYLER SHAW

In Too Deep by Sum 41, where they're diving in the pool, they come up, there’s a guitar solo from outside the pool. That one is really fun.

SCOTT HELMAN

Take On Me by A-Ha. I also like the Blink-182 video for The Rock Show where the record label gives them the cheque to make a music video and then the music video is them just throwing all the money off like a bridge or something. That's a cool music video, too.

KARL WOLF

I would have to say Diamonds by Rihanna; it's a beautiful video. I love just everything, the horse, the diamonds and the quality, the direction. So beautiful.

FRANCESCO YATES

Pick anything by The Weeknd. Everything he does is good, all the visuals that he does are good. That beginning intro of "Starboy"  where's that whole futurist thing going on. There's some high arc stuff there.

 

And the MMVA winners are…

Video of the Year

A Tribe Called Red f. Yasiin Bey, Narcy & Black Bear – “R.E.D.”

Best Post-Production

Sleepy Tom f. Tonye – “Seeing Double”

Best EDM/Dance Video

Grimes f. Janelle Monae – “Venus Fly”

Best Director

A Tribe Called Red f. Black Bear – “Stadium Pow Wow”

Director: Kevan Funk

Best Pop Video

Shawn Mendes – “Mercy”

Best Rock/Alternative Video

The Tragically Hip – “In A World Possessed By The Human Mind”

Best Hip Hop Video

Tasha the Amazon – “Picasso Leaning”

Best MuchFACT Video

River Tiber – “Acid Test”

Most Buzzworthy Canadian

Drake

Most Buzzworthy International Artist or Group

Ed Sheeran

Best New Canadian Artist

PartyNextDoor

Best New International Artist

Camila Cabello

iHeartRADIO International Artist of the Year

Lorde

iHeartRADIO International Duo or Group of the Year

Imagine Dragons

iHeartRADIO Canadian Single of the Year

Drake ft. Wizkid, Kyla  – “One Dance”

Fan Fave Video

Arkells – “Knocking At The Door”

Fan Fave International Artist or Group

Niall Horan

Fan Fave Artist/Group

Justin Bieber

Fan Fave Much Creator

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