Munya Vomo
THE MTV European Music Awards (EMAs) take place in Glasgow, Scotland on Sunday. All the top music stars are expected to descend on the city and our own face of MTV SA, Nomuzi Mabena, will be there to capture it all. She gave Tonight the lowdown on what to expect.
So it’s time for the MTV EMAs. What can we expect from your trip?
I am shooting my own show during which I go from London to Glasgow by road. This is why I am leaving early. I’ll be road-tripping to the EMAs from a very cool South African perspective. The UK has one of the highest populations of South Africans living outside South Africa so I want to see why they’re all living there and what they get up to. They should show us what they do. We are going to go to typical hang-outs and meet famous South Africans like the guy who was on MasterChef. You’ll also get to see it from my perspective. I’ve been to the UK once, but was really young and didn’t see much, so this is actually me going back for the first time. The camera is going to be rolling, so it’s not like any production I have done before.
If you like it will you be tempted to stay there?
It would be too cold for me, so I don’t think so.
You are known for wearing tiny outfits and here the weather allows that. How will you adapt to the UK weather without changing your personal style?
Our weather is the best because I feel like I can show off a little bit. I now need to go into my winter wardrobe and look for something that strikes the balance. I have to find a way to stay warm and remain stylish. I don’t think sexy is going to be an objective on this trip.
Who are you looking forward to meeting?
I was quite excited to see Nicki Minaj at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in LA a few months back. That she is now hosting the EMAs makes me really excited. I think she is going to kill it. For her to host the awards after the year that she has had is really incredible. Katy Perry is also big in Europe so it would be nice to see how people respond to her. I also hope to see Wiz Khalifa, Ariana Grande and many more. The nominees are quite similar to the ones we had (at the VMAs). I’m glad to go at a time when I know some of the faces and their work. I am going to be cold, that’s for granted, but the last thing I need is to also be nervous.
Are there any performances you’d like to see?
I would pay to see Sam Smith anytime. He killed it for me at the VMAs and I am sure he will do it again. Again, I want to see Nicki.
South Africa hasn’t bagged an EMA before, what can we do to bring one home?
If our artists haven’t earned the respect of the fans to pick up the phone and vote, then I don’t know. At this point I think South African music has had a good year. From the house scene to hip hop, the artists have really put in their all. Maybe that’s the problem; perhaps we are spoilt for choice: we don’t know who to vote for in the end. If an artist like Cassper Nyovest was nominated he might have won, because he has an incredible way of having people rally behind him. That’s what most African acts from outside South Africa are good at. They have presidents rallying for them, asking people to support them, and we need that here.
The MTV EMAs will broadcast live from the SSE Hydro in Glasgow on MTV and MTV Base on Sunday at 10pm.