‘I love you guys!’ Mendes sends fans into frenzy at iHeartRadio MMVAs
Shawn Mendes performs at the iHeartRadio MMVAs in Toronto on Sunday. Hometown favourite Alessia Cara takes photos with fans on the red carpet. Awkwafina hosted the MMVAs event.
Shawn Mendes charmed nearly every corner of the iHeartRadio MMVAs on Sunday, picking up a number of awards — including one that wasn’t his own.
The Pickering-raised Mendes left the crowd screaming with delight after he revealed himself underneath the disguise of another musical star, electronic producer Marshmello. The mysterious Top 40 DJ has kept himself anonymous for several years, so seeing Mendes mugging in the costume was a total shock. “Whoa, what happened there?” Mendes jokingly exclaimed as he dived into a fake acceptance speech.
“This is amazing. I love you guys, thank you so much.”
But Mendes certainly wasn’t left empty handed in any real sense. He picked up legitimate wins on his own, including best pop artist and two awards voted by viewers, fan fave artist and video.
“Honestly, what I mainly want to say is thank you to everybody who follows an artist when they try to explore musically and support them through that journey. That means the world to me,” he said.
Host Awkwafina opened the show dressed in striped pyjamas and delivered a spirited monologue that proved she hasn’t changed much, despite starring in Crazy Rich Asians, which sits atop the North American box-office for a second week.
“I’m still that girl with the voice of a pro-wrestler and the body of a Pikachu,” the vibrant YouTuber told the crowd.
Other performers included 98 Degrees, the 1990s boy band whose member Nick Lachey admitted he was feeling some major nostalgia as he walked the red carpet.
The group chatted with personality Ed the Sock at the 1999 MMVAs.
“We did an interview with a sock puppet with a cigar in its mouth — there’s nothing more unique than that,” Lachey said Sunday evening.
“This is a celebration of music, the fans, and it’s great to be back and part of the energy here.”