Canadian DJ collective A Tribe Called Red took home their first ever hardware for Video of the Year (“R.E.D.”) and Best Director (“Stadium Pow Wow”, Kevan Funk), while hometown hip-hop sensation Drake won two awards for Most Buzzworthy Canadian and IHEARTRADIO Canadian Single of the Year for “One Dance,” at this year’s iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards.
The live show was hosted by Alessia Cara and Joe Jonas.
On stage, newly minted solo artists Camila Cabello and Niall Horan, winners of the awards for Best New International Artist and Fan Fave International Artist or Group respectively, each fired up the fans with red-hot medleys of their hit singles, “I Have Questions/Crying in the Club” and “This Town/Slow Hands.”
Canadian indie rock band Arkells hit the stage with an unforgettable performance of “Knocking At The Door,” which snagged an MMVA for Fan Fave Video. Winners of IHEARTRADIO International Duo or Group of the Year Imagine Dragons also delivered an electric performance with local drum line 416BEATS on a medley of their hits “Believer” and “Thunder”.
Debut MMVA performers included DNCE, fronted by host (and MMVA veteran) Joe Jonas; Julia Michaels, who performed single “Issues” in a lavish bedroom set; Iggy Azalea who rocked the crowd from inside a lit cube with a version of “Switch”; hometown rapper Jazz Cartier with an energetic performance of singles “Tempted” and “Red Alert”; and Post Malone who brought explosive versions of “White Iverson” and “Congratulations”, replete with actual fireballs. Lorde, in her much-anticipated return to the MMVA stage, lit up the night, closing the show with a medley of hit “Green Light” and “Perfect Places” alongside a choir featuring more than 30 singers, and show-stopping fireworks.
Photo: Much Music