Bell Media Inc.

10/20/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/20/2021 13:22

MuchMusic VJ Kwesi Kwarko-Fosu Says The Fresh New Take on INTIMATE AND INTERACTIVE Has Been Fine-Tuned For Current Times

By BILL HARRIS Special to The Lede With MuchMusic's brand-new take on INTIMATE AND INTERACTIVE set to debut, current VJ Kwesi Kwarko-Fosu has some great memories of the original version, which premiered 30 years ago this month. "I wasn't born yet back when it debuted in 1991, but I saw a lot of them on TV - the main ones I remember were with Avril Lavigne and the Spice Girls," recalled Kwarko-Fosu, who is 27 years old. "But I just was never able to go in person. When it was downtown (Toronto), with a live audience, I just was never able to be there, and see it live. But I feel like it would have been a crazy experience." As with all things to do with the exciting new version of MuchMusic, the concert and interview series INTIMATE AND INTERACTIVE has been revamped and fine-tuned for 2021 and beyond. The first featured artist is up-and-coming American rapper Coi Leray, who will be joined by Kwarko-Fosu in Los Angeles for a half-hour special, streaming Thursday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. ET, exclusively on MuchMusic's TikTok. "Coi is blowing up in L.A., and a lot of her songs are very viral in L.A. as well," Kwarko-Fosu said. "It's a really cool setting and a great environment. We've taken the old INTIMATE AND INTERACTIVE format and updated it for current times. I guess with everything that's going on nowadays, with all these new social media platforms, people don't watch the longer videos anymore - some people do, but not many - so this has everything that people loved about the original format, but condensed down." Kwarki-Fosu said that working as a MuchMusic VJ since the brand's relaunch last July has taught him a lot about the lives of musical artists, which in turn has prompted him to sharpen his interviewing skills. "These artists go through a lot, they're very busy, their schedules are insane, so if they're taking time out of their day for me, or for any of the other VJs, it means a lot," he said. "So what I've learned is to prepare for any situation. We need to have a Plan A, and a Plan B, all the way to Plan Z. Anything can happen with these artists, because they have so much going on. Sometimes I don't even think it's the artists' fault, they just have so much to do. I'm honestly impressed by how they manage their lives. So what I've learned the most is, just really be ready for anything, and be grateful to even have an opportunity." With the new MuchMusic having amassed more than 356,000 followers on TikTok over the past few months, Kwarki-Fosu is understandably excited about what is happening now. But that said, he can barely contain his excitement about what's to come. "I cannot lie - it's going pretty well!" he said. "But even as we're growing at a tremendous rate on TikTok and Instagram, too, and I feel like that's one of our main focuses, even with all this success at MuchMusic, as MuchMusic is seen currently, we are only at 10% of our potential." So there's still 90% room for growth? Kwarki-Fosu explained that the effect of the pandemic has a big impact on his mathematical calculations. "We're doing a lot of this from home right now," he pointed out. "The VJs don't even get to see each other that much. But when all of this lockdown, pandemic stuff ends, and we actually get to really make content together all the time, it's going to be insane. There are so many more ideas that we have! We have so many plans. We know we have to be patient right now. But then, when it's go time, it's go time!" [email protected] @billharris_tv