‘There Is No Red-Carpet Fashion Like a Music Awards Show,’ Says ETALK’s Chloe Wilde, Who Is Ready For Anything at The BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS

By BILL HARRIS Special to The Lede ETALK reporter Chloe Wilde is preparing herself mentally and physically for her duties on the red carpet at the 2022 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS. Water? Check. Snacks? Check. Change of shoes? Check. Tons of research? Check. Lots of excitement? Check. “Thankfully our team got to go to the OSCARS® and a few other things this year, but this will definitely mark our first big return to a music awards show, and I’m just so pumped,” Wilde said. “I want to throw it out there that safety is still a top priority for everyone at these awards shows, so we have to submit to tests, and there are daily wellness checks leading up to the event. But once we get all of that out of the way, then we can really start to get excited for the nitty-gritty.” So here’s the nitty-gritty: the 2022 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS (BBMAs) air live from Las Vegas on Sunday, May 15, beginning at 8 p.m. ET on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app. ETALK features pre-BBMAs coverage on Thursday, May 12 and Friday, May 13 at 7 p.m. ET on CTV, and post-BBMAs coverage on Monday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET on CTV2. “We have to make sure we have enough snacks and hydration sources, because as a crew we arrive on the carpet hours before the stars, we have to set up, make sure the lighting is good, and hopefully make friends with our neighbours on the carpet, because things can get a little chaotic,” Wilde said. “Also, I need a change of shoes. I have the best of intentions to wear the beautiful outfit that my stylist and I have created together, and there are heels affiliated with that, but I will have sneakers in my back pocket if it starts to get too painful. Then it’s just a matter of making sure that you’re prepared for anyone and everyone to walk up to our mic.” In that regard, Wilde made an interesting point about music awards shows that should keep every red-carpet interviewer on their toes. “You want to make the most of every opportunity you have with the musicians that are in front of you, which means listening to their albums and their music, and taking a look at their social media accounts,” Wilde said. “But also, especially with musicians, I find that they’re constantly changing their appearance, changing their hair color, maybe their wardrobe. So you never know who’s going to come up to you, and you want to make sure you’re talking to the right person!” There’s definitely an up-side to all the changing looks, though. “The people at the BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS are being celebrated for their musical talent and their artistry, but I’m a sucker for red-carpet fashion, and there is no red-carpet fashion like a music awards show,” Wilde said. “We’re going to get the whole gamut, and I think that adds to the excitement.” Finally, notwithstanding the fact that what happens on the red carpet, and also during the show itself, is completely unpredictable, are there any specific potential interviewees who are on Wilde’s wish list? “I will have a fan-girl moment if Silk Sonic comes to us – that is, of course, Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars, just two titans in this industry,” Wilde said. “It would be really cool to talk to Olivia Rodrigo, and Doja Cat is having such an awesome moment, too. I personally am a big fan of indie, so if Glass Animals comes to me, I will be 10-on-10 excited. And there are some classics coming that are going to be celebrated as well. I mean, speaking with Mary J. Blige would be such a career highlight. But I will talk to anyone and everyone. Come on up, the door is open!” billharristv@gmail.com @billharris_tv