October 29, 2007

Tokio Hotel Confirmed To Perform At EMAs

By News Desk

With just over a week to go, this year's MTV Europe Music Awards are shaping up to be the strongest yet! Germany's hottest rock band, Tokio Hotel, are the latest performers to be added to the bill. Hosted by hip hop's finest Snoop Dogg and with show stopping performances confirmed from Avril Lavigne, Foo Fighters, Mika, My Chemical Romance, Nicole Scherzinger and will.i.am, Munich's OlympiaHalle will be bursting at the seams when the MTV EMAs touch down on November 1.

Performing on the MTV EMA stage for the first time are multi-million album selling German rockers Tokio Hotel. Formed in 2001, these hugely successful musicians have already secured two No. 1 albums in Germany with their debut album Schrei, which went triple platinum after staying in the charts for a solid 66 weeks. Tokio Hotel are currently Germany's most successful band and are setting out to break the U.K., U.S. and Japan with their singles "Monsoon" and "Ready Set Go." Inevitably, world domination beckons. Expect Tokio Hotel fever to sweep the EMAs.

"This year has been crazy with releasing our international album, doing our Europe Tour and having huge sold out shows -- everything! But the MTV Europe Music Awards simply tops it all -- especially since we are a German band. It is such a rare thing that artists coming from our country are nominated in an international category. It feels like a miracle. A while ago I couldn't imagine being where I am now -- not even my wildest dreams. We have achieved so much at this point, I guess we'll have to retire after the MTV award show; otherwise I'll be worrying everyday that it can't get any bigger! We are very much looking forward to the show and above all to perform on stage!" says Tom Kaulitz of Tokio Hotel

The race to become the hottest new band in Europe and win glory for their country picks up as 12 countries are eliminated from the New Sounds of Europe Award. Since the knock-out stages began last week, over 3 million people have logged onto the MTV EMA website to vote for their favorite band and country. First to leave the competition were Latvia's Astro'n'out closely followed by Norway's Aleksander With, Denmark's Alphabeat, Poland's Coma, Lithuania's Gravel, Adria's Dani, Netherlands' Delain, Italy's Zero Assoluto, Sweden's Neverstore, U.K.'s Klaxons, Germany's Chakusa and Portugal's Buraka Som Sistema were out in the running. Six bands remain as Estonia, Finland, France, Romania, Spain, and Turkey go head to head in the final days to become one of the surviving three acts going to the EMAs in Munich.

With the power to decide who ultimately wins the coveted News Sounds of Europe Award and performs at the MTV EMAs, viewers will be able to vote online and by live sms for the first time during the show.

"There's a great sense of patriotism as MTV audiences around Europe rally round to support their country's band. As we enter the final few days of competition for the New Sounds of Europe Award, I'm sure we're going to see more interesting results and unexpected eliminations", says Richard Godfrey, Senior Vice President of Content & Music, MTV Networks International & Executive Producer of the MTV EMAs.

Continuing their truly multidimensional view on broadcasting, this year's awards will be shown simultaneously on TV and on the web through the MTV EMA website www.mtvema.com. Wyclef Jean will host the webcast to bring online audiences all the latest action from Munich's OlympiaHalle with exclusive insight into what celebrities are wearing on the red carpet and a behind the scenes look at the stars dressing rooms. In addition to this, Wyclef will interview all three finalists for the New Sound Of Europe Award including a sneak preview of their rehearsals in what will be the only chance to see all three finalists perform as only the winner will appear on stage during the awards! Mobile audiences can also catch a glimpse of Wyclef Jean's EMA exclusives via the MTV EMA WAP-site wap.mtvema.com.

"Expect the unexpected! You never know what to expect when Wyclef Jean has a microphone! We are going to bring the Carnival to MTV and the internet! An interactive party," quips Wyclef Jean.

You can catch the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007 telecast right here on MTV Asia on 17 November, 1pm (SG/HK), 2pm (MY). So watch out for it!

Click here for EMA nominees, photos, videos and news!