November 2007

VJ DENISE

By Lennat Mak

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By Lennat Mak / November 2007

"It's my fifth year, going strong! Can you believe it's been five years? It feels like it just started!" exclaimed Denise Keller.

There's no doubt that time flies. Everyone has become a little older, wiser, better looking (we hope) and the same applies to our golden girl, whom you have been watching on MTV for the last five years. You've seen Denise interviewing various artists, covering all sorts of entertainment events, goofing about on set at Pop Inc. And if you are a huge fan of MTV, Denise is probably the next best friend that you can get on TV. But behind that smile that never fails to light up the room, how well do you really know Denise? Let's find out!

***

After all these years, what's your main highlight throughout your career in MTV?

For me, the main highlight will still be the on-going process of learning more things about myself as a VJ, a reporter, an interviewer, a youth ambassador and be light-hearted about it and have fun. I still have fun! I'm doing something I still love and I'm really blessed and lucky. At the end of the day, I've learnt a lot about interviewing people. For the first couple of years, I thought I knew what I was doing. But now, I really know what I'm doing. [Laughs] I have less nerves. I used to deny that I had nerves. Before, it was just a rat race and you've got to get the hang of it real fast. But now, I try to be confident and strong, and take everything easy.

Speaking of interviews, sometimes you just get way too little time, like 10 - 15 minutes with the artists.

Oh, I hate those! "Lights! Cameras! VJ, get in the shot! Test the mike! Hurry up!" [Laughs] I remember I did a Linkin Park interview and we can only get one question out of Chester Bennington 'coz they only gave us 10 minutes, literally, on the dot. There's the technical stress factor and there's the other stress that comes along because you are limited with time. But then, without stress, what's enjoyable?

How do you personally connect with the artist within such a short time frame?

What I've learnt from interviewing various kinds of musicians is to really understand their music. Once you understand the genre of music, you can build a rapport very easily and very fast. It's good to back reference their careers and what they've done. If you're interviewing an artist that you love and you have a good understanding of their music, all the more you have that rapport. But when it comes to someone you haven't really met before and you don't know their music well, it's a bit tougher.

It's the fifth year running at MTV for you. What really motivates you ?

I don't think anything else but life motivates me. I think that's key in everything you do.

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