Taylor Swift will join an exclusive group of VIPs that includes Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears when she appears on this weekend's episode of "Saturday Night Live."

Pulling double duty as both host and musical performer, Taylor has her work cut out for her this week. When we stopped by the "SNL" studios to catch up with the starlet, it was pretty clear that Taylor is very excited.

It was my first time visiting the "SNL" studio, and despite not growing up with the show in England, the nostalgia was not wasted on me. Back home in the U.K., we have our ways of getting the show, even though "SNL" doesn't air on TV. We're pretty innovative when we want to be.

At the show, Taylor walked in looking casually chic in an argyll jumper and tights. She greeted everyone in the room with a big "Hi guys!" Standing on the mezzanine with the "SNL" studio over our shoulder, Taylor and I talked on her upcoming double duty, her sense of humour and the fact that she bravely told writers that nothing was off limits.

And we couldn't let Taylor go without squeezing in some questions about her favourite new songs off the re-released Fearless album, what and who she's writing about and the musical direction of her next album. Look out for more from the interview with Taylor Swift in the coming days.

One question I get asked a lot is, "Who is the nicest celebrity you've ever interviewed?" It's a tough question to answer, but the very talented Alicia Keys is definitely up there.

I remember "falling" hard for Ms. Keys when I first saw her perform a small showcase in London back in 2001. She was all smiles then, and I remember thinking she might be one of the nicest girls I'd ever met. Eight years on, it seems nothing has changed.

There was an air of confidence surrounding Keys when she walked into the newsroom last week following her appearance on "It's On with Alexa Chung." She's graceful and elegant, but you'd be a fool to forget that Alicia Keys is a real New Yorker.

I'm not so up on female fashion, but it must be said she was wearing some very impressive boots — half black and half metallic. She looked, as they say, fierce.

We talked about her upcoming album The Element of Freedom, her next single "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart," her favourite songs from the album (including "Love is Blind"), her obvious musical evolution (there are lots of synths on The Element of Freedom), the hotly-anticipated video for the Jay-Z track "Empire State of Mind" (a real New York video for the new New York anthem) and working with Whitney Houston and Swizz Beatz.

Alicia spoke on what it's like working with uber-producer Swizz (a personal favourite of mine) and the admiration she has for him as a "musical genius" and a "mad scientist" behind the mixing desk. For the rest, you'll have to check out the interview.

There's something very likeable about the boys from Tokio Hotel. They may be siblings and share the same screaming girl demographic as the JoBros, but the similarities stop there.

With no disrespect to Gustav or George (who sit quietly in the back row chiming in once in a while), most of the attention is commanded by the two brothers sitting up front, Bill and Tom Kaulitz. After all, they are the Noel and Liam of the group.

After talking about their latest offering Humanoid — which features a bigger, bolder and more electronic sound — we talked on the importance they place on being in control of their own image, music and lives.

In Bill's case, you might think he has the perfect frontman image for a pop-punk band that was cleverly devised by a room full of record label executives. But it was interesting to hear that the now-famous trademark spiky hair, eye make-up, leather jackets and chains are all his own creation. Since the beginning of their deal, Bill has turned down his label's offers to hire him a stylist. Instead, he prefers to stick to his guns and design, cut-up, make outfits and dress himself. A fan of fashion, Bill has aspirations to have his own line of clothing one day.

And then there's Tom. He too has a trademark look, and while Bill talks about hoping to one day meet his soul mate and fall in love, Tom is ... let's just say a little different, preferring to fall in love with a different girl each night.

It wasn't all groupie talk. We spoke about the sci-fi image around their new album and where it came from. We talked about what it was like being in one of the most popular bands around right now. While so many actors and artists complain about the fame, these guys love it, with Tom openly admitting that he wants more. But what choice do they have? The hopes of a normal life are well and truly out the window. There aren't many places in the world that they can go without getting mobbed by their fans. So when I asked them what was the last "normal" thing they did, I was a little surprised when Bill said it was when they rented out an entire theme park for a day. If that's a normal day with Tokio Hotel, I'd love to see what they do on a special day.

We look forward to seeing big things from Tokio Hotel in the future!

Check out the interview in full to see Tokio Hotel talking "Twilight," girls, crazy fans, style and Adam Lambert.

It's a little embarrassing to admit, but even with both the gorgeous Eliza Dushku and Olivia Wilde passing through our office this week, the one person I was most excited to meet was a dude. With a total of 40 fights, 40 wins and 25 KOs, Floyd "Money" Mayweather is an undeniable force in the world of boxing, with an almost perfect combination of lightning quick speed, real knockout power and incredible showmanship. He's my favourite fighter in the world of boxing, and yesterday he stopped by the MTV News studios for the first time.

What's funny is that with all the rappers, pop stars, actors and actresses who drop in for interviews, the only time some of the fellas in the office (naming no names, except for Nick, Monty and Sean) get even slightly impressed is when an athlete (or Mr. T) walks into the building. Today was one of those occasions.

Floyd is in New York for the next few days on the grind looking to expand his ever-growing empire. With concert tours, boxing events, real estate and music, it's not difficult to see why they call him "Money." Floyd is a lot shorter than I expected (he stands at 5 feet, 7 inches), but made up for it with a big personality and an even bigger entourage (I counted 10), some of whom I recognised from one of my favourite shows: the HBO behind-the-fight documentary series "24/7."

Dressed in a brand new Gucci leather jacket (we saw him pop the tags), Floyd was game to answer pretty much every question I threw, from the ever-controversial Hottest MCs list to his thoughts on Rick Ross and Shane Mosley.

It was only last month when Ross dropped the track "War," which took a few jabs at Mayweather (who is a close ally of 50 Cent), so I had to ask Floyd about his thoughts on Ross. Someone else who would love to trade jabs with Mayweather is boxer "Sugar" Shane Mosley, who famously stepped into the ring to bait Mayweather into a match-up moments after Floyd's recent decision win over Juan Manuel Marquez. I asked the obvious question: Will they ever face off in the ring? Let's just say Floyd had some choice words for Shane.

For the boxing fans, we spoke about Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao, and for the hip-hop heads I asked Floyd who his favourites in the rap-game are. He named all of the top five on the list of Hottest MCs in the Game, gave extra props to Drake and said that Young Jeezy's album Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101 is the pick before a big fight!

Look out for all of this and so much more coming soon, so stay tuned to MTV News for more from Floyd "Money" Mayweather.

From taking the Staten Island Ferry out to Governors Island for the first time to seeing Asher Roth and N.E.R.D. play an awesome outdoor concert in front of a couple hundred people to chopping it up with Santigold, Mary J. Blige and Pharrell Williams, these last couple days have been non-stop.

Today was the big MTV Video Music Awards media forum at Radio City Music Hall, an annual event where the country's top radio stations all converge in a huge makeshift media room in the basement of the legendary venue.

Sway, who is an old pro at doing radio both as the host and the interviewee, offered me some sound advice as we braved the rain and walked a few blocks from the MTV News headquarters in Times Square to Radio City. "Just do you!" he said, sounding a little Nike commercial-esque. But then again, he does know best.

The room was a maze of tables operating as temporary radio stations, with all the artists moving from interview to interview. Kid Cudi, Ryan Leslie, Fabolous, Raekwon, Jay Sean, Wale, Melody from the Pussycat Dolls, DJ Cassidy, Twista and a whole host of others were all hard at work talking VMAs, new projects and — in the case of the Las Vegas stations — downing shots of tequila as well. That's just how they do it in Vegas.

From Detroit to Philadelphia, I spoke with as many radio shows that would have me, and the everyone wanted to know three things: What's Lady Gaga going to be wearing, is Madonna going to introduce Janet Jackson's tribute to Michael and will Eminem be a surprise performer? My lips are sealed! But if you tune in Sunday at 8 p.m., you're certain to find out!

Right now, there's no place I'd rather be than here in New York City. There are two great reasons. First, the Video Music Awards are in town this whole week, with the big awards show taking place on Sunday night. But it's also the start of New York's Fashion Week. It all kicked off last night with New York's famous Fashion Night Out, where stores from Bloomingdale's to BAPE all kept there shop fronts open until late to showcase new designers and clothes.

Outside the Billionaire Boys Club boutique store in Soho, hundreds of kids were lining up, eager to get their hands on some exclusive limited edition gear. Inside the store, there was a special guest cashier: Pharrell Williams. We ducked into the store to talk to Pharrell about why he was manning the till, his take on the nominees at this years VMAs and who he thinks are the hottest MCs in the game right now (Kanye, Drake, T.I., Jay-Z, the Game, Rick Ross — he says hip-hop is in a good place right now). He broke down what it was like working with Jay-Z on The Blueprint 3 and how "So Ambitious," arguably the best track on the album, came together. He talked about working with Drake — who he called "The Truth," which is a huge compliment coming from a producer of his stature.

Before we left him to meet the hundreds of waiting fans, we grilled him with the Ultimate VMA Quiz. I wouldn't say he cheated his way to getting everything right, but imaginary-phoning a friend might be bending the rules just a little bit.

It's only three days until the Video Music Awards and things have really shifted into overdrive. Today I was down at the venue — the iconic Radio City Music Hall — where everyone has been working until the early hours of the morning to ensure that this year's show will be one of the most spectacular stages ever. Judging by what I've see so far, that's exactly what we'll see come Sunday night.

An artist fit for any VMA stage stopped by the studios today: The Queen of Hip Hop Soul herself, Mary J. Blige.

Mary J. Blige, for me, marks the beginning of my career here in the States. My first major gig for MTV here was hosting the pre-show at the 2007 Video Music Awards in Las Vegas, which was one of the best weeks of my life. Not only were we in the party capital of the universe, but I was part of the MTV News family and about to make my debut on American television — something that I had wanted for a very long time. Mary J. was my biggest interview of the night and was the perfect interviewee.

Today, she was as nice as ever. Dressed casually in some killer boots, jeans, a white tee and a black leather jacket, Mary J walked in the room as we sat down to talk about everything from her new movie "I Can Do Bad All by Myself" to working with Drake on "The One," the first single off her new album Stronger.

We talked about her new love for acting and how she's hard at work with acting classes, who she thinks is the hottest MC in the game right now, the return of R&B with Maxwell and Whitney Houston back on top and why Chris Brown is not in the video for "Stronger" despite being on the original song. We also gave her the opportunity to offer some clarity on the confusion surrounding whether she will be taking part in the Michael Jackson tribute concert in Vienna later this month.

We broke down the vibe and motivation behind her new album, and of course, with the VMAs taking place right here in her home city, we had to get one of New York's most famous resident to talk about what makes New York the best city in the world!

As the excitement for the Video Music Awards builds, so does the workload!

By 10 a.m. yesterday morning, we were filming in Times Square, talking to members of the public about Janet Jackson's soon-to-be unforgettable tribute to the King of Pop. The vote was unanimous: Janet Jackson stepping up to take center stage at the VMAs for a hotly anticipated tribute got a big thumbs-up from everyone we spoke to.

Then it was a quick trip downtown to the old CBGB club that is now home to the John Varavtos store (he's one of my favourite designers). Inside, Sean from 3OH!3 (the band known best for their massive single "Don't Trust Me") was shopping for his VMA outfit. It's been a big year for the guys from 3OH!3, who found almost overnight success with their debut single. The VMAs are going to be their first awards show ever and quite a bit removed from their hometown of Boulder, Colorado. In fact, the VMA red carpet that stretches down Sixth Avenue will actually be the first red carpet they've ever set foot on, so they're determined to do it right.

When I walked into the store to meet Sean, he was busy putting the finishing touches on his outfit. With tight black jeans, gray worn-down boots, a gray knit hoodie and a black jacket, it was clear Sean was going for the rock-and-roll look that Varvatos does so well. After all, their poster boy is Perry Farrell. Topped off with some necklaces including a small dream catcher that he bought from a "small hippie store" in Boulder a few days ago, he was good to go.

As it's his first red carpet, we thought we'd put him to the test with some rapid-fire questions. After all, on Sunday the world's press will be lined up ready to grill the new band with all types of questions, so we thought it only correct to help him get in the zone.

Then we talked with Sean about his expectations from his first big awards show and of course his nomination in the Best New Artist category. When I asked him if he fancies his chances, he was a little hesitant. That's understandable, especially considering he's up against the might of Lady Gaga. We shall see this Sunday, when the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards finally arrive.

The long Labor Day weekend might be one of the best inventions in the world, and this year I used it well. The weather provided the perfect setting for a monster street party, as tens of thousands of people from all around the globe gathered in the streets of New York to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Brazilian Day Festival.

As far as I could see from 44th Street, the whole of Sixth Avenue was a massive gyrating sea of yellow and green Brazil Day T-shirts as thousands danced to the music on the main stage. The vibe was amazing: A mix of young and old stood side by side and got down to the sounds of some of Brazil's biggest artists including Elba Ramalho, Carlinhos Brown, Alcione and the truly excellent Arlindo Cruz.

Backstage was heaven. The beer was ice cold, the food amazing and the yellow "Brasil" T-shirts never looked better. My friend João De Matos, the Chairman of the Brazilian Day Festival, was hard at work keeping everything running smoothly — a big task considering the lineup included some of Brazil's biggest stars. When Elba Ramalho (who some regard as the Tina Turner of Brazil) made her way from her trailer to the stage just a few meters away, she needed a six man security team to get her through the swarm of people who surrounded her for a picture and cried out for an autograph. I had never heard of her before, but it was clear that I was in the presence of a musical great.

But it was Marcelo D2 who really stole the show. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Marcelo is one of the biggest hip-hop artists in Brazil. As he took to the stage with his live band, the crowd went wild, and Marcelo D2 brought the fire of Brazilian hip-hop to 6th Avenue. I don't understand Portuguese, but I really didn't need to, as the music quite literally did the talking. I stood among thousands of others as Marcelo had the whole crowd singing back to him, waving their hands in time with the music. It was an experience I will never forget and the best street party I have ever been to. Bring on the Brazilian Festival 2010, and thank you João and Claudine for the opportunity!

Back in January, MTV News ran a series titled "The MCs to Watch in 2009." Only a mere eight months later, two of those MCs -- Asher Roth and Kid Cudi -- are nominated for the Best New Artist category at the upcoming Video Music Awards, and Wale has just been announced as the leader of the official house band. There are big shoes to fill for Wale, especially after last year's dynamic duo of Travis Barker and the late DJ AM rocked the VMAs with a blistering set that helped to make it the party of the year.

Earlier this week, I met up with Wale in the middle of Times Square to celebrate his new job as the official house band for the VMAs, talk about his forthcoming album Attention Deficit and get his take on who he thinks will be walking away with a Moonman. But before we got to business, we wanted to put Wale to the test. We had heard that Wale was an expert at all things pop-culture, so with the awards just round the corner we wanted to test his knowledge with a VMA quiz. For the last couple of days, Big Ben the Intern has been hard at work putting together a super quiz for our VMA celebs and Wale was our first victim.

With his Allido Records/Roc Nation team standing close by listening intently and prepared to help the rap prodigy at a moments notice (that's good management, Rich), Wale moved through the questions carefully and surprised everyone repeatedly with one right answer after another. In fact, he only dropped one question out of 11 — and this was no easy quiz! See for yourself.

1: What song did Madonna perform during the first annual VMAs in 1984?
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