Valérie roberts

A destiny written in the stars

Valérie Roberts, the new host of Plus sur commande on MusiquePlus, and winner of the VJ Recherchée contest, was born under a lucky star. Meet this determined and dynamic girl.

Valérie, how did you end up applying for the VJ Recherchée contest?
After I finished my DEC in Communications, I went to École ProMédia, a school that specializes in training TV and radio hosts. A month after I completed the program, the VJ Recherchée MusiquePlus contest began! It was as if my destiny was written in the stars! At first, I wasn't sure about the idea of participating in a reality show. I didn't want to be known as "Valérie, the winner of VJ Recherchée," for the rest of my life, but I couldn't pass up an opportunity like that. So I signed up, promising myself that I'd stay true to my personality.

What was your life like before the contest?
I lived in an apartment in Repentigny and I had my daily routine. I worked from 9 to 5 at a furniture store.

And now?
Well, first of all, I've moved to Montreal. That's a big change! And there's not much routine in my life anymore. During the day, I get ready for my show, which airs live every day between 5 and 6 p.m. I also do some hosting then. At night, I go see shows to keep up to date on music and cultural happenings. I never slow down.

Tell us about your first day as an official host on MusiquePlus.
I won the contest last July 4, but I didn't hit the airwaves until August 27. During the summer, I was in training and I did a lot of off-camera interviews and a little hosting at outdoor events. On my first day as a host on Plus sur commande, Mathieu and I were launching the program schedule. We received all the other hosts who were coming to introduce their shows. It was really big! The show went all right for me, even if I was super stressed!

What have you learned in the past few months?
It's not really things I've learned to do, it's things I've learned to feel. For example, being more natural, more charismatic, feeling at ease on stage, being able to fool around without worrying about what people will think.

You've always dreamed of working in TV. Is it similar to what you imagined?
I already had a good idea of what it would be like because of school. But the adrenaline of being live is like nothing I'd ever felt in school.

Now that you've fulfilled your dream, what's next?
Good question! I think it's to reach the point where I won't have any negative nervousness when I'm hosting. You always need a little nerves, but it's better when it's positive. Eventually, I'd like to have my own show, like Chéli who hosts Mes vieux tout neufs. In the long run, my dream is to become a cultural reporter and animate a late-night talk show.

"Favourite" questions

What's your favourite interview so far? I've got to say the Dragonette band.

What's your all-time favourite album? Maybe it's not the best, but it's the one that brings back the most childhood memories: The Hits - Chapter One from the Backstreet Boys.

What's your all-time favourite song? I don't know. There are so many to choose from!

What band will you still listen to when you're 90? The Backstreet Boys! I'm cheesy and I'm not afraid to admit it!