Locals Elbaz and Wilde in the MuchMusic VJ hunt

Chosen with the help of devoted fans across Canada, the FRUCTIS FRUIT SENSATION PRESENTS: MUCH VJ SEARCH has dwindled down its premium VJ candidates to the official Top 20!  Much fans can now watch the drama unfold as the Top 20 take part in fierce competitions and exhilarating challenges . The  MUCH VJ SEARCH, hosted by Lauren Toyota, takes over the 6 p.m. ET timeslot, followed by the MUCH VJ SEARCH POST SHOW at 6:30 p.m. ET. For the Top 20 profiles, updates, and exclusive on-line content including video road diaries, daily pit-stop photos, and more, visit muchmusic.com/vjsearch.

Brandon Elbaz

Côte Saint-Luc's Brandon Elbaz and Chloe Wilde from West Island Hudson are the locals in the hunt.

Each of the talented Top 20 contestants have earned a coveted spot aboard the first ever FRUCTIS FRUIT SENSATION PRESENTS: MUCH VJ SEARCH tour bus, where they’ll compete to prove they have what it takes to be the next Much VJ. Making their way through seven cities across Canada, the VJ hopefuls face a series of elimination challenges including

Chloe Wilde

MMVA party-planning, morning show hosting, and celebrity interviews.

Adding a fresh new twist to this wild competition, Much VJs Damian Abraham, Phoebe Dykstra, Tyrone “T-RexXx” Edwards, Liz Trinnear, and Scott Willats each become a mentor to the VJ hopefuls, when the Top 10 are revealed in a nail-biting episode, Thursday, April 11 at 6 p.m. ET. The VJs each pick two competitors on April 12, who they will mentor by offering support, imparting wisdom, and encouraging viewers to vote for their faves, and ultimately, the winner of the MUCH VJ SEARCH on April 26.

Viewers can catch encore viewings of the MUCH VJ SEARCH daily at noon, Monday-Thursday at 11:30 p.m. ET, and back-to-back episodes Saturdays and Sundays, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. The top 10 will be chosen on April 11.

The Top 20 were chosen based on application videos that really stood out and best showcased the competitor’s talents, charm, and passion for all things entertainment. Largely influencing this decision are fans who continue to support their favourite VJ contestants by commenting, rating, and sharing their favourite VJ Search submissions at muchmusic.com/vjsearch. 

Here is Chloe's audition tape.  

The FRUCTIS FRUIT SENSATION PRESENTS: MUCH VJ SEARCH gives outgoing, entertaining, and hilarious Canadians a once-in-a-lifetime shot at becoming a Much VJ. No experience is required, but every contestant must be a music-lover, a pop-culture whiz, and have a knack for conversation and entertainment. The winner gets the coolest job in Canada, which includes meeting die-hard fans, interviewing A-List bands and artists, travelling across Canada, and working out of the renowned Much HQ at 299 Queen St. West in Toronto.

The MUCH VJ SEARCH has cemented itself as an iconic part of the Canadian media landscape. Each time around, the MUCH VJ SEARCH grows and changes its tune slightly, making the VJ hopefuls compete in a series of challenges to earn their spot as Much’s newest face. Back in 2006, the VJ Search was broadcast as a 10-episode reality competition, where hopefuls were eliminated by a panel of celebrity judges based on how well they performed at various TV hosting challenges. In 2009, the VJ Search went digital with VJ SEARCH 2.0, incorporating fan voting online and a competition streamed across muchmusic.com. 

Thanks to the folks at Bell Media for their usual amazing press releases.

Local boy Elbaz in the MuchMusicVJ hunt

Côte Saint-Luc's Brandon Elbaz, an 18 year old graduate of Bialik High School and present-day Media Art Studies (Communications) student at John Abbott College in Ste. Anne de Bellevue, has cracked the coveted top 40 in the  MuchMusic Canada-wide VJ Search.

Brandon Elbaz

"My passion is being in front of the camera and producing music in my home studio," he shared with me. " I knew that this is what I wanted to do following my first class at The Montreal School of Performing Arts, which sparked passion and love for the creative arts. With thousands of submissions Canada wide, to be named within the top 40 contenders has been a dream come true."

Elbaz says he wants to thank everyone who has showered him with support and kindness by voting for him to  get  into the top 20. That is being done via now by going to this link and under Top 40 type in Brandon Elbaz. You can vote daily via Facebook. Let's help this charismatic son of Herzliah High School teacher Patrick Elbaz and dynamic businesswoman Brenda Laredo reach his dream. The top 20 will travel to seven major Canadian cities in a reality show format, interviewing and  reporting, as well as showing creativity and passion for music.  

Elbaz in action

"Growing up I was that kid who would engolf himself in the crazy world that is pop culture," he said. "While all my friends where playing video games 24/7,  I was downloading album after album, and spending endless hours on the internet and watching MuchMusic  discovering new artists and bands. Music and pop culture is my life and it will be in my life till the day I die. I was born to be on MuchMusic."  

You can vote once daily to support Brandon by going to this site, www.muchmusic.com/vjsearch which is linked to one's  Facebook account.