If you know me or have scrolled through my Instagram, you likely understand why people call me “that girl who meets tons of celebs.” It’s true—I’ve been lucky to meet A-listers like George Clooney (he really did say I was the best!), Selena Gomez (multiple times!), Michael B. Jordan (People’s Sexiest Man of 2020 😉) and Khloe Kardashian, just to name a few. This year, the pandemic certainly disrupted my normal celebrity selfie streak, but the rise of virtual concerts and meet-and-greets also allowed me to score once-in-a-lifetime experiences with several of my favourite artists.

As I look back on the year’s camera roll and prepare for another year of being a ~professional fangirl~, read through the inside scoop on my best and worst (!) celeb encounters of 2020. I’m not sparing any details!

Best

Sidney Crosby

Let’s start with one of the highlights of my year, if not my entire life. Sidney Crosby is my all-time fave hockey player and I’ve had so many close encounters with him, to the point my friends and I were nearly convinced I was cursed. I actually did get a car selfie with Sid a few years ago (hi, 2015 Angela!) at the Pittsburgh Penguins’ practice facility, but I was determined to get a full body/posed photo and say more than just “Hi, can I get a picture?!?”

In February pre-pandemic, when we were all more optimistic about everything in life, I declared it was about time I get that photo. I dragged my up-for-anything work friend on an adventure to the team hotel (which is very well documented) in Toronto. By some MIRACLE, we were there for no more than 15 minutes before the heavens—that is, the elevator doors—opened and I got my moment with Sidney! He was very gracious with both of us and I was able to quickly tell him how much this meant to me.

As you can imagine, seeing Sidney made attending the game later that much sweeter. I’m looking forward to the return of the NHL in 2021 — and fingers crossed that my Penguins make it into the playoffs! 🐧

Julia Michaels and JP Saxe

Though you probably know these two talented artists together from their critically-acclaimed hit duet “If The World Was Ending” (unknowingly-yet-perfectly timed for the events of 2020), I’m a long-time fan of both Julia Michaels and JP Saxe individually.

Julia, a songwriter to the stars, has been a writing inspiration of mine for years, and I know JP through the Toronto music industry circles. It was fitting, then, that I ended up meeting them both on the same night!

In January, after it was confirmed JP and Julia were dating (how adorable!), I saw Julia post that she was with JP as he rehearsed for a show that night in Toronto. I got to the venue early enough to catch them both heading to a pre-show dinner and they could not have been kinder!

I saw Julia first and it was so cool to snap a few selfies with her and chat about her beautiful lyrics and headlining show in Toronto just two months prior.

Shortly after, I caught up with JP and complimented his Raptors shirt—the perfect attire for a sold-out show in his hometown!

I’m so happy JP and Julia now have their first GRAMMY nomination together for this song. Song of the Year…no big deal! For more from Julia and JP, listen to their heartwarming new holiday single, “Kissin’ in the Cold.”

Ally Brooke

Meeting Fifth Harmony singer Ally Brooke this past year will always be memorable for two reasons: It was Ally’s first headlining tour and concert in Toronto, which is always a special show (ask any artist!), and it was my first meet-and-greet—just days before the March lockdown—where you had to use hand sanitizer before you went up to the musician. Thinking about sanitizer and other forms of PPE and physical distancing, it’s truly insane to consider how much will change within the live event industry once we start returning to “normal.”

On the bright side of things, Ally was an absolute sweetheart, spending several minutes talking with each fan at the M&G and even coming back out to take more photos and sign autographs for anyone who waited after the show. This was my second time meeting Ally after having interviewed Fifth Harmony early in their career, and she somehow remembered exact details about that day! It always strikes me when artists manage to remember details about fans and/or interviewers and it proves the appreciation and love often goes both ways.