Jason Derulo, John Legend Among CMT Awards’ VIPs

The 24-year-old R&B singer is one of several surprising guests on Wednesday night’s country music video awards show (8 p.m. EDT), keeping with CMT’s tradition of unlikely matchups. Derulo thinks his appearance in Nashville is right in line with the modern musical landscape, and by the end of the night, he hopes to help spur another country crossover hit.

“It’s really cool, man, because I’ve always dreamed of having my music cross boundaries and enter into different walks of life,” Derulo said. “Just because you love country music doesn’t mean you can’t love other genres of music. So the fact that they thought of my song to be at the CMTs is unbelievable. I’m just really excited more than anything and I have my cowboy hat on deck.”

CMT also has matched up John Legend with Jennifer Nettles and Hunter Hayes to sing Legend’s No. 1 hit “All of Me.” And CMT will salute Alan Jackson’s 25th anniversary in music by pairing Kacey Musgraves and Lee Ann Womack in tribute.

Derulo, Bryan and FGL will perform the latter two acts’ team-up “This Is How We Roll” before Derulo segues into his hit “Talk Dirty.” (Organizers say there’s another surprise in the show-opening performance that even Derulo is unaware of.)

And if the hitmakers have their way, the performance won’t be the last time you hear a “This Is How We Roll” collaboration this summer. They’ll launch a remix of the song by Derulo and “Talk Dirty” producer Wallpaper on iTunes in conjunction with the show, and everyone hopes the song captures the same pop party vibe that made FGL’s “Cruise” remix with Nelly a crossover hit.

“I’m obsessed with it,” Derulo said of the “This Is How We Roll” remix. “I know I’m in the thick of it, but I’ve listened to that song a million times, literally. I actually really, really love it. The melodies on that song are crazy and the marriage between that and bringing more of a pop flavor … I really think it’s something special. I hope that people like it half as much as I do. If people like it half as much as I do we’re in good shape.”