Austin Mahone kicked off the 2013 VMAs pre-show in Brooklyn, N.Y. with Ariana Grande on Sunday not long before he took home the Artist to Watch award.

The 17-year-old took to the stage to sing his latest hit What About Love. Flanked on either side by young fans, Mahone gradually sang and danced his way from the red carpet to the main stage. The track is the second single to release off of his upcoming debut album, Junior Year. The single was released as a digital download on June 10 and the album is due out in the fall.

Mahone wore a black-and-red leather vest and loose pants. He showcased his svelte dance moves on the stage but left the back flips and somersaults for his dance crew. Lyrics to the song include "Moving on you say/Here I stand/Watching Every Night Get Colder."

The likes of Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and Demi Lovato have performed for the VMAs pre-show slot in the past.  

Mahone said in an interview before the show that he had been vigorously preparing for the big day.

"I'm really excited because it is my first VMA appearance and performance, and it's going to be really good," he told the Hollywood Reporter two days before the show. "I'm doing a lot of dance rehearsals. I am getting my wardrobe together. I'm training my voice, getting my singing lessons going and getting better as a dancer and a performer every day. I'm going to nail it."

The day before the show Mahone suggested that he would probably relax and go to bed early. He took his mother as his date for the event, and his manager and best friends also attended.

After his big win at VMAs he said he felt amazing.

"It's the best day ever. It was an honor to even be on the carpet, but I performed, and I won the award, so I couldn't have asked for a better night," he said.

Watch the video of his performance here:

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