A well-known face on TV in Asia, Dom Lau hosts Asia Pop 40 – the first weekly chart countdown radio show that measures the success of the latest hits across the region.
Asia Radio Today spoke to Dom about his association with the three-hour show that plays out at many stations across Asia Pacific.
1. What makes Asia Pop 40 different from other chart shows?
Asia Pop 40 is the first show of it’s kind across the Asian region. The fact that we have partnered with the folks at iTunes makes us the only show that not only airs regionally across South East Asia, but who also play the songs that everyone in Asia knows and loves because it is the fans are who download the songs. It’s because of this model that I like to think of Asia Pop 40 as “Asia’s Playlist” – and that is what makes us unique.
2. You are best known as a model and from your TV presenting with E! and Channel [V]. Have you done much radio and is that as important to you as TV?
Hosting Asia Pop 40 is my first foray into radio. As a boy I used to make my own radio shows on my mother’s old dual-deck cassette stereo so I guess I’ve always had the radio bug. I enjoy my work on television and I take my work with Asia Pop 40 just as seriously.
3. Why did you want to be part of Asia Pop 40 specifically?
Who wouldn’t!? It took only a couple of meetings with executive producer and brainchild of Asia Pop 40, Rob Graham, to convince me that this was going to be a kick-ass show. I suppose the fact Asia Pop 40 is a syndicated show was probably a big influencer because it meant music fans all across the region had the opportunity to be a part of the show. Fans are important to me: it’s their show, I simply connect the dots.
4. More than 6 months in, how’s it going?
I don’t have any complaints. We started in Singapore, then Thailand and now we’re also on air in Indonesia. It’s been fantastic to see how much Asia Pop 40 has grown in such a short space of time. Each week we receive terrific feedback on our website (www.asiapop40.com) and on Twitter (@AsiaPop40) so we must be doing something right! Truth is, we have a great team working tirelessly on Asia Pop 40 every week and it’s their dedication to the show that has been key in making it work so well. Thanks guys – you know who you are!
5. What are your ambitions for the show?
Global domination! Chart shows are common across the world but they don’t use the same model that we do whereby the music played is determined by fans’ downloads on iTunes or on our website. We already have plans in place to start a Chinese-language version of the show which will certainly prove awesome for listeners in China, Taiwan and of course all the Chinese-speakers around South East Asia. If Ryan Seacrest can get “America Top 40” aired on Asian airwaves, I don’t see why we can’t get Asia Pop 40 aired over there!