Dennis Lau

Dennis Lau (born 9 September 1985) is a Malaysian electric violinist, pianist, songwriter and producer based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Known for his explosive stage performances with the violin, he released his maiden album "DiversiFy" in 2009, featuring an eclectic mix of musical genres and collaborating with several notable local artists.

Helming a music and production company, Lau is regarded as a patron of the arts, grooming young musicians and pursuing a broad range of collaborations.

[7] During this period, Lau performed as a soloist with the Universiti Malaya Symphony Orchestra (UMSO) in the presence of Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Azlan Shah.

In November 2009, Lau released his maiden album "DiversiFy", featuring classical music fused with elements of jazz, hip-hop and R&B.

Following the success of his first album, Lau released DiversiFy Limited Edition in November 2010, which included two trailers, behind-the-scenes footage, an exclusive soundtrack[7] and three bonus tracks.

Lau produced his first short film with award-nominated director Adrian Lai, titled "Prelude in F Minor", after one of the songs in the album, starring television personality Daphne Iking and drama regular Steve Yap.

His alma mater, USCI University, sponsored production for the film and it was launched at Zouk KL in conjunction with the limited edition release.

"[8] This habit of pursuing improbable collaborations and exploring the spaces between musical genres would remain persistent traits in Lau's career.

He was asked to open for American pop star Adam Lambert at Bukit Jalil Stadium, Kuala Lumpur during his Asia tour in 2010.

In 2011, he collaborated with Malaysian hardstyle duo DJ Bass Agents at Crown Casino Melbourne for the Merdeka celebrations in Australia.

[9] In 2012, Lau kept to his spree of performing in the presence of royalty, playing at the Installation Ceremony of the King at Istana Negara, the official residence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the monarch of Malaysia.

During the royal visit to Malaysia by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Lau was blessed to give a performance.

Collaborating with Moots of Pop Shuvit, Thanuja Ananthan the Miss World Malaysia 2009 and acclaimed fashion designer Bernard Chandran,[9] the single, distributed by Sony Music Entertainment debuted on 12 August 2012 on Malaysian radio station HITZ.FM English Chart.

[24] After six years of consideration, Lau finally decides in 2016 to commission renowned luthier Alistair Hay of the acclaimed Emerald Guitars to build a custom-made violin.

[26] In his signature style, the concert featured several mixed ensembles, showcasing the array of talent Lau has collaborated with over the years, including Ning Baizura, Jimmy Sax, Syafinaz Selamat, Atilia Haron and Soo Wincci.

[29] Alongside musicians, Lau, with Jennifer Thompson as show producer and notable composer Audrey Suwito as music director, incorporated rhythmic gymnasts (including the 1998 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Sarina Sundara Rajah and her protégé) and speed painters into the performances, with some 3500 people attending.

[30] In May 2016, Lau was selected by the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) to represent the country as a delegate to Marché International du Disque et de l'Edition Musicale (MIDEM) in Cannes, France.

[citation needed] In 2018, Lau saw increasing collaboration with Singaporean musician Hanjin Tan on several songs, "Lafite", "Da Call", and "You Are The Most Beautiful".

[38] The all-Malaysian, multi-racial blend of artists rendered Malay, English and Chinese songs and featured a partnership with education NGO Teach For Malaysia (TFM).

[43] In March 2020, as the COVID-19 virus begins to affect the South East Asian region, especially after the four-day "Itjima Tabligh" religious gathering at Masjid Jamek Sri Petaling in Kuala Lumpur which saw 14,500 Malaysians attending an event where 40 tested positive,[44] Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin declared the first nationwide lockdown, dubbed the Movement Control Order (MCO).

[47] In the course of the pandemic and the later MCO 2.0 and 3.0, this project later evolved into "Ah Lau Food King" and involved a larger roster of products, including condiments and fresh seafood supplied to households and local Chinese restaurants.

[51] In July, Tinta died,[52] unexpectedly leaving "Glory" his final project with Lau and this deeply affected the violinist, who had a unique and extensive working relationship with him.

[51] Presently, Lau continues performing at notable functions and events in the South East Asian region while managing his food businesses and entertainment company as an entrepreneur.

"[8] The album has elements of classical music fused with jazz, hip-hop and R&B, which demonstrate Lau's natural inclination to eclecticism in art.

[17] The first album is titled "DiversiFy" because Lau believed in the breadth of the violin—"I want to show people that the violin, as an instrument, can create a new beat to any kind of music.

[6] Back in 2012, Lau experimented with multi-disciplinary art with "Gotcha Style", a track and music video collaborating with rappers, dancers, and fashion designer Bernard Chandran to bring violin and vocals together with pop and dance.

"It is the closest instrument to a voice, I feel," he reflects, "the violin allows me a flexibility and versatility on stage that I can't find with the piano."

Hay built a compact, sleek, tear-drop shaped carbon fiber electric violin, meant to be fastened to Lau's body via a bespoke harness allowing the violinist to position the instrument out of the way when needed.

[54] With the label of "Little Starlet", Crystal burst into the entertainment scene with her critically acclaimed role opposite Jay Chou and Nicholas Tse in the blockbuster feature film "Viral Factor", released in 2012.