Anson Lo interview: Dance is inseparable from his life, the MIRROR star said as he reflected on how choreography has driven his music and acting career.
From a contestant on ViuTV’s talent show King Maker (全民造星) to a member of the boy band MIRROR, Anson Lo has gone from an unknown to one of Hong Kong’s most visible performers.
Born a dancer and still the group’s primary dance specialist, he credits years of practice for the stage presence fans now see, and says the discipline that made him a sought-after backup dancer ultimately prepared him to become a front-and-center star.
He told us that without dance, there would be no Anson Lo. He said he once left school to pursue his “dance dream,” a decision that led to family tension but also to personal fulfillment that money could not buy.
That perseverance brought him to the attention of industry figures and led to his King Maker audition. Although he did not make the final 12 through the televised vote, he was invited to join MIRROR and began a rapid rise in Hong Kong entertainment.
Dance, he says, gave him more than career success: it taught him confidence and courage on stage.
Anson Lo interview: “Dance is an inseparable item in my life”
Anson said he first encountered dance in Form Four and only fully committed in university, but by then the need to move to music had already become hardwired into him.
“Dance takes up three quarters of Anson Lo’s time,” he said, laughing. When music plays, he added, there is no need to overthink: he is fully engaged and enjoying the moment, whether on a small stage or in front of tens of thousands of people.
He described this year as a milestone for performance, noting that in just two and a half years since his debut with MIRROR, he completed the group’s second concert in May.
He recalled the nerves around the first MIRROR concert, when the group changed from amateurs to professionals in just weeks. “We had no experience and doubted if we could pull such a big show,” he said, adding that the group approached it with youthful boldness and a do-it-now attitude.
For Anson, the difference between solo and group performance is clear: solo spots can feel lonely and pressure-filled, because success or failure rests squarely on one performer. On stage with 11 bandmates, he said, the energy is shared and members can cover each other’s gaps.
Dance taught him to be himself
He described his decision to move from dance teacher to pop star as bold and risky. He had taught for two years and learned for two years, he said, and stepping out of that comfort zone meant accepting a path he did not know how to walk.
“It was risky, but letting go led to a bigger stage and more meaningful rewards,” he said. He credits a former teacher’s advice that personality shows through dance, no matter the music or style.
“Dance cannot fool people,” he said. Only when emotion and commitment are genuine does a performance move an audience.
Anson Lo interview: On stage, he still gets nervous
Even now, he said, there is always a trace of pre-show nerves. “When the music starts and I move, I relax,” he said. He described the sensation of hearing a beat and feeling each beat appear in front of him, a precision he strives to capture.
He said dance remains central even as his schedule now includes acting and recording. He joked that he often tells staff, “Wow, it’s been a long time since I danced,” the longing revealing how much the art form still matters to him.
During the interview we put on music and asked him to freestyle. Without rehearsal, he moved with the ease of a practiced dancer and earned warm applause from the room.
Acting, playlists, and wanting new challenges
Anson has expanded into acting, with roles across TV and film. He said preparing for his role in the popular TV drama Ossan’s Love (大叔的愛) included watching the Japanese original and building a personal playlist to inhabit his character’s emotions.
He said early stage fright made even short scenes sweat-inducing, but experience helped him relax and treat each role seriously. “I do not want to let down the original creators’ hard work,” he said.
Looking forward, he wants to explore roles that are the opposite of the gentle characters he has played, including parts that are scheming or volatile. He said an actor must first believe in the script to make a role authentic.
Staying true, staying passionate
Asked what he hopes Anson Lo will be in five or ten years, he smiled and said he wants to remain passionate, the same person who once walked into the King Maker audition chasing a dream.
“I hope Anson Lo remains a person with passion,” he said. He emphasized wanting to keep the hunger for work and the same warmth toward people and projects, not fame for fame’s sake.
Whether on a concert stage or on a drama set, he said his constant is the same: give everything to the performance and remain honest. That, he believes, is what audiences respond to.
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Executive Producer: Angus Mok
Producer: Vicky Wai
Photography: Matt Yau
Videography: Anson Chan, Andy Lee
Styling: Vicky Wai
Make Up: Rainbow Chung @ Annie.G Chan Makeup
Hair: Denny Ku @ Chic Private i Salon
Video Editor: Anson Chan
Editor: Carson Lin, Ruby Yiu
Designer: Tanna Cheng
Jewellery: BVLGARI
Wardrobe: Gucci, Celine, Tom Ford, Loewe
