Gerald Koh co-hosts the Morning Drive Time show ‘Get Up with Gerald & Kim’ with Kimberly Wang on 987FM, Singapore’s Number 1 Hit Music Station. Gerald is expecting his first child, due in November 2021. The popular DJ Gerald Koh has a mighty following on social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. He enjoys sharing his journey in life with his listeners and fans.
Our Parenting World Media editorial team speaks to Gerald where he shares about his excitement on being a first-time Dad and his work at 987FM.
Exclusive Interview with 987FM DJ Gerald Koh
1. Please share with us more about your background and what made you decide to be a radio deejay?
Gerald Koh: I started my radio journey in 2008 and was then just an intern. The boss put me on air to fill in another DJ because he was on urgent leave! But I’ve always wanted to do radio since I was a secondary school kid, when I would be hogging on to the home phone to call in to the radio station to win prizes. It was an obsession that turned out to be a dream haha.
2. What is your typical daily schedule like?
Gerald Koh: I wake up at 430am, be at the studio by 530 and finish the show at 10. Huddle for meetings till about 2pm and break for lunch. Rush home for a power nap from 4 to 530pm and hit the gym at 630pm. Dinner at 8pm, and sleep again at 11pm! And it’s groundhog day again. Ok kidding it isn’t so bad haha!
3. Congratulations on being a father to your first child due in November 2021! How are you preparing, getting ready for fatherhood?
Gerald Koh: Thank you! And I’m really excited! I think I’ve overprepared hahaha! I showed signs of it when I purchased a pram when my wife was just 9 weeks in. Many friends judged me for it, but I don’t care! It didn’t quite hit me that my baby is actually arriving so soon until I received the admission email for the hospital recently. But yes, I’m glad I’ve purchased all the baby essentials and the nursery is ready to go!
All images credit to Gerald Koh
4. How do you support your wife during her pregnancy?
Gerald Koh: I’ve done very little to be honest. My wife’s the best because no tantrums or blues came my way. But I’ve tried to make her journey a lot more enjoyable by grabbing hints from her about what she’d like to eat the next day and would drive out to get it as a surprise. I’m also the sugar calculator and would ensure she doesn’t take it too much sugar in what she eats to prevent a chance for gestational diabetes.
5. What do you like to do in your free time?
Gerald Koh: I love travelling, but it’s been such a long time since we could. I spend a lot of time with my dogs at home. I watch a lot of kdramas these days too! Oh and I try and fill any chance of some free time with sleep.
6. What is it like to be a radio deejay for 987FM? What is the profile of your listeners like at 987FM?
Gerald Koh: I’m thoroughly enjoying my time here at 987! It has been a dream to be on this station as it was definitely the one I grew up with listening to whilst doing my homework or in the car when Dad would take me to school. And because it is a younger station, I can always mask my age with it. Hahaha! But I think my brain is still stuck at 24, so I fit in quite nicely. I think.
987 has a wide range of listeners. From the young ones at school, to the young at heart who can’t seem to shake off the latest pop music.
7. Can you share more about your work at 987FM and what projects are you currently working on?
Gerald Koh: I do the morning show with Kimberly on weekdays from 6 to 10am! One of our latest campaigns that we’re doing on air is the Great Get up Exchange, where we get our listeners to exchange whatever they have at home with one of our big prizes! We’ve given away a full work-from-home desk set up, a Mini Electric Car driving experience and many more! But we’re doing something really lovely very soon, and that is to help a family in need build a nursery and fit in all the baby essentials fully paid!
8. Any tips/advices that you would like to share with our Fathers-to-be readers and on becoming a new Dad?
Gerald Koh: I’m really not sure if I’m worthy enough to be sharing advice as it is my first time being a father haha! But maybe try and make the pregnancy journey for your wife a lot more comfortable just by being there at meals everyday. Build the nursery together and accompany her to every visit to the gynae if possible 🙂
9. How can one become a radio deejay in Singapore and what’s your advice to someone who aspires to be a radio deejay?
Gerald Koh: It takes 10% luck 30% passion and 60% hard work to be in this industry. My only advice is to not come in as a radio DJ thinking you’re gonna take home a wad of cash, cos it is not going to happen. With perseverance and passion put into what you do day in day out, you would be recognised in the later years and the money will definitely come.
10. Lastly, what’s your next project and any upcoming shows that you would like to share with our readers?
Gerald Koh: In these past few months, my wife and I have come to realise that it could really be quite taxing on young or lower income parents when it comes to having a baby. And I brought this up to Kimberly Wang, my morning show partner. We’re so excited to be doing something for a listener who needs some help in getting their basic nursery essentials. So we are pooling money together to provide a fully functional nursery to someone who is finding it quite difficult during this tough time! I can’t wait for that to happen!
Catch Gerald Koh on 987FM at https://www.melisten.sg/radio/987
