In this interview, I’m talking with Melinda Lauw. She’s the cofounder of Whisperlodge – a company working to create in person ASMR experiences. Whisperlodge has toured San Francisco, L.A., and New York and even been featured in a Netflix documentary. ASMR is one of the more recent additions to audio entertainment (it stands for “Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response”) and it was fascinating to hear from someone who’s been on the forefront of this growing industry. In this first part of our interview, we’re discussing what ASMR is, and where you may have seen it in your own life!
We discuss the following in this interview:
- COVID in the United States and Canada
- How life looks for Melinda right now with COVID
- Her first take on ASMR
- 2008 was the first experience with ASMR
- 2010 – the term ASMR officially becomes coined
- The huge community of ASMR on YouTube
- The most frequently asked topic within ASMR – ASMR erotica
- The myth behind ASMR needing to be erotic, when in reality, it’s not
- The people who have made themselves up to enhance their ASMR pieces
- A woman in Japan who builds in her own sound design
- The time commitment it takes to create a YouTube video with ASMR
- Melinda’s now shifting from ASMR in real life into ASMR on YouTube
- Melinda’s process for creating her videos
- ASMR sub genres – eating, sex, no speaking, miniatures, etc.
- Melinda’s likes when it comes to what she produces and what she likes to watch herself
- The Netflix production of Whisperlodge
- Melinda walks us through how she was found for the Netflix production
- How different in person ASMR is compared to watching something on YouTube
- The intense immersion of ASMR
- ASMR in person, is not for everyone and requires you to be vulnerable
- Considerations that have to happen for in person ASMR
- The need for consent with each different element of ASMR
- The pros and cons of making an ASMR video – you don’t have any feedback
- Melinda’s preference to work with people she doesn’t know
If you want to find out more about Melinda, you can find her through the following:
Find out more about Whisperlodge: http://whisperlodge.nyc
See a video of an immersive live ASMR performance either on Netflix’s Follow This, Part 1, Episode 1 https://www.netflix.com/title/80217889
Or on Mashable https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKdW5k-7FcA&t=1s
Check out our ASMR videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/whisperlodge
This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco (http://www.humbertofranco.com/).
Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much!
And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – 5 Tips For Implementing An Intentional Audio Strategy at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/