Each week, our Rising Star feature introduces a new name set to shake up the industry. Here, we meet Deezer's global pop editor Dom Wallace...
How did you break into the industry?
I started working at BBC Radio London in 2012 when I was 18, assisting the head of music with music programming, logging and playlist editorial. It was an amazing year to be part of that station. I joined Deezer in 2016 as UK and Ireland editor, and recently broadened my scope to become Deezer’s global pop editor.
What is the key to a great playlist?
At the heart of a great playlist is the user. It’s important to understand everything from a user’s favourite artist to what time they are listening to the playlist. We aim to ensure our playlists always feel personalised and relevant, taking it to the next step with our Flow feature. The overall aim is to engage and give each specific user a reason to come back to that playlist.
What are the most important aspects of music discovery?
Playlists still play a key role in driving music discovery in 2018. Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than seeing an artist’s audience grow as a direct result of being added to a specific playlist. Connecting artists with audiences is at the heart of what we do.
How do you see the future of new music?
The future is very bright as there are so many routes to market now. I’m very proud of the work we’ve done on Deezer Next, our own emerging global artists programme, to support talent such as Rag’N’Bone Man and Anne-Marie. We’ve helped them grow a global fanbase and I can’t wait to see what we can do to help the artists on our 2018 programme such as Jorja Smith, Yxng Bane, Zak Abel and Lewis Capaldi.
How can DSPs help artists?
Labels, managers and distributors have access to editors like me who curate playlists for a global audience. It’s an exciting prospect for any new artist. For example, I love regularly checking Twitter and seeing an artist like Joel Baker retweet a Deezer user in Brazil that posted about his latest single. Seeing artists thrive on our platform and grow their audience is what drives me to come into work.
What’s your biggest ambition?
At the minute I’m focused on helping Deezer grow its global footprint, so that I can reach even more music fans around the world and share great pop music. I’m driven by helping people find their next favourite song and as long as I can keep doing that, I’ll be a happy man.
DOM'S RECOMMENDED TRACK:
FOLLOW 
