Source: Jackie Hicks / Jackie Hicks
Virginia Beach, Virginia native Asia Chandler grew up listening to Virginia radio and was inspired to pursue a career in broadcasting at a very young age. She spent many hours talking and singing into her hairbrush, and then at the tender age of 9, she received the best gift ever. It was a toy from Radio Shack, that allowed her to talk over AM stations, and that was it. As she grew up, her passion for radio grew even more intense and she chose to study Communications and Journalism in college.
Asia later moved to Boston Massachusetts, where she attended Northeastern University and got her feet wet at the student-run station 104.9 WRBB. After graduating with honors and dual degrees (Bachelor of Art in Journalism and a Bachelor of Art in Communication), Asia tried to pursue a career in radio and television but could not find a job in her field. Until one day in 2001, a radio station popped up, that no one knew about. She heard an announcement that they were looking for fresh new voices for the station. She agreed to accompany a friend who wanted to audition, and she found herself in line with more than 3,000 people. Convinced by her friend to audition, Asia finally agreed to go for the position and for days anxiously waited to receive the results. When the results were in, Asia was one of the finalists and she got her very first start at Radio One in Boston.
She spent several years with Radio One at WBOT, Hot 97.7 serving as the “Heat Wave” evening host, the “Hot Spot” Entertainment Reporter and the Afternoon Mid-Day host until landing a full-time on-air position with Citadel on Hot 106 in Providence. Everything came full circle when she started her dream job hosting mornings at WBCG on Big City 101.3 in October 2007. She won “The Best of Boston Award” for four consecutive years, The Urban Music Award for Best Radio Personality for four consecutive years, the Garrison Awards and other local accolades proving that her talent was as great as her passion. However, after four years of success on Morning Mayhem, unfortunately the station was sold and changed formats. It was then that Asia decided to make a change.
Asia relocated to the Washington, D.C . area in 2011 as a freelance Entertainment Reporter. In August of 2015, she returned to her Radio One home where it all started. In just months Asia was promoted from one weekend shift, to two shifts and two different stations within the Radio One family. Shortly after that time, Asia received an even bigger opportunity, and landed the Entertainment Reporter position on the “Donnie Simpson Show” with a segment called “Can We Talk?” She can now be heard Saturday’s from 3-7 p.m. on “Afternoons with Asia.” In May of 2017, Asia accepted a new opportunity to host her own show on Magic 95.9 FM Baltimore Sunday through Thursday from 7 p.m. to midnight on “After Hours with Asia.”
