ArtistDirect News
Ray Chew Keeps Dancing With the Stars Live Music Alive Amid Streaming Shift
Every morning that the sun rises over the ABC studio, a dozen musicians line up on the ballroom stage, ready to turn chart‑topping hits into live, pulse‑driven performances. That’s the reality for Ray Chew, the veteran music director who has guided Dancing With the Stars’ 14‑piece band for 17 seasons. As the 35th season launches on September 15 and 16, 2026, viewers will see a new lineup of celebrities—Ciara Miller, Julia Stiles, Amber Glenn and Jenna Dewan—dance to Chew’s arrangements. While the cast changes each year, the music remains a constant, anchoring the show’s rhythm and keeping audiences engaged across ABC, Disney+ and Hulu.
Chew’s day begins on Wednesday when the production team hands him the week’s song list. He calls the process “unbaking the cake”: he deconstructs each track to identify its core elements—instrumentation, vocal style, tempo and signature sounds—so the band can recreate the feel in a live setting. Over the next two days he arranges the pieces, tweaking harmonies and rhythms to match the choreography’s pacing. Saturday’s full‑band rehearsal sharpens the performance, and at 5:30 a.m. the next day the musicians take the stage while the live show airs. Chew’s precision ensures that every note supports the dancers’ movements and the audience’s expectations.
The job is relentless. Chew wakes at 3:30 a.m. and stays on set until the show ends, juggling a tight schedule and the ever‑present challenge of music‑clearance. A single song can involve multiple writers and publishers, and rights must be secured up to the last minute. The studio buzzes with coordination, as producers, choreographers, and musicians sync up, while Chew’s team handles the legal paperwork that can last hours. Themed nights—such as the recent Wicked musical tribute—often require last‑minute arrangement tweaks to satisfy original rights holders. Chew notes that even when the choreography shifts in real time, the band must be ready to adapt on the fly, keeping the performance seamless for viewers.
Chew’s résumé reads like a tour of television’s biggest stages. He began as a member of the Saturday Night Live band in the 1980s and later served as music director for the Grammys, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Miss Universe, the Emmys, the BET Awards, American Idol, and Showtime at the Apollo. Despite this breadth, he says DWTS remains a “unicorn” because it continues to employ a live 14‑piece band week after week—a rarity in an era that favors pre‑recorded music. Since joining in 2014, Chew has steered the show from a traditional ballroom sound toward a mix of contemporary pop, TikTok hits and diverse genres, reflecting the younger audience’s tastes and the choreographers’ real‑time demands.
Chew’s expertise has earned him recognition from artists and producers alike. During a week dedicated to Janet Jackson, he collaborated with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and after the episode aired the producers sent a thank‑you note for his faithful rendition. In a broader industry context, the shift toward master recordings has left many shows with pre‑recorded soundtracks, but DWTS’s live musicians inject a palpable energy that audiences appreciate. Streaming platforms have not altered Chew’s daily routine; two seasons ago, during the pandemic, the production adapted to remote work, but the core live performance remained unchanged. Chew explains that the dual broadcast on ABC and Disney+ does not affect the live music workflow— the band still performs in real time for the live audience while the same performance feeds both television and streaming feeds. This continuity ensures that the music’s immediacy is preserved, even as viewers choose their preferred platform. The 35th season’s premiere on September 15 and 16 marks another chapter in the show’s long history, underscoring the enduring appeal of live music on televised dance competition.
Chew’s day begins on Wednesday when the production team hands him the week’s song list. He calls the process “unbaking the cake”: he deconstructs each track to identify its core elements—instrumentation, vocal style, tempo and signature sounds—so the band can recreate the feel in a live setting. Over the next two days he arranges the pieces, tweaking harmonies and rhythms to match the choreography’s pacing. Saturday’s full‑band rehearsal sharpens the performance, and at 5:30 a.m. the next day the musicians take the stage while the live show airs. Chew’s precision ensures that every note supports the dancers’ movements and the audience’s expectations.
The job is relentless. Chew wakes at 3:30 a.m. and stays on set until the show ends, juggling a tight schedule and the ever‑present challenge of music‑clearance. A single song can involve multiple writers and publishers, and rights must be secured up to the last minute. The studio buzzes with coordination, as producers, choreographers, and musicians sync up, while Chew’s team handles the legal paperwork that can last hours. Themed nights—such as the recent Wicked musical tribute—often require last‑minute arrangement tweaks to satisfy original rights holders. Chew notes that even when the choreography shifts in real time, the band must be ready to adapt on the fly, keeping the performance seamless for viewers.
Chew’s résumé reads like a tour of television’s biggest stages. He began as a member of the Saturday Night Live band in the 1980s and later served as music director for the Grammys, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Miss Universe, the Emmys, the BET Awards, American Idol, and Showtime at the Apollo. Despite this breadth, he says DWTS remains a “unicorn” because it continues to employ a live 14‑piece band week after week—a rarity in an era that favors pre‑recorded music. Since joining in 2014, Chew has steered the show from a traditional ballroom sound toward a mix of contemporary pop, TikTok hits and diverse genres, reflecting the younger audience’s tastes and the choreographers’ real‑time demands.
Chew’s expertise has earned him recognition from artists and producers alike. During a week dedicated to Janet Jackson, he collaborated with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and after the episode aired the producers sent a thank‑you note for his faithful rendition. In a broader industry context, the shift toward master recordings has left many shows with pre‑recorded soundtracks, but DWTS’s live musicians inject a palpable energy that audiences appreciate. Streaming platforms have not altered Chew’s daily routine; two seasons ago, during the pandemic, the production adapted to remote work, but the core live performance remained unchanged. Chew explains that the dual broadcast on ABC and Disney+ does not affect the live music workflow— the band still performs in real time for the live audience while the same performance feeds both television and streaming feeds. This continuity ensures that the music’s immediacy is preserved, even as viewers choose their preferred platform. The 35th season’s premiere on September 15 and 16 marks another chapter in the show’s long history, underscoring the enduring appeal of live music on televised dance competition.