Australian-Sri Lankan singer-songwriter Alston Koch was named as the Commonwealth Union Envoy to Australia and the Pacific Region in October 2025, adding to his illustrious career that includes music, film, and advocacy. In his new role, Koch represents the organization’s commitment to regional cooperation, inclusivity, and sustainability under the Commonwealth People’s Charter.
Known worldwide as Asia’s King of Pop, Koch, as a member of the Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), has spent decades shaping the sound and image of modern pop in both Asia and Australia. Representing 124,000 songwriters, composers, and music publishers, the organisation safeguards the intellectual property of creators by ensuring they are fairly compensated whenever their work is performed, broadcast, or copied.
Born in Sri Lanka before later settling down in Sydney, Koch rose to prominence during the late 1970s as one of the region’s most widely acclaimed performers. The media dubbed him Asia’s King of Pop in honour of his success in the charts as well as his influence across multiple countries, including Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and India. His fusion of disco, pop, and tropical rhythms helped define a musical era that brought Asian artists into international markets.
In Australia, Koch formed the band Dark Tan, which became one of the earliest disco acts in the country. Under the RCA label, Dark Tan released several hits, including the gold-certified “Disco Lady”, which won Best New Talent at the 1979 International Disc Jockey Association Awards. Both the Observer newspaper and The Daily Mirror (Australia) later named the group Best Disco Band. Koch and his band were credited by music historian Glenn A. Baker as pioneers of disco in Australia—an accolade that solidified their place in the nation’s music history.
The Australian Task Force commissioned him in 1986 to produce The Kookaburra Connection, the official America’s Cup album. The race widely broadcasted its theme song, “Kookaburra”, which became a symbol of national pride. Later albums, including Don’t Funk With Me (2012), showcased his adaptability by blending funk and contemporary pop, with the track “Soul Sounds” launching during an international cricket final, a first for any Australian artist.
Throughout his career, Koch has released more than 20 singles and four albums under major labels such as RCA, BMG, EMI, and Sony, with his work earning multiple gold and platinum records, as well as recognition from the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). He has also been a long-time tourism ambassador for Sri Lanka, promoting the island’s culture and heritage abroad since 2007.
Koch’s reach has never been confined to music. In 2008, he wrote and performed Can We Take This Climate Change, a song that was presented at the World Trade Organisation in London and later featured at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. Described by a UK government minister as a “gift in song to the world”, it was part of his campaign with the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) for green growth and sustainable development. His environmental advocacy later inspired A Symphony for Change, launched on World Environment Day 2018 in Mexico City to raise awareness about plastic waste.
In recognition of the influence he has on a global scale, Koch has received commendations from the California State Senate and the United States Congress for his contributions to community development. In 2010, he was inducted into the Hard Rock Hotel’s Hall of Fame in Thailand and was named Global Entertainer of the Year at the Ada Derana Sri Lankan of the Year Awards in 2018.
Venturing outside his career in music, Koch has also made his mark in film, having played the lead role opposite Jacqueline Fernandez in the Sri Lankan film According to Mathew and working as a producer on international projects such as Impact Earth and The Road from Elephant Pass.
