Tag: australia

First Nations Voices To Be Spotlighted at Spotify’s Sound Up Bootcamp Australia

October 8, 2018

Storytelling, passed down from generation to generation, is integral to Australia’s history—from its earliest inhabitants to the killer beats and exuberant instrumentation of today’s hip-hop. To better surface First Nations (Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander) voices, Spotify is inviting aspiring First Nations storytellers across Australia to apply for the Sound Up Bootcamp four-day residential podcasting workshop in Sydney from November 26 to 29.

The third installment of our global Sound Up Bootcamp initiative, Sound Up Bootcamp Australia gives fresh talent a creative platform to share their work with the widest possible audience.

First Nations artists have long been on our radar; this year we’ve created and promoted a number of First Nations playlists, including Black Australia, Deadly Beats, and Original Storytellers. We’ve also formed partnerships with Barunga Festival and the National Indigenous Music Awards, where Baker Boy was recently awarded a Spotify studio grant following his Best New Artist award win.

The Australia program follows Spotify’s Sound Up Bootcamp US (which received more than 18,000 applications) and the recently announced Sound Up Bootcamp UK. The US program was successful in “stimulating amazing ideas and facilitating a truly unique and important community of aspiring women of colour podcasters,” says Jane Huxley, Managing Director, of Spotify Australia and New Zealand.

“What Spotify is offering through Sound Up is a hugely exciting opportunity for First Nations producers and storytellers. The podcasting medium in Australia continues to experience massive growth and now is an ideal time for the voices and stories of Indigenous Australia to find their place within the audio landscape,” says Emily Nicol, an Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander radio producer and the curator of Spotify’s flagship First Nations playlist Black Australia. Emily will facilitate the program in conjunction with Audiocraft, a leading Australian podcast organization.

Sound Up Bootcamp Australia will walk participants through the process of podcast creation—turning an idea into a story arc, finding their voice, learning about their audience, and skilling up on recording techniques. Applicants don’t need to have any prior podcasting experience—just something to say, a passion for the medium, and an eagerness to bring their great ideas to life. Attendees will also receive mentoring and networking opportunities with well-known podcasters and radio greats who also identify as First Nations people.

From the pool of applicants, 10 individuals will be chosen to participate in the program. Those selected will receive a round-trip flight to Sydney and accommodation for the duration of the bootcamp if they reside outside of Sydney, and the opportunity to spend four days at Spotify Australia’s headquarters. Three finalists will leave the program with a cash grant, podcast production equipment, and extended mentorship opportunities.

Ready to share your story? To be considered, please apply before midnight on October 29 at https://spoti.fi/soundupsydney. See website for full terms and conditions.

Kendrick, Halsey, Post Malone and Other Surprising Artists on Yoga Playlists Around the World

June 20, 2018

Yoga might be an ancient art, but the 5,000-year-old practice remains as essential to modern life as ever. Yogis throughout the world enjoy both the physical and emotional benefits from yoga, which is thought to be calming and restorative. But that doesn’t mean the soundtrack to accompany it has to be.

While soothing, ambient sounds—like Tibetan singing bowls and chimes, and the serene tones of nature—tend to comprise the traditional yoga soundtrack, some 21st-century practitioners have begun to think outside the box. In fact, when we dug into common unexpected genres found on yoga playlists, we found that pop, hip-hop, rock, R&B, and reggae are being used to inspire yoga practices. For some, yoga is no longer just about mastering asanas (postures), but taking the opportunity to get creative and expressive with the right beats to match.

“There is a growing interest globally on the impact certain music has on performance,” says Dr. Amanda Krause, a psychologist and Research Fellow at The University of Melbourne, Australia, who specializes in the social and applied psychology of music. “We refer to it in the industry as ‘musical fit,’ where the type of music you feel ‘fits’ an activity creates an impact on the way you physically react.”

“A person’s judgement of musical fit relates to their listening preferences, environment, and goal for certain practices,” Amanda explains. “For example, with yoga, the variety of music is chosen with regard to how it helps timing, focus, and motivation, which in turn enhances your overall performance.”

People aren’t just enjoying the unexpected and non-traditional music when practicing yoga, they’re potentially getting performance benefits from it, too. And more than ever—there’s been an 11% increase in yoga playlist streams year-over-year—they’re turning to one of Spotify’s 2.4 million user-generated, yoga-inspired playlists to stream while in downward dog.

“While music has always been a huge part of our lives, the advent of streaming has made it even more so, to the point that nowadays we even shape our yoga practice around it,” says Julie Stevanja, Stylerunner CEO.

“This evolution of using music as the base of our practice has almost become a yoga style of its own. It’s all about tapping into our subconscious, which music allows us to do more freely. Upbeat songs make poses stronger and more dynamic, while relaxing tunes can help us feel more grounded in our resting poses.”

If you’re looking to spice up your own yoga playlist, look no farther than some of the top streamed songs on yoga playlists around the world—from Toronto to Bali—and as you can see from this list, music of all types is being played in the yoga studio.

1. Kendrick Lamar – LOVE. FEAT. ZACARI.

2. Halsey – Now Or Never

3. Post Malone – I Fall Apart

4. Khalid – Location

5. Bob Marley and The Wailers – Is This Love

6. Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton – Say Something

7. Future ft. Rihanna – Selfish

8. The xx – Intro

9. Coldplay – Fix You

10. José González – Heartbeats

11. Sia – Breathe Me

12. ODESZA – Kusanagi

13. Leon Bridges – River

14. Rae Sremmurd – Do Yoga

15. Florence and the Machine – Shake It Out

16. Van Morrison – Into The Mystic

17. Ryan Adams – Wonderwall

18. Andra Day – Rise Up

19. Pearl Jam – Just Breathe

20. The Lumineers – Stubborn Love

“Handstand with Splits”
Image credit: Stylerunner

 

If you’re looking for some more traditional, curated yoga playlists, look no further than one of our many yoga or meditation options.

For many modern yogis, music is fun and motivating; for others, silence is still golden. No matter your preference or style, it’s clear that traditional yoga music is now anything but.