Tag: Black

GLOW Artist Joy Oladokun Embraces the Beauty in the Unexpected

April 25, 2023

Joy Oladokun is one of those self-proclaimed “rare birds” who didn’t set out to become a professional musician. The fact that Joy now gets to write, record, and perform music for themself and other Black queers like them is still nothing less than magic. “Maybe it’s my religious trauma, but I feel this responsibility as an artist—and not in a heavy way, in a truthful way—that if I’m going to ask people to listen to me, I want to say things that matter,” the 31-year-old, Nashville-based songwriter told For the Record. “I want to make work that builds a bridge.”

While living in LA after college, Joy found a job singing background vocals for a rock artist, and from there began to write music for low-budget videographers. The work snowballed into a viral gig, and eventually, a publishing deal. A few albums, plenty of singles, and an enviable number of high profile collaborations later, Joy is now preparing to release a new album and then go on tour with collaborator Noah Kahan. To top it off, she was just named Spotify’s latest GLOW artist. 

GLOW is our global music program celebrating and amplifying LGBTQIA+ artists and creators. We’ll support Joy on-platform with a dedicated hub and flagship GLOW playlist, and off-platform via billboards and other takeovers. The visibility, to her, is crucial—online as well as in real life. 

“Nashville reminds me of the small town that I grew up in, in rural Arizona. And it’s really interesting being so Black and so queer in a place that, at least on the outside, wants to pretend that you don’t exist. I think that there’s this real ownership and identity for me that has happened here. Yes, it’s a country music town, and I’m not a country musician, but I feel just as at home writing songs and making music here.”

Joy always believed in the power of storytelling and songwriting, and now, they have the opportunity and the audience to tell their own stories. 

“As a songwriter, I got to a place where I could have written a song for an Ariana Grande or a Carrie Underwood and that could have been gratifying. But I also was looking around the playing field and not seeing anybody like me and not seeing anybody telling stories like mine in a way that I resonated with,” they said. “There are obviously queer artists, there are obviously Black queer artists—thank God for Lil Nas X—but I think for the kids who grew up watching too much Star Wars and listening to Paul Simon and geeking out to the harmonies in Crosby, Stills, and Nash records, and also lying on the floor and listening to Linkin Park’s Meteora because it’s the best thing ever, I think I fill that gap. And I get to remind people that Blackness and queerness and womanhood and gender are not monoliths.”

Listen to her tracks “sunday” or “jordan” and you might just hear a 21st-century Tracy Chapman with hints of Bob Marley, Phil Collins, and Peter Gabriel. “They used a lot of West African music and rhythms in what they did. My family is from Nigeria and West Africa, and their music feels like home. They reached out and created a bridge, musically, between a synth and a talking drum.” 

Jimi Hendrix, Green Day, Nirvana, Paramore, and Metallica also made a big impact on the artist as a young person. “Music is the weirdest thing we do. We just make noise out into the void, hoping it connects with somebody. I can listen to a Johnny Cash record and be like, ‘I relate to this.’ But if Johnny Cash and I sat down to dinner, it would just be awkward.” 

Maybe, but there’s also a broad range of artists Joy has already been able to work and record with, including Manchester Orchestra, Mt. Joy, Noah Kahan, and Chris Stapleton. “When Chris said he would sing ‘Sweet Symphony’ with me, I think I said, ‘Are you sure?’” Joy has a photo of herself crying after listening to their track together for the first time. “Everyone has been so cool and so open to this sort of weird world that I’m building.” 

Joy refers to their work and live shows as a sandbox at a playground—a place where lesbians dressed like truck drivers stand and sing their songs next to actual truck drivers. But it’s not always a day in the sun. “I did this benefit concert in Tennessee because there’s been a lot of anti-LGBTQ legislation here. And we were like, ‘Hey, queer people live here! Imagine.’” One of the songs on the new record is about how nobody came to Joy’s eighth birthday party, but when it comes to the mood, “It sounds as if Radiohead and the Beach Boys had a baby. So I have a serious, innate desire to make beauty out of difficulty.”

Joy aims to keep her diverse fan base in mind and deeply values creating art that allows anyone to come to the table to find themselves. 

“I want queer people to listen to my music and feel empowered to take up all the space that God made them to take up,” they said. “I want people to feel like they can be sad or frustrated at the state of the world, or the way they’re spoken to, and feel like they still have people who care about them and advocate for them. And I think music does that.” 

Listen to the singles from Joy’s upcoming album, Proof of Life, and look out for the release on April 28.

The Dinner Table and PRESENTE—Spotify’s Newest Editorial Communities—Amplify Black and Latinx Podcasters 365 Days a Year

March 9, 2022

Podcasting is becoming an increasingly accessible medium that anyone can use to tell their story. But as with any form of media, more has to be done to propel the voices of marginalized communities onto the mic. One way Spotify is doing this is through programs like Sound Up, which empowers and equips burgeoning podcasters with tools and resources. Another way is through the amplification of existing podcasts from podcasters of color—so that important topics and stories can find their audiences, and audiences find them. That’s where Spotify’s Podcast Editorial team comes in. 

Over the past year, the Podcast Editorial team has been curating homes for podcast themes like True Crime Scene, theLINER, and Play Your Part, which can be found from the podcast homepage and Search on the Spotify app. But the two latest pages take our responsibility to a new level. They’re podcast editorial communities that focus on and serve Black and Latinx audiences by putting content from and for these communities front and center, 365 days a year.

These two new community pages are The Dinner Table, curated by Black Culture Editor Bianca Garwood, and PRESENTE, curated by U.S. Latinx Culture Editor Barbara Gonzalez. Though these curations may be new, the topics covered on each podcast are not—and the goal of the editors is to use the power of the platform to turn the volume up on these stories. 

In an interview with For the Record, Bianca and Barbara each spoke about the thinking behind their new podcast editorial communities. 

What inspired the creation of The Dinner Table and PRESENTE?

Bianca: As a Black person, I’ve noticed that it has become an unfortunate norm to consume news and updates that show other Black folk in compromising positions. We’re constantly demanding folks to see our humanity. And this is our reality. And those voices need to be heard, but it’s also important to talk about the full spectrum and to highlight the fullness of Black lives, independent of our plight.

You know, there’s joy in Blackness, there’s peace in Blackness. There’s love in Blackness, there’s healing in Blackness, and that’s the point of The Dinner Table. We’re serving wellness with a side of laughter. Ultimately this ladders up to Podcast Editorial’s approach of counteracting the doom and leaning into inspirational and aspirational podcasts.  

Barbara: So in terms of PRESENTE, of how we came to be, I think it’s really in the name. That’s why I always love starting there. The word PRESENTE translates to “present” in Spanish and Portuguese, and it’s used as a call and response in Latinx spaces to pay respect to who’s in the room. So, when we say “presente,” really we yell it—that’s why it’s in all caps—we’re making ourselves known, we’re bringing each and every single identity that we hold to the space. And we’re also bearing witness to every other person in the room doing the same. And that’s really the spirit. 

Latinidad is not a monolith. We consist of so many different races, sexualities, gender expressions, regional cultures, and so many more identities. So, as long as your perspective isn’t invalidating another person in the community’s identity, your voice deserves to be heard in PRESENTE. 

What approach have you each taken to curating content for these communities? 

Bianca: The Dinner Table name and concept itself came about from personal experience. Growing up, my mom was one of 11. So holidays and family functions were full of people, food, and laughter—my grandmother’s house was always packed to the brim. And if I wasn’t eating at the table, I was doing homework at the table. I was getting my hair done at the table. The table in itself was kind of a nucleus to many of my cultural experiences during my childhood and formative years. For many Black families, the dinner table is a centerpiece, you know, and in many of our homes it reflects joy, community, and laughter.

On the flip side, in terms of wellness, I also wanted to take the opportunity to highlight conversations that often aren’t had at the dinner table, but should be. You can find these under “Well As Hell” with topics like food and its effects on mental health, belief systems outside of the construct of Christianity, positive effects of cannabis, Black womanhood outside of social norms, healing the inner child, and Black mental health. All these conversations that are sometimes swept under the rug—I thought this would be a great opportunity to delve deep and highlight Black joy but also highlight the wellness in that as well.

Barbara: There are a few different branches that I’ll be highlighting on PRESENTE. One of the franchises is titled Let’s Unpack That. We know that while certain generations may have beliefs about certain things in our culture, and may have passed these somewhat harmful beliefs down to us unintentionally—those might not necessarily resonate with generations today. So Let’s Unpack That will include cultural conversations about current events, social movements, and cultural norms—basically, how I always describe it is “anything that’s a conversation on Twitter.” 

So whether it’s the 50 millionth time that we’re discussing whether we should be called “Latinx” or “Latine,” or we’re talking about another instance of anti-Blackness or anti-Asian sentiment in our community, this is the place where we highlight creators having those conversations. 

Another really great franchise that we have is Subculture Spotlight. That’s speaking to what I mentioned about Latinidad is not a monolith; we have so many ways of being Latino. So we’ll be diving into specific nationalities, religions, and different neighborhoods in the United States that are historically, predominantly Latinx.

So one that I published for our launch is about Dominicans in the United States. Some things I would love to explore in the future are different podcasts about Venezuelan migration and Nuyorican legends. And then [re]PRESENTE is a franchise highlighting different things in Latinx culture in terms of representation across pop culture, history, and politics.

Why are these community pages important?

Bianca: I think these pages are important because they give users an all-access pass to content that they are aligned with or inspired by. It’s thoughtfully curated with them in mind, you know. It gives folks access to content at their fingertips. 

Barbara: This ties into our team’s belief that hearing the community should be something that we do in all of our work. Podcast creators, listeners, and people featured in these episodes are part of this unique community that we want to make sure that we’re constantly feeding. And I think it’s particularly important for Latinx and Black communities to have their own spaces because creators from those communities haven’t historically gotten the same support. We need to be working overtime to make sure they know that we’re here trying to support these creators.

This is Spotify’s way of saying, “We see you, we’re loving everything that you’re doing, keep having these conversations because we want to be able to support you in every single way that we can.” 

Start getting to know PRESENTE with the first guest curation from Kat Lazo, co-host of The Get Up.

Meet the Team Behind Frequency, Spotify’s Celebration of Black Culture, Creativity, and Community

May 18, 2021

We are proud to celebrate Black creators on Spotify—whether that’s on playlists such as RapCaviar, Feelin Myself, and African Heat, or through podcasts such as Jemele Hill is Unbothered, Dope Labs, and You Heard Me Write. But there’s always more to do when it comes to fostering racial justice and equity and lifting up underserved voices—and Spotify is committed to using our platform to do just that. 

So today we’re unveiling Frequency, a global initiative and holistic destination for celebrating Black art, entertainment, creativity, culture, and community both on- and off-platform. Frequency was created in response to a climate in which Black voices in music, fashion, business, and more continue to be left out of the narrative, their contributions left underappreciated and underrepresented.  

Frequency adds to our existing work, such as Black History is Happening Now—a dedicated hub and narrative focused on the importance of celebrating Black history and people—and our commitment to further invest in Black creators through a $10M Racial Equity Donations & Giving Program. Now, Frequency marks an extension of Spotify’s ongoing commitment to and investment in Black voices. Through the rollout of new content, cultural partnerships, and an ambassador program, Frequency aims to further connect the Black community to upcoming and established Black creators.

Kayo Chingonyi Decodes ‘Black’ from Dave’s Brit Award-Winning Album ‘PSYCHODRAMA’

May 11, 2021

For the past several years, Spotify Original podcast DISSECT has delved deep into impactful albums, including Frank Ocean’s Blonde, Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly, Beyoncé’s Lemonade, and more. The show crossed the pond this April and premiered in the U.K. as Decode. The new podcast features the same track-by-track analysis and insightful commentary, but with notable albums coming out of the U.K.—starting with rapper Dave’s Brit and Mercury Award-winning 2019 album PSYCHODRAMA. 

Tune in as Zambian-British author Kayo Chingonyi dives into an in-depth exploration of the lyrical metaphors embedded throughout Dave’s breathtaking debut album. With each song, he unpacks the modern British Black experience as Dave relates it to criminal justice, race, poverty, sexuality, toxic masculinity, and mental health stigma. 

Kayo devotes one episode to “Black” and, in particular, Dave’s performance of the track at the Brit Awards in February 2020. Dave’s live rendition included new, politically charged verses that took the audience by surprise, ignited a conversation about racism in the U.K., and resonated with fans: The track saw an 1,889% increase in streams on Spotify after the performance. 

For the Record asked Kayo to reflect on what makes Decode unique to the UK, as well as the impact of Dave’s salient and raw rendition of “Black.”

Decode is a new podcast, but takes its shape after Spotify’s successful DISSECT show in the U.S. What parts of the podcast are you keeping close to the original model?

DISSECT really honours musical creativity, meeting each album with curiosity and passion. With Decode, we’ve kept that sense of reverence and also that passion, that connection to music as a universal language that can travel to all corners of the world, lodging itself in the hearts and minds of listeners. Both shows ask questions about that magical process of communion between artist, song, and listener.

How are you making it your own? How does your own background as a poet, lyricist, and vocalist shape this?

As a writer all that I ever try to do is bring out the latent music in language, in words. As an emcee of Dave’s stripe, that’s a central concern, too. He’s interested not just in what words mean but how that meaning is enacted by their sound. As far as making it my own, I think it’s important to make the connection to Dave’s work as a writer. There’s maybe an inside perspective I can give as someone who has been writing and spitting lyrics since my early teens. I recognise the world Dave describes.

Why is it important for the U.K. to have a version of this show for itself?

The U.K. is a centre of global musical culture. There are many, of course, but I think the U.K.’s role has been downplayed in recent history. Things are starting to shift, and as they do, it’s important to look at musical culture from a global perspective. Black music especially is a global sound. It has always been, because our music travels with us.

What makes PSYCHODRAMA by Dave worthy of “decoding” first?

PSYCHODRAMA is a balance of compositional and lyrical excellence. It’s not just music as entertainment, although you can shock out to it. The album honours the arcane roots of music as a technology, a kind of spiritual communication across distances of culture and space. It’s an album that I think will go on to define our times.

Last week you discussed the track “Black,” which had a moment that stood alone during the Brits last year—it even has its own Genius lyrics page. What did that rendition, at that event, signify?

Adding that verse really showed Dave’s ability to respond to the times and also the way a track like “Black” will, I’m sad to say, always be resonant in a society like ours, built on what it is built on. That was a state of the nation moment at the Brits, an opportunity to step from behind the veil of entertainment that Dave took and ran with. It was the throwing down of a gauntlet—to government, to listeners, to fellow artists.

What conversation are you hoping to spark or continue from the 2020 Brits performance to this podcast episode?

I want to engage people in the layers of history that come together to shape our present moment. There is so much we could be asking questions about and, above all, I think PSYCHODRAMA invites its listeners to keep asking these questions. That’s what I would like people to take from the podcast—this desire to ask.

What album are you looking forward to decoding next?

So many! I’m keen to look at older albums. Look How Long by Loose Ends, Blue Lines by Massive Attack, Timeless by Goldie, or Dummy by Portishead, maybe. In terms of recent albums, Burial’s Untrue made me shed tears the first time I listened to it so it’s high on my list.

Ahead of the 2021 Brits, tune in to the “Black” episode of Decode below.

This June, Celebrate Black Creators of Past and Present on Spotify

June 16, 2020

When it comes to music, the Black community stands unique in defining the sound of the times and influencing society. Black artists have inspired music for generations across all genres, from hip-hop, R&B, soul, pop, rock, country, jazz, and more. That’s why all year round, Spotify is dedicated to elevating audio from the Black community—and especially so during June, which is Black Music Month. During this time, we’re encouraging listeners to learn about and celebrate the Black musicians, artists, activists, and creators of past and present who gifted us with their work.

Streaming on Spotify often reflects events and happenings in culture and the world at large, and the past two weeks have been no different. Spotify’s Black Lives Matter playlist has seen over a 1,900% increase in followers and a 130,000% increase in streams. A few songs in particular from the playlist are especially resonating with listeners, including “This is America” by Childish Gambino (351% increase), “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar (8,253%), “Freedom” by Beyoncé featuring Kendrick Lamar (371% increase), “Self” by Noname (289% increase), and “Mad” by Solange featuring Lil Wayne (854% increase). 

As we continue to mark Black Music Month, we’ll highlight the musical and cultural contributions of Black creators through new content, including dedicated playlists, guest-curated playlist takeovers, podcasting playlists, and more. Read on for some of the ways we’re amplifying Black voices this month. 

Honoring Juneteenth

To commemorate, celebrate, and recognize the day that slavery ended in the United States, Spotify has made Juneteenth a permanent company holiday for all U.S. employees. To underscore the importance of Juneteenth this year, Spotify’s flagship playlist New Music Friday will exclusively feature Black artists from Friday, June 19, through June 26. Additionally, Spotify’s New Music Friday billboards in Times Square will be dedicated only to Black artists on June 19.

Curated Playlists

Multiple playlists, many of which will be featured in the Black History Is Now hub, will roll out through the month. For Father’s Day, we’ll be launching our KING playlist celebrating Black men and their roles as dads. Kirk Franklin will be taking over the playlist and is featured on the cover. Additionally, look out for Throwback Thursday, which will highlight Black music across genres throughout the decades from the 1950s to now; Black to the Future, a new and improved playlist featuring up and coming Black artists; Black History Salute, which honors the lives of Black music legends lost this year, including Manu Dibango, Little Richard, Tony Allen, Bill Withers, and Betty Wright; and Black, Queer, & Proud, featuring American singer-songwriter Brittany Howard in honor of Pride month. 

Playlist Takeovers

Black Music Month will also include influential playlist takeovers, featuring a deep well of notable Black curators, celebrities, creatives, and more. Tracee Ellis Ross kicked off June by curating Black Girl Magic, and Gabrielle Union-Wade will be taking over to round out the month. Plus, as dance has been influenced by Black youth across generations, our dance playlist 8 Count will be taken over by Black creators of today’s hottest dance trends.

Spotify is elevating this content during Black Music Month to celebrate the individuals who gifted us with their talents and to encourage people everywhere to take the time to listen and to learn.
 

Check out the ever-updating Black History Is Now hub for all the new content, as well as old favorites like Are & Be.

Spotify Amplifies Year-round Celebration of Black History with ‘Phenomenal Black Music’ Campaign

February 19, 2020

Black History is American History. Black History is World History. Black History is Now.

In 2018, Spotify launched Black History Is Now to recognize and celebrate Black creators and culture all year long—not just in February. Over the past two years, the program has seen collaborations with artists Janelle Monáe and Pharrell Williams, as well as distinguished designers Joy Miessi and Brandan “BMike” Odums. In 2020, we’re elevating and evolving Spotify’s mission to focus on the cultural impact that people of color have always played—all through the lens of music.

This year, Black History Is Now presents Phenomenal Black Music—a celebration of the songs and women that have shaped the way music is made, experienced, and replicated across the world. Spotify is inspiring people to discover and celebrate Black music and artists who have defined and continue to define global culture.

Through a series of activations and experiences, we’re looking at Phenomenal Black Music through two lenses: songs that define culture and Black women who have shaped music. As much as there is to applaud regarding the strides Black female artists have made in a traditionally male-dominated industry, there’s still plenty of room for progress.

Here’s how you can celebrate with us this month and all year long:

1. Listen to Spotify’s Black History Is Now hub with curated Phenomenal Black Music playlists. Check out Black History Salute, Black Girl Magic, Black Love Mixtape, and more. 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX4ezQVslkJiT?si=qhb2GZNXRaCL16XoScpG7g

2. Wear merch that brings the feelings of Phenomenal Black Music to life from prominent designers Joe Freshgoods—the fashion designer known for his “Don’t Be Mad” clothing line (whose biggest fans include Malia Obama, Chance the Rapper, and SZA)—and Jamilla Okubo, a mixed-media artist whose work has consistent themes that explore the intricacy of belonging to an American, Kenyan, and Trinidadian identity.

Credit: Mark Clennon

3. At the end of February, the Phenomenal Black Music campaign will culminate in a two-day immersive exhibit-style pop-up in New York City celebrating 32 exceptional songs and women. These artists span genres and generations, from Bob Marley and Mary J. Blige to Lil Nas X and Lizzo. The exhibit will feature a look into the music and musicians, with stories curated by music journalist Jewel Wicker, interactive elements curated by Spotify, surprise merch drops, and performances and panels throughout the weekend. As part of the experience, Spotify partnered with Levi’s® to bring product customization to the two-day event. Guests will have a chance to personalize a Levi’s® Trucker jacket, and all visitors will have access to exclusive patches from Joe Freshgoods and Jamilla Okubo. You can find more details here.

Explore the Black History Is Now hub here, and follow the celebration on @Spotify and @SpotifyNews.