Tag: clairo

The Marias, Hannah Jadagu, glaive, and Cuco Have Made Lorem Their Musical Home—And So Have Their Fans

July 12, 2023

Spotify’s indie editors created Lorem five years ago to be a metaphorical “placeholder” for the artists who would go on to influence the future of music. Since then, the alt-pop playlist has written its way into the headphones of its young listeners, becoming Spotify’s home for Gen Z bedroom and indie-pop fans around the U.S. and beyond. The playlist now has one of the highest save rates on Spotify. 

Listeners flock to Lorem for its raw, unpolished collection of burgeoning stars who write music not to fit into a particular genre but to capture even a fleeting feeling. The vibe of the playlist changes constantly, but not chaotically. It reflects the culture, the places, and the headspaces that both artists and their fans come from.

“Lorem is meant for the artists who didn’t quite fit into mainstream pop but who we knew would end up shaping what we know now to be popular,” said Lizzy Szabo, Senior Editor for Indie Music at Spotify. 

“Back when we started the list, artists like BENEE, Conan Gray, Clairo, girl in red, and Dominic Fike were grouped in the bedroom pop category but all ended up making their way to Today’s Top Hits,” she shared. “So, before it was common practice, we’d add tracks that were starting to have viral moments—those you’d hear on TV shows, or random catalog tracks we knew the audience would love to rediscover or hear for the first time—alongside artists we’d find via social media, our submissions portal, or recommendations from blogs and artists.” 

Though the list’s sound has shifted over the years, it still follows artists along their journeys, throughout their progress, hits, and explorations. “We will continue to curate them alongside even more developing artists, and playful throwbacks,” said Lizzy.

Take some of the artists currently featured on Lorem, including glaive, Cuco, and Hannah Jadagu. When asked to describe their music, the only thing each of the Lorem-playlisted artists had in common was the flexibility of their categorization.

Spotify’s Latest Fresh Finds Class Delivers a New Wave of Independent Artists

October 5, 2022

Since its debut in 2016, Spotify’s Fresh Finds playlist series has served as a launchpad for developing artists. Previously showcasing stars like Clairo, Omar Apollo, and Aminé—who now each attract millions of monthly listeners. In total, Fresh Finds has featured more than 40,000 independent artists, and in 2022, Fresh Finds–featured artists saw their total monthly streams grow by an average of 289%.

We continued our support of the latest developing artists we are excited about by evolving Fresh Finds into a marketing initiative in 2021, providing support, resources, and mentorship to help with these artists’ career development. Last year, we worked with eight artists—including EKKSTACY, Wallice, TOLEDO, and Doss—to help them reach 6.5 million new listeners and grow their followers by an average of 50%. Earlier this year, we built on our Fresh Finds momentum by working with the likes of Delaney Bailey, Jhariah, Carter Faith, and Alemeda. 

Now we’re excited to present our newest group of Fresh Finds artists who have been making waves and are ready to take the next step toward stardom: emlyn, Avenoir, Paty B, and Blondshell. 

As part of the program, each artist will release a Spotify Singles song on October 19 and will have access to the following to help them further their careers over the long run:

  • Education and resources: Each artist will have access to personalized master classes and mentorship, best practices and credits for Spotify for Artists tools like Marquee, and more. 
  • Marketing support: All four artists and their associated collaborators will be featured in a major marketing campaign on- and off-platform that includes social content, out of home, on-platform promotion, and press support.
  • Creative collaboration: In partnership with our Noteable songwriter and publishing team, a key piece of this initiative is to highlight the producers/songwriters that craft the brand new tracks alongside the featured artists.
    • emlyn has chosen to work with producer AlexV.
    • Avenoir has chosen to work with YmxBeats.
    • Paty B has chosen to work with Kuinvi.
    • Blondshell has chosen to work with producer Yves Rothman.

“We couldn’t be more excited to introduce the latest class of Fresh Finds artists and collaborators. This group represents some of the best new talent from an amazing community of indie creators, and their Spotify Singles illustrate the talent, diversity, and high caliber of music being created by the next generation of artists,” says Jesse Jacobsen, Spotify’s U.S. Indies Lead of Artist & Label Partnerships. “Since launching this marketing initiative in early 2021, we’ve watched previous Fresh Finds artists take their careers to the next level—touring the world and playing sold-out shows for their fans. Being a part of this discovery process is a huge honor for the entire Fresh Finds team.”

Curious what the latest Fresh Finds class is cooking up? Keep reading to discover everything you need to know.

emlyn 

This emerging alt-pop singer-songwriter has been featured on the cover of the SALT playlist three times and her music has been streamed globally more than 70 million times. Following the release of her debut album, her second album, loneliest b!tch in america, reached the Top 10 on Spotify’s U.K. charts. emlyn is currently preparing for her first headline tour across nine cities in North America. 

“Getting chosen as Spotify’s Fresh Finds pick this year is more than just a title to me,” emlyn told For the Record. “Only a little over a year ago, I made my first Fresh Finds playlist when I was just starting to release music, so being recognized now in this way is a true honor.” 

Speaking with emyln’s collaborator AlexV about the Fresh Finds experience, he was impressed with the level of support. 

“Being a part of the Fresh Finds program is an incredible opportunity. The Spotify team has been extremely supportive throughout the entire creative process and has provided a platform for independent creators to thrive.” 

Avenoir 

Canadian singer, songwriter, and producer Avenoir has been making noise in the underground R&B space, pulling inspiration from artists like Static Major, PARTYNEXTDOOR, and Aaliyah. A blend of nostalgic drums from the early ’90s accompanied with neo-soul melodies and a sensuous tone help describe his ever-evolving sound. Coming off the success of his latest single, “Shameless,” the multi-instrumentalist is ready to make a name for himself in the world of R&B. 

“I’m trying to make timeless music that inspires people for generations,” Avenoir explained. “What started as me making music with my friends has turned into the opportunity to share it with the world. Spotify is changing the game for independent artists, and I am grateful to be a part of this program.”

When asked about what he and Avenoir have in store for their Spotify Single, producer YmxBeats struck a nostalgic chord. 

 “I want to bring back a sound that hasn’t been heard in a while and make it my own,” he said. “I am blessed to have Spotify showcase what I can do as a producer.”

Paty B

Born in Miami and raised in Lecheria, Venezuela, Paty B has been influenced by her Venezuelan-Dutch father, who was a jazz musician, producer, pianist, and arranger. With her family’s support, Paty B began singing at the age of four and performing at the age of 12—before also training to become a classical ballet dancer. Paty B burst onto the global musical scene in 2021 with her debut single, “Peo Que Resaca.” And earlier this year she released her debut album, GOTEO, which she describes as a “transparent expression of love, sexuality, and passion from the divine feminine perspective.” Soon after her album release, Paty B found herself the face of numerous official playlists, including Fresh Finds. 

“Being part of the Fresh Finds program means a lot for me,” Paty B said. “As an independent Latin artist, I feel so proud and honored to have the support and to be able to share my music with the world, representing not only my roots but a generation that is electric, diverse, free, and limitless.”

As for Paty B’s collaborator Kuinvi, the chance to push the sonic envelope excites her the most. 

“As an artist and producer my greatest joy is to create music that transcends in a true, relevant way,” she remarked. “This program is at the forefront of what’s next in music so being featured on it this year is truly an honor for me.” 

Blondshell 

Growing up in the middle of New York City in the early 2000s, Blondshell was inspired by legends such as Patti Smith, Joy Division, and The Velvet Underground. Now based in LA, the singer-songwriter describes her music as the “angriest, clearest, and most vulnerable” side of her personality. Although her tones are predominantly dark and brooding, there is a bright sense of hope that shines through tracks like “Olympus” and others with confessional lyricism and adventurous song structures. 

“Being chosen for Fresh Finds is such an amazing opportunity for indie artists, and hopefully it helps more people connect with my music,” said Blondshell. 

On working with Blondshell, producer Yves Rothman explained:  “For me the most exciting part of producing is working with new artists, helping them realize their vision, bringing all the ideas that have been keeping them up at night their whole life and finally getting that out and into the world.”

As with past programs, Spotify will document each artist’s journey, and we’ll be amplifying the process in a variety of ways, including with social video content. So keep an eye out to discover more about these four promising talents as they step into the spotlight.

Looking for more of the hottest songs from DIY and independent artists? Stream our Fresh Finds playlist below.

 

Spotify Celebrates One Year of the Fresh Finds Program With Our Newest Class of Independent Artists

April 27, 2022

Since its launch in 2016, Spotify’s Fresh Finds playlist series has served as a launchpad for developing independent artists, often representing an artist’s first editorial “home” on Spotify. Stars ranging from Clairo to 100 Gecs to Aminé were all featured on Fresh Finds playlists early in their careers and have gone on to attract millions of monthly listeners. 

In order to continue supporting DIY-minded artists, Spotify launched a new program for Fresh Finds in May of 2021. We worked with four promising talents—Wallice, Unusual Demont, Julia Wolf, and EKKSTACY—to provide tools, resources, and support to help with their career development. In October, we added a second Fresh Finds class to our ranks that included the artists Doss, Araya, TOLEDO, and Pom Pom Squad. The end result has been nothing short of successful, with the eight artists featured in the 2021 program reaching 6.5 million new listeners and the most recent class seeing a 50% average increase in followers.

“This program has been a game-changer for the artists involved,” explained Rachel Ring, Senior Music Marketing Manager at Spotify. “Creating space for independent artists to thrive is key to our mission of giving a million creative artists the opportunity to live off their art, and the Fresh Finds program is an important step in that direction.”

Fast-forward to the present and we are hyped to announce our latest wave of artists who will be taking part in the program: Delaney Bailey, Jhariah, Carter Faith, and Alemeda. As part of the program, these four artists will have access to the following to help them develop their careers over the long run:

  • Education & access to resources: Each artist will have access to personalized Masterclasses and mentorship, best practices and credits for Spotify for Artists tools like Marquee, and more. 
  • Marketing support: All four artists will be featured in a major marketing campaign on- and off-platform that includes a social content series, Spotify Clips, and press support.
  • Creative Collaboration: Each artist will be given the opportunity to create a Spotify Singles original song and record it for release at the end of the program. What’s more, Spotify’s Noteable songwriter and publishing team has paired the four artists with collaborators who understand each of their unique visions:
    • Delaney Bailey will be paired with producer Jon Seale (aka Son of Cloud).
    • Jhariah will be paired with producer Henry D’Arthenay.
    • Carter Faith will be paired with producer Jon Green and Tofer Brown.
    • Alemeda will be paired with songwriter-vocalist Henry Was.

Ready to learn more about the latest Fresh Finds class? Keep reading to discover everything you need to know.

Delaney Bailey

cover art for spotify fresh finds pick delaney bailey

Born and raised in Indiana, Delaney Bailey found her voice during the pandemic through social media, where she showcased her songwriting abilities with fans around the world. Since then, the singer-songwriter has started releasing her own music and building her own following along the way. Her debut EP This Is About You was released independently through frtyfve records in 2021. Taking inspiration from the likes of Frank Ocean and Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver), Bailey had a viral moment when her song “j’s lullaby (darlin’ I’d wait for you)” caught the attention of a vast audience, reaching 500K streams upon its debut and reaching the top 10 of the Global Folk Charts. Bailey plans to release her next project in the latter half of 2022.

Jhariah

cover art for spotify fresh finds pick jhariah

Bronx-based artist Jhariah refuses to be confined to any one genre. His larger-than-life songs are often stacked high with strings, horns, keys, and Broadway-esque vocal arrangements that have a chameleon-like quality. Attendees of his live shows may be surprised to see him hit the stage with no band in sight—just his drummer and musical collaborator, Cole Raser, seamlessly transitioning from hard-hitting rock cuts to complex swings fit for a Harlem jazz club. Emerging from a generation of increasingly self-sufficient independent musicians, Jhariah takes that DIY attitude to heart with his music.

Carter Faith

cover art for spotify fresh finds pick carter faith

Originally from Davidson, North Carolina, Carter Faith taught herself guitar and piano and soon after began crafting lyrics as a way to make sense of the world around her. Combining the emotive lyricism and pointed perspective of Taylor Swift with the chill aesthetic and refreshing candor of Kacey Musgraves, Carter has been named the “future of the next 10 years of Nashville” by Whiskey Jam founder Ward Guenther. Faith has found early success with her recent releases “Leaving Tennessee,” “Sinners in a Small Town,” and “Easy Pill” while sharing the stage with the likes of country stars Cole Swindell, Carly Pearce, Old Dominion, and Chris Young.

Alemeda

cover art for spotify fresh finds pick alemeda

Growing up as a first-generation American in a strongly religious household, Alemeda studied music by sneaking Top 40 hits on her clock radio and drawing inspiration from TV show theme songs. While spending her childhood between Ethiopia and Arizona, Alemeda continued to hone her craft by performing in talent shows and recording covers of her favorite songs on her phone. Pulling inspiration for her songs directly from her own life, Alemeda’s perspective revolves around independence and self-reflection. She is inspired by artists like Amy Winehouse and Bruno Mars, who never deviated from their true selves at the peak of fame. This uncompromising nature can be clearly heard on her debut single, “Wish You The Worst.”

Ready to discover the next big thing in music? Stream Spotify’s Fresh Finds playlist now.