Tag: Diversity Inclusion & Belonging

Spotify Expands NextGen Audio Program to Historically Black Colleges & Universities

November 18, 2022

The Spelman College logo on the left and the Spotify logo in the right. both are in white against a black background

At Spotify, we understand the power of amplifying the voices of all kinds of creators. This is especially important for communities that have historically been underrepresented in media, including the audio industry. Over the years, we’ve created bespoke programs like Sound Up, Frequency, and EQUAL to showcase and uplift the diverse roster of artists, musicians, songwriters, and podcasters on our platform while creating space for new voices, stories, and perspectives.  

With this spirit, today we’re announcing the expansion of NextGen, Spotify’s ongoing program designed to infuse, activate, and grow podcast culture on college campuses, to Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU) campuses across the U.S. This new initiative is supported by the Spotify Creator Equity Fund, which powers the company’s commitment to showcasing and uplifting creators who have historically been underrepresented in the audio industry. 

Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, is onboard as the first HBCU to offer NextGen programming beginning early next year during the spring semester.

The Spemlan College Campus with students walking to class and sitting on benches. There is a school building in the background and green trees on the left

“We look forward to collaborating with Spotify on the new NextGen programming that will be offered to help further elevate the voices and creative content of our students,” said Helene Gayle, M.D., MPH, president of Spelman College. “At the core of what drives the Spelman experience is our students’ ability to combine their academic learning and practical experiences as pathways to career and entrepreneurial opportunities. Thank you to Spotify and Michelle Hite, Ph.D., associate professor of English at Spelman, who helped make this partnership possible.”

Spotify currently partners with the University of Southern California, University of Pennsylvania, and New York University to offer NextGen podcast programming and curriculum. Now our intention is to leverage this impactful program to create a new class of Black content creators, equipping them with tools and resources to develop their podcast skill sets. We’ll also connect HBCU students with our roster of experts from Spotify’s Studios team, as well as the voices of our Originals & Exclusives, in hopes of inspiring them to consider a career in podcasting and offering a chance to hear firsthand about how to make it in the audio industry.

“As an HBCU grad myself, I know firsthand the remarkable energy and creativity that flows through these institutions. It’s palpable,” said Kristin Jarrett, Equity & Impact Strategy and Outreach Lead at Spotify. “NextGen allows us to get closer to this exceptional pipeline of Gen Z talent and storytellers, powering our goal of having a diverse roster of creators on our platform on our road to 50 million creators and 1 billion users.”

Here are some of the NextGen initiatives we intend to bring to Spelman College:

  • Dedicated on-campus podcast recording space with professional equipment
  • Events featuring Spotify executives and podcast talent
  • Spotify support of existing, relevant curriculum and access to tailored training programs
  • Co-creation of student-led original audio content
  • Potential academic scholarship support
  • Invitation and consideration for Spelman College students to participate Spotify’s 10-week internship program

Spelman College students can contact Michelle Hite, Ph.D., associate professor of English, to learn more about the program.

Stay tuned for details about future NextGen x HBCUs!

‘Ripple Effect: Frequency Sunday Dinner’ Heads to Houston, Texas

November 10, 2022

There’s no area of the U.S. that hasn’t been shaped by Black music and culture. To recognize and celebrate this reverberating creative legacy, Spotify’s Frequency playlist series, Ripple Effect, has been traveling around the country bringing local artists together to discuss their hometowns and their work through various “Sunday Dinners” powered by Frequency.  

Monaleo, OG Ron C, Xavier Omar, Teezo Touchdown, and Madeline Edwards

After stops in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) and California (Bay to LA), Spotify’s Ripple Effect: Frequency Sunday Dinner made its way to Houston for a conversation with local artists about the ways that Black music and culture from Texas have influenced the city, state, and globe. Artists including Monaleo, OG Ron C, Xavier Omar, Teezo Touchdown, and Madeline Edwards joined together to discuss the legacy, current state, and future of Black music coming out of Texas, hosted and moderated by Bun B. 

“Being able to sit at the table and have something to bring to it felt amazing—being acknowledged as an artist amongst people that directly inspire me was unlike anything else,” said Houston native and rapper Monaleo. 

 

 

 

They also homed in on their hometown pride, sharing what makes Texas so influential in music and culture to them, by way of food, landmarks, hometown establishments, and more in a beautiful video directed by multidisciplinary Houston native Nate Edwards. 

“My favorite part of being a guest at the Sunday dinner was being able to shed light on unique aspects of the Black Texas music scene that not many people know about,” said Texas-raised country singer Madeline Edwards. “A misconception of Black Texas music is that it represents exclusively rap, hip-hop, or R&B, yet we have multiple generations of Black artists that have completely reshaped the framework of authentic Texas music. It was really special getting to shed light on some of my favorite artists in this category, including Leon Bridges, Gary Clark Jr., Black Pumas, Abraham Alexander, Kam Franklin of The Suffers, and Micah Edwards. 

Monaleo agreed and supplied even more Texas-based artists. “The Black music scene in Texas is innovative and creative. I am able to draw a lot of inspiration from the Texas music scene because our culture is so rich and full of originality. I wish people were more aware of how innovative Texas music culture is and how many amazing acts come out of Texas: Lizzo, Megan Thee Stallion, Beyoncé, KenTheMan, Lebra Jolie, Travis Scott, and UGK.”  

These artists join the ranks of other Black musicians who have been named and spotlit for being hometown heroes during Ripple Effect: Frequency Sunday Dinners. Frequency is a global initiative and holistic destination for celebrating Black art, entertainment, creativity, culture, and community both on and off our platform. Last year, it landed in the DMV to celebrate local artists at a dinner with Ari Lennox, Pusha T, local go-go artist Big G, and Rico Nasty. In June, Frequency headed to California to celebrate local creators and amplify the music and culture of the Bay Area to South LA with artists Joyce Wrice, Guapdad 4000, Hit-Boy, Victoria Monét, Vince Staples, and Duckwrth.

Stay tuned for the next episodes in New England, the Midwest, and the Pacific Northwest. 

Catch more Ripple Effect in the playlist below. 

 

Celebrate Latinx Heritage Month With the Launch of Our New Playlist, De TODO

September 30, 2022

We are De TOTO cover art

Taking place in the U.S. between September 15 and October 15 each year, Latinx Heritage Month honors the many contributions this unique and vibrant culture has made to American society. This is why Spotify has launched a new campaign, “De TODO,” which highlights some of our listeners’ favorite voices from the Latinx community and shows what makes them 200% (100% American and 100% Latin). Serving to uplift rising Latinx artists, “De TODO” also demonstrates how the Latin community is made up of un poquito de todo—or a little bit of everything. 

Latin culture is incredibly rich and diverse, and the music and sounds emanating from it are as well. To further highlight the nuance and fluidity of Latinx identity—and to encourage listeners to discover these varied sounds—we’ve launched a new playlist with the same name. Spanning genres from Mexican music to indie rock, De TODO features artists such as Omar Apollo, Mariah Angeliq, The Marias, and Villano Antillano. Proving that Latinx culture is more than Reggaeton and Bachata, this playlist mixes the sounds, artists, and languages around the world that have inspired and influenced Latinx creators.

“De TODO showcases some of the most exciting Latin acts coming out of the U.S. and Puerto Rico and gives a nod to the ones who have paved the way,” said Antonio Vázquez, Head of U.S. Latin Editorial at Spotify. “In an effort to acknowledge the diversity and richness of Latin culture, we want to surprise listeners by encouraging them to discover new sounds they might not be exposed to regularly.”

As part of the campaign, Spotify is partnering with the 9AM Banger—a famous morning party that’s popping up in Miami for the first time—to offer giveaways, an artist performance featured in the De TODO Campaign, and branded moments. And to continue our mission of supporting the next generation of Latinx creators, Spotify has extended grants to community partners around the country including Education Through Music LA, Education Through Music NYC, Tocando, Yes We Can World Foundation, and Young Musicians Unite.

But even beyond Latinx Heritage Month, we’ll continue to work year-round to amplify the voices of the Latinx community. This includes globally—both on-platform and off-platform—through their RADAR programs, live events, and creator campaigns. So stay tuned for more exclusive content in the future.

Looking for the latest sounds from the top Latinx artists? Press play below to start streaming De TODO:

Spotify’s Intentions Around ‘Gender-Inclusive Language’ on Our Platform in Germany

July 19, 2022

the word "kunstler*innen" on an orange, black, white, and green background

At Spotify, we work to amplify those who aren’t traditionally represented in audio media—whether that’s uplifting women as songwriters, producers, editors, and sound engineers in music; making accessible to people of color podcasts that resonate with them; or enabling LGBTQ+ individuals to hear queer stories reflected in their favorite music. But there’s another vitally important element of representation: language. 

Language—and our understanding of it—is constantly evolving, and in Germany, there’s been a movement in more recent years to help move away from the gender binaries within the language to provide room for inclusivity and diversity within existing words and grammar. This is called “gender-inclusive language” or “gender-responsible language.” 

“Gender-responsible language as we see it on Spotify means using and deploying language that addresses all genders or identities in an equally visible and appreciative manner,” says Michael Krause, General Manager Europe, Spotify. “It refers to language use which, with regard to personal designations, aims at the equal treatment of women, men, and, moreover, people of all genders, and wants to express gender equality in spoken and written language.”

In some languages (like Spanish, German, and French, to name just a handful), grammar is more clearly gendered. In languages where this is the case, the grammar used for individuals’ professions defaults to the masculine. So imagine opening up the Spotify app and seeing the word “artist” but knowing that the way it’s written actually refers to “male artist.” If there’s a female artist, a variation of the word would be used. For some of our listeners, including women, trans, and non-binary individuals, this meant their identity was rarely reflected while scrolling through our app. 

German-language speakers who want to utilize gender-responsible language can pay attention to using gender-neutral formulations and avoid using the generic masculine as default. In Germany, individuals and organizations have started to address this in a few ways. And as of January 2020, Spotify has decided to use an asterisk (*) to denote gender on the Spotify app in Germany. We chose this because it best explicitly addresses people who do not want to or cannot identify as male or female. 

So, for example, instead of the masculine word Künstler (artist), German Spotify listeners see Künstler*innen. Now we use this convention not only on our platform and in-app, but also in all our communications materials and on social media. And our spokespeople also use it, to the best of their abilities, in spoken-word content we engage in—such as in interviews, panels, or podcasts—by verbally stressing the word ending.

Although this language doesn’t capture every intricacy of identity, it’s a big step in the direction toward inclusivity and representation on our platform. 

“Gender-responsible language is important to us in Germany because language shapes our consciousness and our thinking,” says Michael. “Language is constantly evolving, and many new words are adopted as a matter of course. We believe that this is also possible with gender-responsible language. By using gender-responsible language, we raise awareness of this issue in Germany and support people in gradually incorporating these changes into their own day-to-day life.”

Tuck Into Ripple Effect: ‘Frequency Sunday Dinner: Bay to LA’

June 23, 2022

Still from Frequency Dinner Party: Bay to LA film

Last year, Spotify unveiled Frequency, a global initiative and holistic destination for celebrating Black art, entertainment, creativity, culture, and community both on and off our platform. Since then, Frequency has expanded from a series of playlists and new content to incorporate cultural partnerships, an ambassador program, and even the Free Studio, all in an effort to further connect the Black community to upcoming and established Black creators.

A key Frequency playlist series is Ripple Effect. This playlist spotlights local Black music cultures with a focus on new and emerging artists throughout six regions: DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia), Bay to LA, Texas, New England, the Midwest, and the Pacific Northwest. Each is curated by a local tastemaker knowledgeable on what’s hot and who’s next in their area. Last year, Frequency landed in the DMV to celebrate local artists through a dinner with Ari Lennox, Pusha T, local go-go artist Big G, and Rico Nasty. 

This Black Music Month, Frequency headed to California to celebrate local creators and amplify the music and culture of the Bay Area down to South LA with artists Joyce Wrice, Guapdad 4000, Hit-Boy, Victoria Monét, Vince Staples, and Duckwrth. Keenan MacWilliam directed the second video in the series, “Frequency Sunday Dinner: Bay to LA.”

The five area artists came together over a locally sourced meal and held a conversation around the contributions their hometowns have made to their music, as well as the impact their music has had on their hometowns and the world. 

“It’s often hard for me to describe to an out-of-towner how embedded we are in whatever the game is,” says Guapdad 4000. “That sh– is just so in my blood. It’s there. That’s how we live.”

To celebrate the film in true Ripple Effect style, this past Sunday on Juneteenth, Frequency partnered with Oakland producer Drew Banga on his monthly event series, Sunday Service. Together, we honored the Bay’s hometown heroes and up-and-coming legends with performances from Guap and Rex Life Rajj and appearances from other notable guests and influencers. “Working with Frequency & Spotify was so much fun,” said Drew. “it was great to be able to do something different in The Bay, showing off the cool side of the Bay Area, and giving people a experience and not just a regular party.”