Tag: EQUAL

Sara James Makes Spotify History as the Youngest EQUAL Global Ambassador of the Month

June 1, 2022

One year ago, 12-year-old Sara James won the Voice Kids Poland competition. She then went on to place second in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest with her song “Somebody.” Now, at 13, she is Spotify’s youngest EQUAL Ambassador of the Month.

Sara—who is half Polish and half Nigerian—comes from a musical family and began playing piano at six. The vocal powerhouse has also won several other singing competitions in Poland, including the Christmas Carols and Songs Festival and the National Film Song Competition. Now, she’s ready to reach more fans with her music as the first Polish musician to be named EQUAL Global Ambassador of the Month.

“It’s really an honor for me to be the first Polish ambassador of Spotify EQUAL. I’m all about promoting female empowerment, equality, and mutual support for each other,” Sara told For the Record. “We have to deal with so much social pressure every day, and we should really use every opportunity to speak up and embrace our strength. Of course, I’m focusing on my young generation in particular, because I can relate to it the most, but this really affects women from all social and age groups, which makes initiatives like EQUAL so incredibly important!” 

Spotify’s EQUAL Global Music Program aims to combat gender disparity in the music industry by amplifying and celebrating the work of women creators around the world. Sara’s song “My Wave” will be featured on the EQUAL Global playlist along with music from other women artists making it big globally.

For the Record sat down with Sara to learn more about her career aspirations and her hopes for the future of music. 

The artists who have most inspired me are ___.  

There are so many it’s really hard to pick! But I’d probably say Beyonce, Rihanna, Ms. Lauryn Hill, and most recently—Rosalía! I love women with strong personalities.

One piece of advice I’d give other women artists is ___.

Don’t ever let anyone bring you down! People will try to doubt your success, but this should never make you question yourself and your talent. Always be proud of who you are, because the energy you feel within is the energy that people see in you.

One notable moment in my career so far is ___.

I don’t think I can really pick one, because every single big moment has led me to another one. That’s what makes them all EQUAL! (You see what I did there?)

My creative process consists of ___.

At the beginning, I mainly just try to organize my thoughts and bring them together. I have so many ideas coming to me at once when I’m starting to create, so sometimes it’s really hard to choose the direction I want to go in. But once I’m on the right track, I’m unstoppable!

One way I’d like to see greater gender equity in the music industry is ___. 

Tolerance and mutual support—it’s as simple as that. I think we wouldn’t have to deal with as many issues if people were more respectful and supportive toward each other. So that’s definitely what I’d like to see more of—not only in the music industry, but in this world in general.

An up-and-coming woman artist I’m excited to watch is ___.

Zalia—she’s from Poland too! She’s such a wonderful, talented, beautiful lady. The fact that she puts everything that she has in her heart into her music is an inspiring thing to watch. What a queen. 

My girl-power anthem is ___.

“Run the World (Girls)” by Beyonce!

Discover more women artists climbing the charts with our EQUAL Global playlist.

Spotify France and shesaid.so Partner To Create Online Directory of Women, Trans, and Nonbinary Music Professionals

May 27, 2022

Spotify has been taking steps to increase the number of women and nonbinary individuals in the music industry for years. From our Equalizer project in the Nordics to our collaborative study with USC Annenberg in the U.S. and our EQUAL program elevating talented women musicians around the world, there’s no shortage of initiatives aimed at creating better gender equity in the industry. But it’s not enough, and much more still must be done. 

Yesterday, at the Nuits Sonores in Lyon, France, Spotify and shesaid.so announced Majeur.e.s., the first inclusive online directory of professional women, trans, and nonbinary individuals within the music industry in France. This directory aims to accelerate change in a music industry that is still deeply unequal.

“As the leading streaming platform, we have a responsibility and a role to play in order to build a more egalitarian music industry,” says Julie Beherec, Artist and Label Partnerships Manager at Spotify France. “Beyond the support we give to women artists through our EQUAL program, we deemed it necessary and in fact urgent to give more space to women and minorities within the music industry by making their profiles more visible when they’re so often overlooked. Which is why we’re extremely proud to support this initiative by helping create and develop the Majeur.e.s. Directory.” 

The site majeures.org functions as a database that will allow professionals within the music industry to find and hire experienced individuals. With this inclusive online directory of women, trans, and nonbinary music professionals in France, there’s a streamlined, clear way to find the technician any production needs. This complimentary tool comes a year after the launch of the EQUAL program in France and numerous other countries around the world, and as Spotify France tackles gender discrimination in collaboration with shesaid.so and other NGOs locally. 

“The music industry is in constant evolution, and it’s of the utmost importance that we accompany its actors with the adequate tools,” says Claire Morel, President of shesaid.so France. “It’s majeures.org’s role. Majeur.e.s. is truly an accelerator of equality.”

Check out majeures.org to find a directory of women, trans, and nonbinary music professionals. Then stream our EQUAL France playlist for a taste of the talent there. 

Turkish Artist Aleyna Tilki Makes a Splash as Spotify’s EQUAL Ambassador of the Month

May 17, 2022

Aleyna Tilki is breaking the mold as she makes a name for herself in the music industry. The edgy Turkish singer-songwriter started her singing career at 14 years old, and now, at the age of 22, she already has multiple hits and high-profile collaborations to her name. Add to that the fact that Aleyna is the first Turkish artist that Warner Music Group has signed for international projects, and it’s clear she’s a musical force to be reckoned with.

Aleyna’s signature vocals—whether she’s singing in her native Turkish or in English—and unique style help her fuse genres in her music. Early last year, she released the highly anticipated single, “Retrograde,” cocreated by an all-star team that included Diplo, Dua Lipa, and King Henry. In October of 2021, Aleyna continued to prove her success with the song “Real Love,” which was a collaboration with producer and DJ Dillon Francis. The track was a hit, debuting at number 24 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

singer aleyna stands in front of a pink backdrop looking directly into the camera.

Now Aleyna continues to gain a global following as the EQUAL Ambassador of the Month for May. Spotify’s EQUAL Global Music Program aims to combat gender disparity in the music industry by amplifying and celebrating the work of women creators around the world. As a part of this month’s spotlight, Aleyna will have her song “Take It or Leave It” at the top of the EQUAL Global playlist, and the artist is featured on the playlist’s cover.

For the Record spoke with Aleyna to learn more about her creative process and some of the notable moments in her career.

The artists who have most inspired me are ____.

Freddie Mercury, Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol, and Michael Jackson.

One piece of advice I’d give other women artists is ____.

Your body is your area of freedom. Be free to explore it for your art. Being open about your body does not mean you are open to being abused by anyone.

One notable moment in my career so far is ____.

Being able to collaborate with great artists and big labels for my music, even though it’s really tough to break through globally from my country.

My creative process consists of ____.

Psychoanalysis. It helps me to go deeper into human psychology. But this is not about empathy, rather it’s about how it helps me to express myself in my art.

One way I’d like to see greater gender equity in the music industry is ____.

By people accepting that everything is not about masculinity.

Some women artists I’m excited to watch are ____.

ROSALÍA, Doja Cat, GAYLE, Billie Eilish, and Jessie Ware.

My girl-power anthem right now is ____.

Beyoncé’s “Run the World (Girls)” (of course).

 

Listen to music from Aleyna, as well as other strong women, on the EQUAL Global playlist.

 

ARIETE Shares Her Vision for the Music Industry as Spotify’s EQUAL Ambassador of the Month

April 19, 2022

In Italian, the word “ariete” means ram, which is the symbol for Aries, the first constellation in the zodiac. It is also Roman singer-songwriter Arianna Del Giaccio’s astrological sun sign and the inspiration behind her emblematic stage name. 

ARIETE first entered the music scene via her social media channels, using her strong voice to garner steady attention during long days at home early on in the pandemic. As her popularity grew, she released a certified-platinum single, “L’Ultima Notte,” and two EPs and was selected to be part of Spotify’s global emerging artist program, RADAR. Then, in February 2022, ARIETE released her first full-length album, SPECCHIO. The record’s dreamy sounds and hammering drumbeats reflect both the quiet calm of a young woman producing music in her bedroom and the bubbling stardom of an artist ready to break through. 

This month, ARIETE is the face of Spotify’s EQUAL Global Music Program, which aims to combat gender disparity in the music industry by amplifying and celebrating the work of women creators around the world. As part of ARIETE’s involvement, her song “CICATRICI,” featuring Madame, can be found on Spotify’s EQUAL Global playlist along with music from other women artists making it big globally.

For the Record spoke with ARIETE to learn more about her thoughts on fostering equality in the music industry and the motto that moves her forward. 

The artists who have most inspired me are ____.

Definitely Clairo, PinkPantheress, and all the artists of the new generation who are trying to keep pushing the boundaries of contemporary music.

One piece of advice I’d give other women artists is ____.

Never consider yourself “different” or on a lower level from your male colleagues. Art is art in every form of its deep creation.

One notable moment in my career so far is ____.

The first live shows I played last summer, which sold out. I had begun to release my music during the pandemic, and to be able to see the people [who came to the shows] from the stage and to share their emotions was a unique feeling that I’ll never forget.

My creative process consists of ____.

I don’t have a proper creative process. I take my inspirations from the simple things that color my everyday life and the people I love. Everything can be a source of inspiration for me and my music; I just sit down at the piano or pick up my guitar and everything goes by.

One way I’d like to see greater gender equity in the music industry is ____.

I think the gender gap is definitely an issue in modern music and society. I found it deeply concerning that in the 21st century, we’re still speaking about inequality between genders or genders themselves. We have to normalize this concept with all the cultural weapons we have, but I’m sure that eventually the next generations will treat this issue not as an issue but as the normal topic it should be.

One up-and-coming woman artist I’m excited to watch is ____.

PinkPantheress got me hyped, so I’m looking forward to seeing her as soon as possible!

My girl-power motto right now is ____.

Just kick a**. You’re great as you are, no matter what they say.

Ready to sing along to the world’s most powerful up-and-coming voices? Stream Spotify’s EQUAL Global playlist now.

One Year and More Than 184 Markets Later, Spotify’s EQUAL Program Continues To Celebrate Women Artists Around the World

April 1, 2022

400 ambassadors. 184 markets. 13 million hours of listening. 35 playlists. These numbers represent the powerful impact of Spotify’s EQUAL program over the past year. 

Since its launch, EQUAL has shined a spotlight on women artists through global partnerships, activations, new content experiences, and on- and off-platform support—all created to foster equity for women in audio and celebrate their contributions. On Spotify, listeners can find the EQUAL Hub, which is a dedicated space to highlight women creators. The EQUAL Global Music Program extends resources and opportunities to women artists and amplifies their music through the flagship EQUAL Global playlist and EQUAL local playlists. 

On the platform, it’s clear our listeners are big fans of the women who are featured in our EQUAL campaigns. Take a look at some of the things EQUAL artists have achieved over the last year.

Plus, here are just a handful of accomplishments from EQUAL ambassadors and local market initiatives:

  • Seven of EQUAL’s Polish ambassadors have been nominated for the Fryderyk award this year. 
  • Five of EQUAL’s Dutch ambassadors have been nominated for the Edison Award this year. 
  • EQUAL French ambassadors Juliette Armanet and Barbara Pravi were both nominated for Victoire de la Musique awards, the French GRAMMY equivalent, with Barbara winning her category. 
  • Three EQUAL U.K. ambassadors were nominated for BRIT Awards. 
  • Last year in Spain, we hosted a roundtable called “EQUAL ESPANA” where singer-songwriter Rozalén and Spotify’s Head of Music for Southern Europe, Melanie Parejo, came together to discuss the importance of women in the Spanish music industry. 
  • In Japan, two new playlists are launching in the market to celebrate EQUAL’s first anniversary: Curated by Women and EQUAL Anime.
  • In Colombia, Spotify is taking EQUAL to the stage for the first time. Throughout the month of April, across seven performances, Spotify will bring together 13 outstanding artists including EQUAL Colombia ambassadors Goyo, Paola Jara, Lido Pimienta, Andrea Echeverri, Elsa y Elmar, Ventino, and more to make a statement for gender equality at full volume.

 

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We know this is only the beginning of bringing women creators front and center. Spotify will continue to highlight and amplify women’s voices by curating top audio destinations for women artists with global playlists like EQUAL: K-Pop, EQUAL: Indie, Women of Rock, and Galdem – Queens. As we reflect on EQUAL’s first year, we know there’s more work to be done and Spotify is committed to fostering equity in the music industry and beyond. 

 

Now that you know all about EQUAL, it’s time to celebrate the program’s anniversary by listening to the EQUAL Global playlist below.

 

USC Annenberg’s ‘Inclusion in the Recording Studio?’ Study Finds That More Work Toward Gender Equity Is Needed

March 31, 2022

Women in music hold many roles—they are singers and songwriters, producers and engineers. They must overcome age-old barriers to put their artistry and creativity to work and make their voices heard among fans worldwide. And yet despite decades of progress, women are still vastly underrepresented on the top music charts.  

The 2022 study “Inclusion in the Recording Studio?”, the fifth annual report on the music industry from Dr. Stacy L. Smith and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, details the numerical realities of this inequality. The report, which was funded by Spotify again this year, provides a comprehensive industry update on inclusion—and shows that much more needs to be done. 

Spotify has been working hard on creating spaces and opportunities for women with on-platform campaigns such as EQUAL. But as we’ve seen clearly, the results are not good enough.

“To rise to a challenge, the industry must first understand it. This is why the efforts of Stacy Smith, Karla Hernandez, and the entire team behind the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative are critical,” said Dawn Ostroff, Chief Content & Advertising Officer, Spotify. “These results underscore the need for action. We are committed to continuing to support this important research, to elevating women who can, in turn, create opportunities for women, and to making meaningful progress to improve equity across the world of music.“

Read on below, or head straight to the report.

Artists of color are increasing on the charts

The study explores the intersection of gender and race/ethnicity for artists. In contrast to the lack of women artists, artists from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups represented over half of 2021’s artists. But Dr. Smith explains, “Although the data reveal an increase for women of color, these findings indicate that there is more work to be done.”

Women songwriters and producers remain outnumbered 

“Inclusion in the Recording Studio?” didn’t only look at front women but also at those behind the scenes, and it found that women songwriters and producers remain outnumbered. Overall, across a total of 1,522 producing credits in the 10-year sample, 97.2% were men and 2.8% were women. 

A nod toward nominees

The study assessed every nominee at the Grammys® that received recognition in the categories of Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist, and Producer of the Year for the same time frame. It found that women were more likely to be nominated for Best New Artist (44.4%) and Song of the Year (28.8%). On the other hand, they represented the lowest percentage of nominees in the Album of the Year (9.7%) and Producer of the Year (1.9%) categories. 

“Uplifting women in music is crucial, as it allows women to grow in their careers and opens the doors for younger women aspiring to work in this industry,” said Karla Hernandez, the study’s lead author. “This is especially true for women of color, who are often excluded from prestigious institutions and career recognition. We must see women’s work showcased and nominated, giving them space in writing rooms and studios. By actively working toward inclusion, we can bring forth a new wave of talent and creativity.”

There’s much more to be done, and the report also recommends changes to increase the number of women as artists, songwriters, and producers and provides solutions for sustaining growth for underrepresented artists. Read the rest of the data, as well as the recommendations, in the full report.

Spotify’s EQUAL Festival Brings Together Outstanding Colombian Voices in an All-Female Lineup

March 17, 2022

Over the past year, Spotify has brought the voices of talented women artists from around the world together through EQUAL—an on-platform initiative aimed at reducing the gender disparity in the music industry. Next month, this initiative will reach the stage for the first time with Spotify’s new EQUAL Festival in Colombia. 

Throughout the month of April, across seven performances, Spotify will bring together 13 outstanding women in music in Colombia at El Teatro in Bogotá. These women represent a great diversity of genres and sounds—and together, their monthly listeners on the platform equal more than 3.4 million. The headliners—Goyo, Paola Jara, Lido Pimienta, Andrea Echeverri, Farina, Elsa y Elmar, Ventino, Karen Lizarazo, Juliana Velásquez, Nidia Góngora, María Cristina Plata, Bad Milk, and Las Villa—are coming together in conjunction with Spotify to make a statement for gender equality at full volume.

According to the Spotify-sponsored USC Annenberg study on the representation of women in the music industry, only one in five artists on the charts is a woman. This knowledge has driven our commitment to generating more impactful opportunities for women artists.

“To begin to change this disparity, we must expand the work of creative women and create more opportunities for emerging artists. That is the reason for the EQUAL global initiative,” says Mia Nygren, Managing Director for Spotify in Latin America. “We want to do our part: We know that when we empower artists, more people listen, and that music shapes the future. We are excited to bring the EQUAL playlist to a live experience for the first time, hand in hand with a spectacular lineup.”

Hear from some of the artists—and see which dates they’re performing—below.

April 1: Goyo / Elsa y Elmar

“The best thing about being a woman in the industry right now is that we can use our platform to say a lot of things with our female voice, building a path for all women,” says Goyo, voice of legendary band ChocQuibTown, who will be performing her solo project at the festival. “I have always felt proud to use my platform as an Afro-Latin woman and thus continue the legacy of many artists like Celia Cruz who have opened doors for us.”

“Being a woman and a musician is walking on a rocky path, but one that has already been traveled by women before, especially women who were not willing to occupy the roles pigeonholed for their gender. Now we can be ourselves,” says Elsa Carvajal, known under the name of her multi-award-winning “spiritual pop” or indie folk project, Elsa y Elmar. “In my career, at no time have I had to divert my message or my music to fulfill a role. I feel proud to make my music.”

April 6: Ventino / Juliana Velásquez

“We return to the stage for the EQUAL Festival. We are proud to be women in the industry, breaking the stereotype that women cannot work together to achieve our goals,” say the members of the pop group Ventino.

“We can dismantle preconceptions such as the fact that our voice does not have as much repercussion as that of men,” says pop singer-songwriter Juliana Velasquez. “You only have to look at the lists to see that there are many women who have a lot to say in all genres, from indie to pop to urban. That vulnerable image has changed a lot, and we can go out and sing things that make us feel uncomfortable, represent us, and make us feel powerful.” 

April 8: Karen Lizarazo / Las Villa

“We are very excited to announce that this is the first time we will perform in Bogotá as part of the EQUAL Festival,” say twin sisters Laura and Lucia, who form the urban pop duo Las Villa. “For us as women, it is very important to be part of this movement and continue opening the way for other girls who come after us.”

April 20: Paola Jara

“I am proud to be able to represent women in this first edition of the Equal Festival and of course my genre, the popular music of Colombia,” says Paola Jara, who is considered one of the greatest in Colombian folk singing, earning respect in a genre dominated by male artists.

April 22: Lido Pimienta / Nidia Góngora

“The best thing about being a woman artist is that through music we can break stereotypes, transform, and educate. We get the chance to bring love and joy to many people,” says Nidia Góngora, an Afro-Colombian singer-songwriter from Timbiquí and ambassador of the characteristic marimba music of the Colombian Pacific coast.

April 27: Andrea Echeverri / Maria Cristina Plata

“We are expanding awareness, and spaces are being conquered thanks to today’s feminist movements. I see that songs I wrote 25 years ago like ‘Cosita Seria’—which speaks about harassment and gender violence—are being validated and make more sense because they are perfect for everything that is happening,” says Andrea Echeverri, founder and voice of the legendary rock band Aterciopelados. 

April 29: Farina / Bad Milk

“Women today have a platform and the means to make our point of view prevail,” says Medellín-born singer-songwriter Manuelita García of Bad Milk. “We come from a country that has always been marked by gender violence and where women in the music industry have been overshadowed. I feel proud to represent women and give them a voice that many artists used to do with me.”

Get more information and buy tickets to the festival here. And in the meantime, enjoy the sounds of these artists with the EQUAL Colombia playlist.

El Festival EQUAL de Spotify reúne a destacadas voces colombianas en un cartel exclusivamente femenino

March 17, 2022

Durante el año pasado, Spotify reunió las voces de mujeres artistas talentosas de todo el mundo a través de EQUAL, una iniciativa en la plataforma destinada a reducir la disparidad de género en la industria de la música. El próximo mes, esta iniciativa subirá al escenario por primera vez con el nuevo Festival EQUAL de Spotify en Colombia.

A lo largo del mes de abril, Spotify reunirá a 13 mujeres destacadas de la música en Colombia a través de siete funciones en El Teatro de Bogotá. Estas mujeres representan una gran diversidad de géneros y sonidos, y juntas, sus oyentes mensuales en la plataforma suman más de 3,4 millones. Las artistas en el cartel —Goyo, Paola Jara, Lido Pimienta, Andrea Echeverri, Farina, Elsa y Elmar, Ventino, Karen Lizarazo, Juliana Velásquez, Nidia Góngora, María Cristina Plata, Bad Milk, y Las Villa se unen a Spotify para hacer una declaración a favor de la igualdad de género a todo volumen.

Según el estudio Annenberg de la USC sobre la representación de las mujeres en la industria de la música patrocinado por Spotify, solo una de cada cinco artistas en las listas es una mujer. Este conocimiento ha impulsado nuestro compromiso de generar oportunidades para las mujeres artistas.

“Para comenzar a cambiar esta disparidad, debemos expandir el trabajo de las mujeres creativas y crear más oportunidades para los artistas emergentes. Esa es la razón de la iniciativa global EQUAL”, dice Mia Nygren, Managing Director de Spotify en América Latina. “Queremos hacer nuestra parte: sabemos que cuando empoderamos a los artistas, más personas escuchan y esa música da forma al futuro. Estamos emocionados de llevar la playlist EQUAL a una experiencia en vivo por primera vez, de la mano de una alineación espectacular”.

Escucha a algunas de las artistas, y ve en qué fechas se presentarán, a continuación.

1 de abril: Goyo y Elsa y Elmar

“Lo mejor de ser mujer en la industria en este momento es que podemos usar nuestra plataforma para decir muchas cosas con nuestra voz femenina, construyendo un camino para todas las mujeres”, dice Goyo, voz de la legendaria banda ChocQuibTown, quien presentará su proyecto en solitario en el festival. “Siempre me he sentido orgullosa de usar mi plataforma como mujer afrolatina, y así continuar con el legado de muchos artistas como Celia Cruz que nos han abierto puertas”.

“Ser mujer y músico es caminar por un camino pedregoso, pero que ya ha sido transitado por mujeres antes, especialmente por mujeres que no estaban dispuestas a ocupar los roles encasillados a su género. Ahora podemos ser nosotras mismas”, dice Elsa Carvajal, conocida con el nombre de Elsa y Elmar, un multipremiado proyecto de “pop espiritual” o indie folk. “En mi carrera en ningún momento he tenido que desviar mi mensaje o mi música para cumplir un rol. Me siento orgullosa de hacer mi música”.

6 de abril: Ventino y Juliana Velásquez

“Volvemos a los escenarios para el festival EQUAL. Estamos orgullosas de ser mujeres en la industria, rompiendo el estereotipo de que las mujeres no podemos trabajar juntas para lograr nuestras metas”, dijeron las integrantes del grupo pop Ventino.

“Podemos desmontar preconceptos como que nuestra voz no tiene tanta repercusión como la de los hombres”, dice la cantautora pop Juliana Velásquez. “Solo hay que mirar las listas para ver que hay muchas mujeres que tienen mucho que decir en todos los géneros, desde el indie al pop, pasando por el urbano. Ha cambiado mucho esa imagen vulnerable y podemos salir a cantar cosas que nos incomodan, nos representan y nos hacen sentir poderosas”.

8 de abril: Karen Lizarazo / Las Villas

“Estamos muy emocionadas de anunciar que esta es la primera vez que nos presentaremos en Bogotá como parte del Festival EQUAL”, dicen las hermanas mellizas Laura y Lucia, quienes forman el dúo de pop urbano Las Villa. “Para nosotras como mujeres es muy importante ser parte de este movimiento y seguir abriendo camino a otras niñas que vengan después de nosotras”.

20 de abril: Paola Jara

“Estoy orgullosa de poder representar a la mujer en esta primera edición del Festival Equal y por supuesto mi género, la música popular de Colombia”, dice Paola Jara, quien es considerada una de las más grandes de la música popular colombiana, ganándose el respeto en un género dominado por artistas masculinos.

22 de abril: Lido Pimienta / Nidia Góngora

“Lo mejor de ser mujer artista es que a través de la música podemos romper estereotipos, transformar y educar. Tenemos la oportunidad de llevar amor y alegría a muchas personas”, dice Nidia Góngora, cantautora afrocolombiana de Timbiquí y embajadora de la música de marimba característica de la costa pacífica colombiana.

27 de abril: Andrea Echeverri / María Cristina Plata

“Estamos ampliando las conciencias y se están conquistando espacios gracias a los movimientos feministas de hoy. Veo que canciones que escribí hace 25 años como “Cosita Seria”, que habla de acoso y violencia de género, se están validando y tienen más sentido porque son perfectas para todo lo que está pasando”, dice Andrea Echeverri, fundadora y voz de la la legendaria banda de rock Aterciopelados.

April 29: Farina / Bad Milk

“Las mujeres hoy tenemos una plataforma y los medios para hacer prevalecer nuestro punto de vista”, dice la cantautora nacida en Medellín Manuelita García, de Bad Milk. “Venimos de un país que siempre ha estado marcado por la violencia de género y donde la mujer en la industria de la música se ha visto opacada. Me siento orgullosa de representar a las mujeres y darles una voz como antes muchas artistas lo hicieron conmigo”.

Obtén más información y compra entradas para el festival aquí. Y mientras tanto, disfruta de los sonidos de estos artistas con la playlist de EQUAL Colombia.

Avril Lavigne Is Back With a New Album and Is Spotify’s EQUAL Ambassador of the Month

March 14, 2022

At just 17 years old, Avril Lavigne found success with hits like “Complicated” and “Sk8er Boi,” which sharpened traditional pop across a punk edge. Along with a series of Grammy nominations, including one for Best New Artist, the young Canadian singer-songwriter amassed an impressive following of fans who loved her personal lyrics and signature style.

Following her debut album, Let Go, Avril released five more albums that showed off a range of musical styles and themes. Fast-forward to 2022 and Avril is back with a new album and the distinction of Spotify’s EQUAL Ambassador of the Month. EQUAL is Spotify’s global music program aiming to combat gender disparity in the music industry by amplifying the work of women creators around the world. Avril’s known for writing and singing songs that bring female empowerment front and center, which makes her role as March’s EQUAL Ambassador a perfect fit.

Listeners can find Avril on the cover of the EQUAL Global playlist, which also includes the latest single, “Bite Me,” from her new album, Love Sux.

For the Record caught up with Avril and asked a few rapid-fire questions about her music.

The artists who have inspired me the most are __.

Alanis Morissette, The Chicks, and Shania Twain.

One piece of advice I’d give other women artists is __.

Believe in yourself, don’t be scared to say no, and trust your gut.

One notable moment in my career so far is __.

Playing live shows internationally and standing in front of a room full of people singing every lyric to my songs. It’s the most unbelievable feeling.

My creative process consists of __.

My feelings and guitar.

Some up-and-coming women artists I’m excited to watch are __.

phem and WILLOW.

My girl-power anthem right now is __.

“Wannabe” by the Spice Girls.

Ready to listen to Avril’s latest music, as well as other women artists around the world? Blast Spotify’s EQUAL Global playlist here. 

Spotify Kicks Off International Women’s Day With Love Letters, Playlists From Gender Equity Advocacy Organizations, and New Music Created Exclusively by Women

March 8, 2022

Today, Spotify is celebrating International Women’s Day by sharing the music and stories of women creators, artists, activists, and nonprofits around the world. The music, lyrics, and voices coming from women in the industry and beyond are complex and vibrant—something we’re amplifying for our listeners this month through the creation of platform initiatives, release of new music created entirely by women, and off-platform support of nonprofits. 

New playlists and a refreshed EQUAL hub

Spotify is starting off International Women’s Day With Love, a podcast playlist series created in partnership with social impact agency Invisible Hand with production support by Pod People. With Love celebrates and honors 24 women who share “love letters” to their past selves or to a key supporter who changed their lives during a pivotal moment in time. There will be three playlists: one for Artists, one for Storytellers, and one for Changemakers. Artists like Fefe Dobson and Pyra, songwriters like Jennifer Decilveo and Kuinvi, creators like Munroe Bergdorf and Rintik Sedu, and activists like Dominique Morgan and Lauren Wasser all share their stories in the collection playlists. These personal anecdotes of wisdom, gratitude, and compassion spotlight the vast landscape of what it means to be a woman and the outsized impact that women have in the world.

Spotify is also highlighting five global nonprofits focused on gender equity by amplifying each nonprofit’s own curated playlist themed around the voices of the communities they serve. Organizations include:

In addition to spotlighting these organizations on the platform, Spotify will be giving donations to each of them to support their critical work.

The With Love and nonprofit playlists will all live on the EQUAL Global Hub, which continues to be a one-stop destination for listeners who want to discover music from emerging women artists. 

This month, the hub is getting a new look and feel and will be available in new markets, including those in the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan. It will also include an EQUAL Arabia playlist from MENA and EQUAL Pakistan. Both are the latest markets to join EQUAL.

EQUAL x Spotify Singles

In addition to these playlists, listeners can find brand-new music on the EQUAL Global Hub. EQUAL and Spotify Singles, two of Spotify’s innovative music programs, are uniting to bring listeners recordings from an incredible slate of emerging women artists.

EQUAL fosters equity for women in the music and audio space and has helped highlight the careers of women around the world. Spotify Singles, which launched in 2017, gives artists an opportunity to record new versions of their own songs, songs of artists they love, or an original song. Since its launch almost six years ago, tracks from the program have collectively hit over 5 billion streams.

For International Women’s Day, the two programs collaborated to produce three songs created exclusively by women—from the production to the recording to the engineering. 

Ethel Cain, whose music reflects on her upbringing as a backwoods churchgoer in the deep South and who is Spotify’s first-ever transgender EQUAL ambassador, took this moment to cover Britney Spears’s 2003 hit “Everytime.” Produced by Ethel and recorded in Los Angeles, the harmonica-backed cover of the iconic ballad with its haunting, acoustic guitar  puts her wide-ranging, layered vocals at the forefront. 

“I’ve always loved this song and immediately knew I could take Britney’s melodies and make something super dreamy with it,” shared Ethel. “I usually record alone at home, so working in the Spotify studio with all the synths and old vintage gear was a really special and fun experience. I think Britney wrote a very lovely song, and it was an honor to put my spin on it.”

Mexican composer, singer, songwriter, and producer Bruses took to the studio in Monterrey, Mexico, with producer Daniela Mendez to record her own unique spin on Spice Girls’ “Wannabe.” Known for her Latin-inspired indie-pop sound, Bruses brings girl power front and center in this single. 

“For me, the most important thing with this song as a fan was to respect the original essence. It’s one of those hits that last a lifetime; it’s a classic,” explained Bruses. “In this version we add a bit of rock and punk, especially in the chorus. I always imagined that part a little heavier, so we added some electric guitars, and it was from the little we recorded; the rest is sampled. It is very much directed towards electronic music or pop.”

South Korea’s SUNMI gives fans an all-new original track, titled “Oh Sorry Ya.” Created in collaboration with the Los Angeles-based songwriting duo, LYRE, the song kicks off with a swell of new-wave synths in a shadowy minor key before building to bubblegum pop perfection with a huge, infectious chorus that still has hints of darkness beneath. 

“It was a huge honor being part of Spotify’s EQUAL project, and I really hope that fans and listeners worldwide enjoy, get inspired, by this track,” said SUNMI. “Team LYRE and I have put a lot of thought into producing this multidimensional track together. It’s truly ‘created by women’ and hopefully loved by everyone.”

If you want to hear more from SUNMI, check out Spotify’s Mic Check episode, where the K-Pop artist shares more about her new single and opens up to us about the family tragedy that brought her to the music industry. 

EQUAL Collective brings off-platform support

Last year, Spotify launched the EQUAL Collective, bringing together a group of nonprofit organizations from around the world that are focused on furthering gender equity in music. These 14 organizations were given an opportunity to collaborate together on new ideas to help reach more women creators and further their work.

This year, for International Women’s Day, Spotify is excited to announce that we are awarding two teams, composed of four organizations, a grant of $50,000 in order to bring the following concepts to life:

  • Femme Africa and P_ssy Party are helping solve for representation of women creators in Africa by developing a curriculum and online directory to connect creators within the industry.
  • MEWEM (France) and MIM (Spain) partnered together to develop the MEWEM Golden Ticket, a concept that will award eight women entrepreneurs from across Europe free access to international professional festivals to pitch their own projects and new ideas, develop their businesses, and meet future partners within a high-level network.

Year-round, Spotify aims to celebrate the incredible impact that women have on the world. This month, we are excited to bring front and center for listeners new music and new playlists from women.

Celebrate International Women’s Day by listening to songs entirely written, produced, and performed by female songwriters on Spotify’s Created by Women playlist below.

Spotify’s Progress Toward Racial Equity: Reflections, Commitments, and Updates for the Year Ahead From Elizabeth Nieto and Spotify’s Equity and Impact Team

February 28, 2022

Each year, as Spotify celebrates Black History Month, we are offered an opportunity to take stock of how we are doing as a company when it comes to our work in the pursuit of racial equity. This February marks my first as Spotify’s Global Head of Equity & Impact, and it comes at a time when the company has faced new challenges as we learn and grow and the landscape evolves around us.

Making real and sustained progress has never been easy. Spotify understands the need for hard work, true reflection, and real accountability and we view our anti-racism efforts as an ongoing journey as we strive to live our values, both internally and externally. We are committed to fighting systemic racism and doubling down as this work advances. And while we still have plenty to do, we are making progress. That’s why, at each step of the way, we are looking to partners, employees, and creators to help guide our actions for the long term. 

We also understand the need to regularly communicate the progress we’ve made and identify actions that will build upon it in the years ahead. As we close out Black History Month in the U.S., we recognize the need to do more to combat racism around the world. 

So today, members of the Equity and Impact team—that’s me, Elizabeth Nieto, alongside Travis Robinson, Global Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging, and Christopher Kenny, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Lead, Racial Equity Strategy—are sharing updates of both work we’ve done and work that’s underway across our global markets in the pursuit of racial equity. 

This is but a snapshot of our focus areas in our ongoing commitment to fostering an anti-racist culture at Spotify. And while we know we are not perfect, we remain unwavering in our approach and commitment to making meaningful change and progress as a company. 

With gratitude,

Elizabeth, Travis, and Christopher 

Deepening dynamic relationships with racial equity partners

We continue to collaborate with our external racial equity partners to inform how we can best leverage our brand and platform to mitigate systemic racism. Those conversations will inform our strategies for the year ahead and beyond. As one example, we support the healing and growth of our Spotify community through our partnership with Brooklyn Minds, a mental health organization. Brooklyn Minds facilitates sessions for employees who’ve been impacted by racial trauma. We also provide individualized support through our employee assistance program.

Focusing on giving to organizations with measured impact for the Black community

As we shared last April, Spotify’s Racial Equity Donations & Giving Program has committed $10 million—including the matching of $3 million from Spotify employee donations around the world—to over 300 organizations. The remaining $7 million has been donated to more than 15 organizations dedicated to inspiring, connecting, and elevating the next generation of Black voices and creators. This will be an annual commitment through our Racial Equity Donations & Giving Program. We also recently announced the creation of 28 scholarships to Black HBCU students, in partnership with UNCF (the United Negro College Fund).

Formalizing Spotify’s Creator Investment Fund

Over the last several years, Spotifiers have built initiatives to identify, support, nurture, amplify, and celebrate the many voices of creators who deserve to be heard. Much more must be done to further this existing body of work, which is where our recently announced $100 Million Creator Investment Fund comes in. It’s important that we continue to create new avenues of support to champion artists, songwriters, and podcast creators from diverse backgrounds. Spotify can help them build their own businesses by establishing passionate fan bases and substantially growing their reach.

There’s great excitement for this work, with many ideas and questions about next steps we must take. While it’s critical to move swiftly, we also understand it will take time to get this work right. Spotifiers from teams including Music, Podcasting, and Equity & Impact are co-developing plans and working closely alongside our creator and industry partners for input. We’ll share early plans with our ERGs (employee resource groups) for their input and further refinement.

We have identified an initial list of the existing programs and opportunities where we think these funds can be put to work quickly, including adding incremental support to the ongoing work of Frequency, Sound Up, EQUAL, and Pride, among others. Additionally, we will dedicate talent and resources to help lead this global effort. We will work with internal teams and outside organizations to establish new programs focused on areas such as studio space, creator tools, marketing and PR support, coaching, and mentorship.

Expanding and scaling our current Black creator and consumer engagement brands

Last May, when Spotify launched Frequency—our global initiative and holistic destination for celebrating Black art, entertainment, creativity, culture, and community both on- and off-platform—we did so with a mission to create a space that represents the wide spectrum of Black artistry. Since then, listeners have tuned into Frequency music playlists like Ripple Effect and House Party and learned from the Heard You podcast playlist. We’re committed to celebrating and uplifting Black culture, creativity, and community year-round, with special emphasis on the month of February in honor of Black History Month in the U.S. This year, we’ve created a space to celebrate the multidimensionality of Black listeners, artists, and creators to truly encompass the breadth of Black creativity. 

We recognize the need to do a better job of cascading these stories to a broader audience and will continue to scale our approach to our work of promoting Black stories and experiences. For example, we’ll amplify the great Black creators who are sharing stories that resonate with the community, like the Spotify original Who We Be TALKS_ from the U.K.

2020 Equity & Impact Report and 2021 restructuring

Our 2020 Sustainability, Equity & Impact Report charted the meaningful progress we’ve made through our cross-functional Spotify Racial Equity Coalition, alignment to our BLK 5-Star strategy, and expansion of the work of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging in a variety of ways. But it was only a first step in measuring our work and impact.

So in 2021 we restructured our organization to bring together three existing teams: Social Impact; Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging; and Sustainability. We did this because we believe in the power of our people, their stories, and the impact we have as a platform to imagine and deliver a sustainable future that is welcoming for all in a world that’s centered on justice, equity, and environmental sustainability. We’re seeing greater synergy and collaboration as a unified approach across our three groups. The cohesion of the team is reflected in our Sustainability, Equity & Impact report. 

Continuing anti-racism education and inclusive storytelling training internally

We launched inclusive storytelling training and education within Spotify’s Marketing, Music, and Podcasting Creator teams in 2021 and continue to conduct key diversity, equity, and inclusion  sessions monthly. Within our Studios organization, efforts are underway to establish greater creator representation and also partner with anti-racism practitioners to train and educate all employees. We plan to relaunch our formal anti-racism training for employees this year.

Expanding our focus on inclusive hiring and workforce development

While we have seen progress in our Black employee representation in the U.S. over the last four years (3.7% in 2017 to 9% by end of 2021), we are working on driving the same level of advancement toward diverse representation in our leadership ranks. In late 2021, we launched an inclusive hiring training course for all interviewers and hiring teams. Topics covered within this training are associated with anti-racism, microaggressions, bias, and other relevant diversity, equity, and inclusion conversations. In deep partnership with our Talent Acquisition team, the Inclusive Hiring team has also curated related sourcing and diversity recruiting partnerships that focus on greater visibility and identifying better ways of attracting talent to Spotify from underrepresented communities.

In 2022, we’ve been working hard to expand our inclusive hiring goals for racial diversity in the U.S. but have also begun the process of identifying areas of improvement in ethnic diversity in key markets globally. For instance, we are working to identify greater ways to increase Black, Asian and minority ethnic representation in our U.K. workforce. We will launch a workforce development conference for our Black Spotifiers across EMEA. In addition, in a few weeks we will launch our first-ever Global Belonging Week for all Spotifiers. This will feature global diversity, equity, and inclusion content, training and education for all band members to learn and also provide for localized “pass the mic” sessions where employees in specific offices will discuss topics such as anti-racism, intersectionality, and meaningful change.

SIMONA, EQUAL Ambassador of the Month, Shares the Moments That Bring Her Confidence

February 14, 2022

When it comes to artistic prowess, Argentine-born SIMONA is a quintuple threat. She’s a singer, songwriter, and trained dancer, and she even dabbles in wardrobe design and beat-making, the latter of which plays a starring role in her music. 

The artist hails from the Andes Mountains of Argentina, but in 2017, she relocated to the seaside shores of Barcelona to pursue music full-time. While SIMONA’s beats and melodies are lively and upbeat, her Spanish lyrics reflect more complicated emotions that keep fans coming back for more. She credits her grandmother, a poet, for the inspiration behind her wistful, introspective verses. 

This month, SIMONA is reaching even more listeners around the globe as Spotify’s EQUAL Ambassador of the Month—part of Spotify’s EQUAL Global Music Program that aims to combat gender disparity in the music industry by amplifying the work of women creators globally. After sharing her music as Spain’s EQUAL Ambassador, this new role makes SIMONA the face of Spotify’s EQUAL Global playlist, and her song “SHUT UP,” with Lee Eye and Blackthoven, is featured front and center. 

For the Record asked SIMONA to share more about her music inspirations and advice for other artists.

The artists who have inspired me the most are __.

I’m so thankful to have grown up listening to the music of great female artists like Rita Lee, Björk, Mala Rodríguez, Sade, Madonna, Eydie Gormé. Also M.I.A., Solange, Kali Uchis and Yaeji, to name a few of the contemporary performers that inspire me. And especially my musician girlfriends back home in Argentina, Anyi and LUPE.

One piece of advice I’d give other women artists is __.

Trust your authentic self and your artistic visions. Be loyal to your original ideas, and be decisive when making decisions about the production of your own music. Know that each of us is special and has something unique to show. Honor your ideas and the art you put so much love into. 

One notable moment in my career so far is __.

When I co-produced my single “TE VEO,” I realized the power of my art by being able to be fully present in the production of my music. I enjoyed the process so much; it gave me a boost of confidence to carry on materializing my ideas. 

My creative process consists of __.

Listening to what’s deep inside of me. My creative process is very slow because I like living through it! It doesn’t really happen everyday, but when it does happen, it’s truly magical. 

One way I’d like to see greater gender equity in the music industry is __.

Establishing a quota of female and nonbinary or transgender participation in every major music festival. We want to see more women working in every area: recording studios, record labels, production companies, etc. 

Some up-and-coming women artists I’m excited to watch are __.

LUPE, Anyi, Park Hye Jin, Amaarae, Shygirl . . . watch out for these girls! 

My girl-power anthem right now is __.

“Vaca Profana” by Brazilian legend Gal Costa.

Ready to discover SIMONA and other women artists around the world? Blast Spotify’s EQUAL Global playlist here.