Tag: female artists

On International Women’s Day, Spotify Celebrates the Impact of Three Years of EQUAL

March 8, 2024

Spotify is dedicated to fostering gender equity in the music industry and beyond. As part of that commitment, we launched our EQUAL Global Music Program in 2021 to amplify and celebrate the work of women creators around the world. Since then, EQUAL has shined a spotlight on women in audio through global partnerships, activations, new content experiences, and on- and off-platform support.

Today, in honor of International Women’s Day, we’re taking a look at how the program has impacted artists around the world.

“We’re incredibly proud of EQUAL’s impact and reach in elevating the careers of artists globally over the last three years,” said Bel Aztiria, Lead, Social and Equity Music Programs at Spotify. “Since its inception, our mission to foster equity for the diverse voices of women in audio has resonated in studios and communities and on stages worldwide. We’re honored to continue collaborating with iconic and emerging artists this year and highlighting women audiobook and podcast creators in our EQUAL hub.”

“On International Women’s Day, we recognize the historical significance and continue championing audio content created by women. We’re committed to elevating the voices and contributions of women all year round.”

EQUAL by the numbers

Through EQUAL, Spotify empowers women creators and gives them a place to share their content with the world year-round. On Spotify, listeners in more than 180 markets can find the EQUAL hub, a space dedicated to this content.

The work is far from done, but we have a lot to be proud of as we continue on this journey. To date, Spotify has added more than 6,900 women artists to EQUAL playlists and supported over 1,000 ambassadors in their home countries and beyond through editorial, partnerships, and marketing.

EQUAL artists received 1.3 billion editorial streams within their first month of joining the program. In total, the EQUAL hub has generated over 31 billion editorial streams across 1 billion listening hours.

In 2023 alone, more than 14.8 million artist discoveries were made through EQUAL playlists, and EQUAL artists received over 11,800 total editorial playlist adds.

EQUAL here, there, and everywhere

With so much incredible talent to highlight and celebrate, EQUAL continues to evolve and expand. Today, the program has a presence in studios, on stages, and in communities around the world.

In 2023, Spotify hosted 15 EQUAL activations—from Buenos Aires to Tokyo, Paris to Sydney, and beyond. These initiatives include our very own EQUAL festivals (30,000 total attendees and counting!), panels, networking and educational opportunities for artists, original content recording, and participation at key industry events such as SXSW and the Grammy Awards.

This year, Mexico’s EQUAL Day aims to inspire the next generation of Mexican female creators with a day of various panels and keynotes with top-tier artists and creators, and a Spotify Masterclass for emerging artists. 

“We are keeping the same spirit that made last year’s EQUAL Day so inspiring and relevant, but still bringing something new, like shining a light on women ‘behind the scenes’ and presenting a live performance lineup that shows how powerful and diverse these women are. All of this is part of our continued effort to give more visibility to women artists and creators, and having this physical space to connect and be inspired by each other is so important and necessary.” — Moni Saldaña, Artists and Label Partnerships Manager, Spotify Mexico.

EQUAL also continues to amplify its mission globally through partnerships with organizations like UN Women and Calling All Crows, which champion gender equality and support women creators.

The bigger picture

While there is so much more to be done to close the gender gap in music, a positive shift is unfolding, which underscores the importance of initiatives like EQUAL in driving industry change.

For the fifth consecutive year, Spotify has partnered with the team at the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative (AII) on an annual study of women in music. Published in January 2024, the latest findings demonstrate that women’s participation in the industry has improved across many metrics, with notable increases in women artists’ and songwriters’ representation.

New playlists and a refreshed hub

Celebrate International Women’s Day with Spotify by heading to the EQUAL hub. There, you’ll find our flagship EQUAL Global playlist, which includes Playlist Stories featuring our ambassadors and women artists worldwide. You’ll also find local playlists cocurated by ambassadors, brand-new podcast playlists, and an audiobook shelf (available in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia).

Malaysian Pop Princess CLAUDIA Takes the Spotlight as Our Global EQUAL Ambassador for July

July 12, 2023

CLAUDIA posing in front of the camera on a purple backdrop with roses by her feet

CLAUDIA’s career shot off like a firework when her ’70s-inspired song “Bodies” went viral on social media in 2020. Love for the Malaysian pop artist’s upbeat and catchy music continued when she released her track “Your Gentleman.” 

From there, the singer-songwriter has performed at festivals and released more pop hits like 2023’s “Toast,” a bubbly track that talks about being in love. CLAUDIA has two more singles in the works, both of which follow the same love theme. Her music plays with sounds that stem from various genres, such as jazz and R&B. This month, CLAUDIA is also Spotify’s Global EQUAL Ambassador of the Month. 

The EQUAL Global Music Program launched in 2021 with the aim of promoting gender equity in the music industry by amplifying and celebrating the work of women creators around the world. CLAUDIA’s featured at the top of the EQUAL Global playlist, and her song “Toast” is displayed prominently.

For the Record caught up with CLAUDIA to learn more about her inspirations and her advice for other emerging artists.

The artists who have most inspired me are _____.

Dua Lipa, Sabrina Carpenter, and LØLØ.

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

Never take no for an answer. We deserve to take up space in this industry, and we should always feel like we deserve to be here.

One notable moment in my career so far is _____.

Having Jung Kook from BTS listen to my song “Your Gentleman” live on his WeVerse. Since we live in such a digital era, it’s validating to have your music reach people’s ears, and I’m happy it has brought many new fans to my music.

My creative process consists of _____.

Strumming on my ukulele and finding a good melody that sticks in my head.

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

Have more female collaborations in songs. It makes me feel like there’s a sense of camaraderie between women, and that we’re supporting each other the best we can.

A few up-and-coming women artists I’m excited to watch are _____.

Katherine Li, Emei, and Alex Porat.

My girl-power anthem is _____.

“Power” by Little Mix.

 

Check out music from CLAUDIA, as well as other talented women artists from around the world, in our EQUAL Global playlist below.

The Spice Girls Continue to Find Fans 25 Years After Their Hit ‘Wannabe’

July 8, 2021

In July of 1996, the Spice Girls burst onto the music scene with their platform heels, Union Jack clothing, and their single “Wannabe.” Their lyrics of female empowerment made waves and started a global “girl power” revolution unlike anything the music and pop culture industry had witnessed before, with a lasting impact ever since.

So to celebrate the anniversary of their debut hit, on July 9 the Spice Girls will be releasing an EP, Wannabe 25, that includes a demo of the original single, a remix by Junior Vasquez, and a new ballad called “Feed Your Love.”

On the platform, Spotify’s celebrating the occasion with This Is Spice Girls, the ultimate destination for fans of the girl group. There, listeners will find a new long-form version of the “Wannabe” music video that’s exclusive to Spotify. The playlist also includes new storylines from the band, where they share details on their biggest hits.

Spotify may not have been around during the group’s ’90s inception, but that doesn’t mean fans aren’t listening to their music on the platform two decades later. In fact, “Wannabe” has been streamed more than 590 million times on Spotify, with listeners in the United States streaming the most, followed by Germany and the U.K. 

“We continue to see a huge number of streams daily for their music, ranging from the songs we all know and love, such as “Wannabe,” “Stop,” and “Spice Up Your Life,” to niche releases that only a die-hard fan would play on repeat,” shares Sulinna Ong, Head of Music at Spotify U.K. and Ireland. “They truly changed the pop landscape forever, giving women a voice in the industry and giving fans the confidence to be their true selves.’’

Music from the Spice Girls has also found a home on millions of user-generated playlists—20 million, to be exact. As to the age of those streaming the British pop sensation’s tracks on Spotify? You may be surprised to learn that 18-to-24-year-olds are the ones streaming the Spice Girls’ music most (despite being born after the group’s first single was released).

Remarking on this, the band said, “Spice Girls has always been about unity and inclusion, and it makes us so proud that after 25 years our music is still inspiring a whole new generation. Thanks to Spotify for keeping us connected to our fans around the world. Streaming has been a huge part of keeping our music alive and it’s amazing that so many people around the world listen to us on Spotify.”

For fans looking to dive a little deeper into the archives, there’s plenty of podcast content on Spotify that offers a glimpse into the lives and minds of Sporty, Baby, Ginger, Scary, and Posh Spice. The WANNABE podcast shares insights into where the famous five are now, and how their careers progressed since their time in one of the world’s most famous girl bands. BBC’s Raw, a podcast that curates “rare and newly discovered interviews,” released an episode that highlights sound clips from the group members from 1996 and 1998.

Whether you want to practice the dance moves to “Stop” or hear the WANNABE podcast cohosts discuss Melanie C’s single “Who I Am,” there’s plenty of Spice on Spotify. 

Revisit the Spice Girls’ catalogue and sing along to your favorite girl power anthem below. 

Get to Know Some of the Women Featured in Spotify’s New EQUAL Music Program

April 29, 2021

This past March, in celebration of International Women’s Day, Spotify unveiled our new EQUAL hub—our most recent commitment to fostering equity for women in music globally. Today, we’re taking that promise one step further with the launch of our EQUAL Global Music Program.

According to the USC Annenberg study funded by Spotify on representation of women in the music industry, only one in five artists on the charts are women. Yet we know how integral women artists’ influence has been on Spotify and the music industry at large. To begin to upend this disparity, we must amplify the work of women creators by extending our resources and generating more opportunities for these artists, which we’re doing by creating a global, cohesive, branded experience with the EQUAL Global Music Program. We want to do our part: We know that when we give more power to creators, more people listen—and that music shapes the future. So, we’re turning up the volume.

Look out for 35 EQUAL local playlists spanning artists from 50+ countries—from Japan to Argentina, from Malaysia to the UK—as well as our “best-of” flagship EQUAL Global Playlist containing music from EQUAL artists from all around the world. Each month, one artist will be featured on the cover of their respective local playlist, in addition to receiving essential organic and on-platform promotion in their home country and beyond. 

We’re also excited to unveil our Created By Women Playlist to launch within the EQUAL hub, a first-of-its-kind offering featuring 40 songs written, produced, and performed 100% exclusively by women songwriters, producers, and artists from around the world. We’re also relaunching our EQUAL Directory (formerly EQL Directory). This partnership with SoundGirls allows women of all experiences and gender-nonconforming creators to create a profile and claim their space in the community of women changing the game in audio. Finally, we’re creating an EQUAL Board, or a network of organizations joining forces with Spotify to empower women globally. These organizations include She’s the Music (U.S.), Girls Rock Australia Network (Australia), shesaid.so (Italy), MEWEM Europa (Europe), Girl Connected (Canada), Music Women (Germany), and Girls Rock Camp (Brazil).

Can’t wait to hit “play?” We asked some of our EQUAL playlist editors to tell us about some of the inaugural EQUAL artists and why they’re so excited to spotlight them and their work. 

Zoe Wees – Germany 

“We believe many can relate to Zoe and her song ‘Girls Like Us,’ which is about the feeling of insecurity and not fitting in. But above all, it is an empowering anthem and therefore a great fit for our EQUAL launch. At age 18, Zoe Wees has not only proven to be a very honest and emotional songwriter, she also has a powerful voice and is winning fans over, far beyond Germany.”

Saweetie – U.S.

“Saweetie’s own music, as well as her collaborations with Ariana Grande, Bebe Rexha, and Gwen Stefani in recent months, has made it clear that she is a dynamic and versatile force with which to be reckoned. She represents a new class of women artists on the rise who are contributing to building equity in the industry, and her dominance as a woman in her genre speaks to our hypothesis with the EQUAL program that all types of listeners want to listen to women.” 

Griff – UK

“What makes Griff an artist that everyone should hear is her unique and boundless ability to create her own world through her music as a singer, songwriter, producer, art director, and fashion designer, as well as her raw and timeless vocals that capture the emotions of her generation.”

Natalia Lafourcade – Mexico

“Natalia Lafourcade has become one of the greatest exponents of Latin music. During the last five years of her career, Natalia has focused on honoring Latin American folk music, magnifying our roots and taking it to places where it has never been before. Listening to Natalia is a sublime experience: In addition to being an exceptional composer, she’s also a great performer—a voice steeped in romanticism and nostalgia that sings love stories to shake and move our soul.”

DUDA BEAT – Brazil

“DUDA BEAT is a strong female artist who has no fear of creating her own space and original sound. She brings this pop-leaning, sophisticated, and very Brazilian-sounding sonority and aesthetics that excite and challenge her listeners. Her music is a perfect expression of contemporary Brazil: very connected to its roots, culture, and origins while at the same time super in touch with modern trends and constantly pushing itself into new directions.”

Nenny – Portugal

“Portugal is a small market, so EQUAL is a great showcase for its female artists, and Nenny has the potential to go global. She’s a good example of the mark that Portuguese Afrodescendants are leaving in today’s music, and a singer-rapper with street cred in the male-dominated world of Portuguese hip-hop. Nenny appears to be an Afroportuguese Rihanna showing a strong, unique personality through her lyrics (self-affirmative, proud of her heritage, and also socially conscious) and great flair in her singing.”

BOWKYLION – Thailand

“Bowkylion is a born artist; she writes all her own music and produces it as well. Her signature pop tunes and meaningful lyrics prove that music is universal. Bowkylion is one artist everyone should hear because she was the most-streamed female artist in Spotify Thailand 2020, edging out many top international and local acts, and it’s a great opportunity to introduce her to the rest of the world.”

CHAI – Japan

“‘Be the change that you want to see!’ is the message behind this CHAI song, which we thought was a great fit for the EQUAL program. Their neo-kawaii [new cute] songs, along with the overall positive messages they portray throughout their music, are the main reasons why they should be heard by everyone.”

Gyakie – Ghana

“In a country where there isn’t much opportunity for female musicians, Gyakie is braving the odds and changing the status quo, breaking charts both locally and globally that even her male counterparts have not reached. Her unique blend of traditional Ghanaian highlife with Afropop and R&B, coupled with simple yet relatable lyrics, makes Gyakie an exciting artist to fall in love with.”

Tkay Maidza – Australia

“Tkay is one of the most exciting and dynamic artists to come out of Australia in recent years and is a great example of an artist who is pushing musical boundaries and forging their own path. Tkay’s music is full of individualism, confidence, creativity, honesty, and empowerment—all qualities that we want to encourage and celebrate through EQUAL in Australia. Tkay is consistently taking us by surprise with the way she fuses elements of hip-hop, R&B, indie, electronic, pop, and everything in between and beyond in her music. Her powerhouse vocals are a guide through colourful tracks that both move and challenge listeners.” 

Wendy – South Korea

“With her recent solo EP out, Wendy proves to be a strong artist from Korea with her talent that resonates globally. As one of K-Pop’s most influential artists, Wendy’s voice is powerful yet healing, strong yet sophisticated. Listeners and fans will not only hear but also feel her sense of empathy, warmth and gratitude through her voice and artwork. Through EQUAL, we hope more listeners worldwide can discover Wendy and truly feel the warmth she exudes.”

Find all these amazing artists and more on the EQUAL Global Playlist.

The Trends That Shaped Streaming in 2020

December 1, 2020

It goes without saying: 2020 was a year unlike any other. One that, despite its unique challenges, inspired creativity with so many people finding ways to come together with resiliency as a community. 2020 has also sounded differently—and throughout it all, audio has acted as a companion, strengthening our connections with the world around us and giving us hope.

Spotify’s Wrapped is here once again to help us look back on the year. For many of us, music and podcasts helped get us through, which is what makes 2020 Wrapped so special—through ups and downs, people kept streaming, and audio never missed a beat.

So, what did the world listen to in 2020?

Most Streamed Artists Globally

Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny claims the top spot with more than 8.3 billion streams this year from fans around the globe. His album YHLQMDLG—released in late February and featuring collaborations with Sech, Anuel AA, and Daddy Yankee—is the number one streamed album as well. Following Bad Bunny is Drake and Latin star J Balvin. The fourth most-streamed artist is the late rapper Juice WRLD, followed by The Weeknd.

Billie Eilish continues her reign as Spotify’s most-streamed female artist for the second year in a row, followed by Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande in spots two and three. Coming in as the fourth and fifth most-streamed female artists are Dua Lipa and Halsey. 

Most Streamed Songs Globally

The most-streamed song of the year is The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights,” which held out strong after being the second most-streamed song of the summer with almost 1.6 billion streams this year. In the second and third spots, respectively, are Australian ex-busker Tones And I’s viral 2019 earworm “Dance Monkey” and Roddy Ricch’s “The Box.” The fourth most-streamed song is the catchy “Roses – Imanbek Remix” by Imanbek and SAINt JHN, followed by “Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa.

Most Streamed Albums Globally

The most-streamed album of 2020 is Bad Bunny’s YHLQMDLG with over 3.3 billion streams, followed by The Weeknd’s After Hours and Post Malone’s Hollywood’s Bleeding. Rounding out the list of most-streamed albums you’ll find Harry Styles’ Fine Line and Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia. 

Most Popular Podcasts Globally

More and more podcasts came to Spotify in 2020, and with over 1.9 million titles, there’s now something for everyone. That includes The Joe Rogan Experience, which holds the number one spot for most popular podcast of the year. Filling in spots two and three are TED Talks Daily and The Daily, showing that listeners were staying in the know as usual. Coming in at number four is a new series from a well known voice: The Michelle Obama Podcast. The fifth most popular podcast is the comedy/advice show Call Her Daddy.

Most Popular Podcast Genres Globally

Podcasts on Spotify cover a range of topics that cater to the varied interests of our listeners. What genres were people drawn to in 2020? Taking spot number one is Society & Culture, a genre that includes both spooky stories and foodie content. Next in line is Comedy, which is no surprise as many are looking for more ways to laugh this year. Spot three is reserved for Lifestyle & Health, demonstrating that listeners love turning to podcasts for wellness. Arts & Entertainment ranks fourth and Education ranks fifth, proving that people are turning to podcasts for both a break and a time for learning.  

2020 Global Streaming Trends

This year we also looked beyond the individual artists, songs, albums, and podcasts and dove into the trends that shaped streaming—the things that made it sound so different.

As people started to social distance, we saw an increase in nostalgia-themed playlists and work-from-home-themed playlists, and in listeners listening to wellness podcasts like Unlocking Us with Brené Brown and Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories.

This International Women’s Day, Stream the Top Female Voices on Spotify

March 4, 2020

March is all about women’s empowerment. In honor of International Women’s Day, March 8, we’re celebrating female voices by spotlighting the top female artists and female-led podcasts on Spotify. 

Taking the number one artist spot is Billie Eilish—and not only among female artists. She’s also the top artist overall this year, based on data from January 1 to March 1. Eilish has more than 10.3 billion all-time streams and more than 60 million monthly listeners. Eilish, whose song “bad guy” has over 1.2 billion streams, also just released the new James Bond theme song “No Time To Die.” Coming in second on our global list is “Lover” superstar Taylor Swift, followed by Ariana Grande, Halsey, and Camila Cabello. 

When it comes to podcasts, these female-led shows are fan favorites on Spotify based on hours streamed, and it’s clear that the obsession with true crime reigns supreme. My Favorite Murder, a comedic true crime series from comedians Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, is Spotify’s most popular female-hosted podcast. Crime Junkie, hosted by self-described “crime junkies” Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat, comes in second. Wondering why women are so obsessed with true crime? According to social psychologist Amanda Vicary, “Women are drawn to true crime because of the information they can learn from it, even if they aren’t aware that that may be the reason they are listening!”

 And with that, these are the top female artists and female-led podcasts globally on Spotify.

To mark International Women’s Day, we’re creating our first-ever global campaign to highlight the contributions women have made to this industry. Plus, on March 8, a brand-new Women’s History Month hub will be live on Spotify. It will include all-female tracks, playlists, and podcasts, as well as takeovers from some of the most dynamic women in audio, because #MusicNeedsWomen #PodcastsNeedWomen and #AudioNeedsWomen.

In the meantime, be sure to listen to our powerhouse playlist of the top female artists around the world. 

First Tracks Drop from Escuta as Minas, Spotify’s Brazil-Based Recording Studio for Female Artists

October 2, 2019

A side street in São Paulo, Brazil, has seen some noisy neighbors move in—the very best kind. That’s because rising female artists have begun to record new songs in Casa de Música – Escuta as Minas (House of Music – Listen to Women), a Spotify-created safe space for women to write, record, and produce music. The house welcomed its first artists, including Bibi Caetano, The Mönic, Souto MC, and Luana Marques.

Through the Equalizer Project and other initiatives, Spotify has been leading a sustained effort to elevate women in the recording industry. Escuta as Minas is the latest example, with the house opened to shine a light on—and help correct—the longstanding gender imbalance in the music industry. Currently, only 21% of artists are women, and only 2% of producers are female.

In addition to being a recording space with an all-female crew, Escuta as Minas allocates resources for other aspects of the music industry, such as workshops on uploading and optimizing content on Spotify, and assistance with photo shoots. The house will continue welcoming female artists and producers through the end of 2019.

Check out the first songs from Spotify’s special São Paulo studio.

 Souto MC “Ressurreição”

Luana Marques “Gastando Choro Novo”

Ni Munhoz “Loba da Mata” 

The Mönic “Frágil”

Barbara Amorim “Verdade” 

LUDI “Filho” 

Samantha Machado “O Que Voce E”

Want to explore more? Stream the official Escuta as Minas playlist.