Tag: hayley kiyoko

This World Mental Health Day, Take a Beat With Spotify

October 10, 2023

World Mental Health Day, observed today, offers people everywhere a chance to reflect, discuss, and destigmatize conversations around mental health and well-being.

Mental health has been a priority here at Spotify since 2018, when we launched our Heart & Soul initiative. For us, mental health is a state of well-being where we are able to cope with the daily stresses of life, function productively, and make meaningful contributions. Heart & Soul’s focus is to create an open and caring environment around mental health issues, an environment where we can do our best work and belong. Heart & Soul aims to raise awareness, enable support, and normalize the conversation to reduce mental health stigma at work. 

We also know our platform can provide a place for listeners to find moments of inspiration and healing through music, podcasts, and audiobooks. We are always seeking new methods to leverage the power of Spotify to break down stigma and raise awareness around mental health and well-being. This World Mental Health Day, we’re encouraging people around the world to take a beat. 

Go ahead and ‘Take a Beat’

On Spotify, listeners can find our Take a Beat global content hub, which includes a collection of podcasts and playlists that promote mental health and wellness. Whether you’re looking to find audio around relaxing, resting, or releasing good vibes, the curations give listeners a refuge from the intensity of our noisy world and provide a chance for them to tune into themselves.

Don’t forget that ‘Our Minds Matter’

Earlier this year, we announced the launch of a new partnership with UNICEF to support the mental health of young people. Focusing on those affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine, we plan to scale this initiative over the next two years to aid in other emergency and nonemergency scenarios. 

As a part of this partnership, we created the Our Minds Matter content hub on Spotify. This destination is designed to support those in Ukraine and Poland, in particular, and also features music and talk playlists to support sleep, study, and relaxation. We also cocreated On My Mind with UNICEF, a podcast available in multiple languages, including Ukrainian, Polish, and English, that provides practical, evidence-based mental health resources.

Making moves with Nike

In the U.K., we’ve taken on a different challenge: partnering with Nike to inspire girls to get more active using the power of music—and in turn, improve their mental well-being—through the Make Moves Fund. Together, we’ll invest in community initiatives that inspire girls to get moving while leveraging the power of music to improve their well-being. With British girl group FLO serving as the fund’s ambassador, we’re hoping to create lasting change by awarding multiple £20K grants to U.K.-based community organizations that propose pioneering and girl-first programs that use music and movement to inspire girls to get active.

Mental health starts with ‘Heart and Soul’ 

This World Mental Health Day at Spotify, we’re acknowledging the occasion a little differently. We’re inviting teams to come together to participate in a mental health–centered workshop led by their managers.

This will bring our teams together in new ways—all with the goal of reducing stigma and encouraging conversations about mental health.

We want to ensure teammates are genuinely looking out for one another, and to do that, it’s important for us to build emotionally aware teams. Creating healthy and thriving workplaces starts with our leadership. When leaders prioritize employee well-being and lead with compassion, the well-being of the collective is elevated.

At Spotify, it’s important for us to come together to cultivate collective care.

Whether within our company or on our global platform, we are finding new ways to highlight the importance of mental health and well-being. If you’re looking to kickstart your mental wellness journey with podcasts, mindful meditation suggestions, or relaxation playlists, check out our Take A Beat destination for everything you need.

Looking to hear more about experiences of mental health within the artist community? Catch this special episode of Best Advice to hear from Hayley Kiyoko, Troye Sivan, Big Freedia, Laura Jane Grace, Princess Nokia, Lykke Li, Rina Sawayama and more. 

From Heathrow to ‘Heartstopper,’ GLOW Artist Baby Queen is on a Musical Journey All Her Own

September 21, 2023

Bella Latham has long believed in her songwriting and composing abilities—even when it took others longer to recognize and amplify her talents. As a 10-year-old in Durban, South Africa, she learned to play piano by ear, and created compositions which she would then memorize and play repeatedly. She also wrote poetry that translated well to lyrics. After high school, she moved to London to pursue music, where she developed her first project, Baby Queen. 

“I came to London with a suitcase and 20 demo CDs, and nobody gave a shit because they were really bad,” she explained to For the Record. “I realized how difficult it was going to be to actually succeed. So, I decided, in order to do that, I had to get a lot better, work a lot harder, and really lean into what was unique about me. I did that, I found the sound, and then Baby Queen was born.”

In those early days, finding the sound came quickly, but Baby Queen didn’t quite have an audience. Everything changed after the artist was featured heavily in the hit Netflix series Heartstopper, which follows two high school boys who fall for each other, and who have the full support and love of their families and group of LGBTQIA+ friends and allies. The show was resonant for Bella, who had struggled for a long time to name and accept her own queer sexuality. 

Heartstopper fans quickly fell in love with Baby Queen’s raw, honest lyrics and built a strong, intimate, and fun relationship with the artist. (Fans recently made a now-favorite meme of hers, which features an inhaler marked with her most recent single, “Quarter Life Crisis,” symbolizing its vitality to their physical well-being.) 

This month, Baby Queen is also Spotify’s GLOW spotlight artist and part of our year-round campaign. We’ll support Baby Queen on our flagship GLOW playlist, as well as through billboards and other efforts. This comes ahead of the November release of Baby Queen’s first studio album. She spoke with For the Record about her GLOW ambassadorship, fans, and Heartstopper.

Baby Queen is a lyrically focused project. What is it about Baby Queen lyrics that resonate so strongly with your fans?

When I started releasing music as Baby Queen, I hadn’t been in love—or falling out of love—for two years prior to that. A lot of music is about relationships, but that’s not what I had to draw from during this time. It gives you the most feeling and the greatest urge to sit down and write music. So it’s been difficult, not having any of that. 

But during this time, I’ve really looked at myself and my face in the mirror and tried to unpack things about myself and tried to be very honest. I really love being so honest that the listener might hear it and feel uncomfortable, or say “Oh, did she really just say that?” And I think the reason people have connected to it is because I just have been really honest about some of the really difficult experiences I’ve had and the difficult parts of growing up and society and the world that we live in. I think that my music is something that young people can listen to and feel like they are being heard, or like the thoughts in their mind are being said out loud. 

What are Baby Queen fans like?

They’re really similar to me. That’s been really amazing because I feel less alone by finding this community. They’re really funny, they have great emotional depth, and they think about life deeply. They’re overthinkers. They’re people just like me, who have struggled, and felt alone, and a lot of them are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. I feel there are a lot of them who are trying to find their way through life and find out where they belong. And I feel like we’ve almost been doing that together, which has been amazing. 

How does music empower queer communities? 

In your upbringing as a queer person, you can feel quite isolated. And you’re quite lucky if you’re living in a metropolitan city and there are more versions of “you” that you can relate to. But most queer people are born in small towns and don’t have that. So finding an artist you really connect with, or a TV show or anything, opens up an entire world. That’s what queer artists like Haley Kiyoko and Troye Sivan were to me. When I was struggling with my queer identity when I was younger, I felt like there was something wrong with me, I felt a bit trapped. Music provides an escape, a hope, a dream, to express your identity and live the life you want to live. 

Speaking of TV shows, your music has been featured in Netflix’s Heartstopper. What has that relationship and its impact been like? 

Really surreal. It has been a really natural organic pairing. They—Patrick, the producer and Alice, the writer of the books—heard one of my songs on a playlist and invited me down to watch the first three episodes. I had no idea what it was or what it would become. But I wrote “Colours of You” for the first series. And after that it felt like I could breathe a sigh of relief for the first time in my career. 

The week when the show came out last year was the most insane. We were all in shock that music could be so directly linked and have such a spillover from the fandom into the soundtrack of a show, so it’s been surreal. 

What does it mean to GLOW?

What it means to GLOW is to radiate. I feel like people really glow when they are doing what they love and free themselves of all fear and overthinking and can really immerse themselves in the present and doing something they love. People radiate the most when they’re talking about something they’re really passionate about. That’s when someone genuinely physically glows. 

I feel like the moment I glow the most is when I’m on stage. Because I’m not thinking about anything other than being immersed, in that moment of doing what I love. 

Stream Baby Queen on the flagship GLOW playlist.

Spotify Teams Up With Artists and Creators To Help You ‘Tune In To Yourself’ on World Mental Health Day

October 7, 2022

There are times when it feels like the world around us gets too loud, distracting us from experiencing the moment and connecting with ourselves. And while mental health has always been important, these last few years have brought it to the forefront. In a sea of demands for our attention, it’s important to take time to get grounded. To help Spotify listeners find quiet amid the chaos, we’re inviting them to turn down the noise and tune in to themselves on World Mental Health Day this year. 

At Spotify, mental health is a top priority. It’s the reason why we started our Heart and Soul mental health initiative in 2018 as a way to raise awareness, build knowledge, encourage self-care and professional support, and normalize the conversation to reduce stigma. And in the years since, we have continued to make mental health conversations and resources available to our employees, as well as to all who come to Spotify looking for the moments of inspiration and healing that music and podcasts can provide.

This year is no exception. We believe that audio is one of many beneficial tools for mental well-being, and so we’re supporting listeners and employees with our lineup of hand-curated content and collaborations with artists, creators, and influencers. We’re also continuing to evolve our partnership with Headspace, the mental wellness provider that promotes health and happiness through mindfulness and meditation. Our hope is that everyone discovers audio that helps them continue to connect with themselves and with others in their everyday lives.

Connect with your favorite artists and creators in our Wellness hub

Across our Wellness hub, we’re highlighting content that can help listeners find some respite from noisy thoughts and buzzing news feeds. We’re also collaborating with artists and podcasters to share their personal experiences of feeling overwhelmed and stressed––along with their ways to bring themselves back to a place of connection. When you first open the Spotify app, you’ll be greeted with a pop-up or banner with a link that will take you to the hub. 

There, you’ll find not only some of our most popular editorial wellness playlists like Calm Vibes, Noise Cancelling, and lofi meditation, but also a wide range of curated playlists from artists and podcasters like J Balvin, Hayley Kiyoko, We Can Do Hard Things’ Glennon Doyle, and Meditation with CurlyNikki’s Nikki Walton.

We’ll also be working with a few of India’s and Sweden’s brightest stars. This includes India’s singer-songwriters Armaan Malik and Hanita Bhambri, actors Rajkummar Rao and Mithila Palkar, and writer Shaheen Bhatt—and from Sweden, artist SHY Martin and Det skaver’s Cassandra Klatzkow, Elsa Ekman, and Nadia Kandil. Each playlist will feature some inspiring words from the artists and creators themselves about the importance of mental health and well-being. 

Additionally, you’ll find exclusive content on our social channels, where creators and influencers such as Zion Clark, Eli Rallo, and Bran Flakezzz will be sharing their own thoughts on mental health awareness and encouraging viewers to visit the Wellness hub.  

Sundays get less scary with Headspace

In addition to having our Wellness hub, we’re also partnering with Headspace to launch the limited podcast series Sunday Scaries Student Edition on October 9. Based on the hit podcast Sunday Scaries, the series pairs Gael Aitor—cohost of the popular Gen Z podcast Teenager Therapy—with Headspace wellness expert Dora Kamau to discuss meditation, mindfulness, and most importantly, life. At the top of each episode, the two tackle a subject that’s affecting students and young people, and Gael has a conversation with Dora about it. 

“It is extremely important to break the taboo surrounding topics such as mental health and anxiety, especially with younger generations,” Gael told For the Record. “This limited podcast series of Sunday Scaries is aimed at reaching young people and teaching them to learn and understand that these feelings are normal, and there are so many tools and techniques to help combat those situations.” 

Whether she’s talking Gael through the feelings of fear that come with following his dreams, or helping him to reframe his thoughts around the idea of being alone, Dora opens up new perspectives in each of the six weekly episodes. And after every conversation, Dora leads Gael through a bespoke meditation on the subject.

“Young people are struggling more than ever with their mental health, with 50% of mental health conditions starting by age 14. Together with Gael, our intention is to help destigmatize and normalize conversations surrounding mental health by providing listeners a space to explore and investigate their feelings, emotions, and unique experiences,” said Dora. Through sharing our own stories, it’s our hope that folks can find a sense of comfort through the advice and resources shared with them.

Finally, Spotify will also be donating directly to Backline, the Music Health Alliance, the MINDS Foundation, and SEARCH.  

Turning down the noise can be tough––especially in moments of stress. If you or someone you know is struggling to safely tune in to themselves, our Mental Health Resources can provide immediate help.

Need a moment to focus on yourself? Take a break with our Calm Vibes playlist below.

Update as of August 21, 2023: We want to help connect listeners who may be thinking about self-harm with the support they need. Anyone who searches for terms that are associated with this type of behavior will receive a localized in-app message prompting them to explore our Mental Health Resources Hub and help them find locally relevant emergency mental health and support services.

This Pride, Spotify Encourages LGBTQIA+ Creators to CLAIM YOUR SPACE

June 1, 2021

Throughout their lives, LGBTQIA+ creators, cultural figures, and activists have fearlessly demanded to be seen, heard, and recognized as who they authentically are. They’ve carved out space for themselves and their communities to thrive, ultimately creating a richer, more vibrant world. This year, Spotify’s Pride campaign is a celebration of that commitment and resilience, and a recognition of the ways audio and art have always been avenues for LGBTQIA+ expression.

This Pride, Spotify is encouraging the queer community to make noise, make their presence known, and make their own rules with a single rallying cry: CLAIM YOUR SPACE. With a series of activations, this global campaign is aimed at creating permanent space, both physical and digital, for the LGTBQIA+ community. 

For too long, there have been glaring gaps in the traditional historiography of music, gaps that often served to minimize or completely erase LGBTQIA+ creators’ indispensable contributions to the development of entire music genres and modern audio culture as a whole. And so, for this year’s Pride, we focused on harnessing the full power of our platform to highlight iconic as well as more emerging queer artists and podcasters, asserting this community’s rightful place within the canon and within the culture. 

Today, we’re kicking off a full month of on- and off-platform programming. Make sure to check out: 

Watch Hayley Kiyoko and Troye Sivan Light Up The World With Pride

June 28, 2018

During summer’s celebration of LGBTQ Pride, music plays a big role. After all, it’s one of the most powerful mediums for personal expression, and songwriting in particular can take a rallying cry and turn it into art.

Here at Spotify, with over 170 million listeners globally, we have the unique ability to literally take the musical pulse of multiple continents at any given moment. We can tap into that rallying cry, expressed through music, and watch it undulate across the globe.

So what have we discovered, from a musical perspective, during Pride season? Simply stated, when there is a Pride parade, there are epic bursts of music. On Spotify, fans have made over half a million Pride/LGBTQ-themed playlists, and they stream throughout the summer, as celebrations sweep from one country to the next.

Our data scientists have captured that excitement here with a visual timelapse map and two playable audiographics (just click on the map and listen to the artists!) that show how Spotifiers celebrate Pride—and the songs that bring it to life.

Here, we looked at anonymous listens to those playlists in countries with Spotify on each day during last year’s Pride season, and put them on the map below. We’re sure that 2018 should be just as loud and proud.

And if you’re wondering which artists appear most frequently in American playlists (those with the acronym LGBTQ are generally created in the United States), check out the interactive map below.

When it comes to listening, LGBTQ-themed playlists are streamed most in Europe and the Americas. Here are the top artists included on lists in those countries.

Which musicians dominate Pride globally? Well, Brazilian drag star Pabllo Vittar appears the most in LGBTQ playlists created in Brazil. And in Europe, Troye Sivan dominates in Estonia, Italy, and Lithuania; Lady Gaga rules in Iceland, Poland, and Portugal; and relative newcomer Hayley Kiyoko claims the top spot in the rest of Europe, most of the Americas, and the majority of the US, despite releasing her debut album only a few months ago (March 2018).

Check out all of these inspiring anthems and plenty more on the Spotify Pride hub.

Tableau visualizations by Spotify Data Visualization designer Skyler Johnson.