Tag: New Zealand

Spotify Premium Listeners in Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand Can Soon Access More Than 250,000 Audiobooks

April 2, 2024

Attention booklovers in Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand! Listening to your favorite audiobooks is about to get even easier. Beginning April 9, Spotify Premium users in these markets will have access to up to 15 hours of audiobooks per month, seamlessly integrated alongside music and podcasts, on a single platform through a unified subscription. 

Our Premium audiobook catalog, already available in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, is one of the largest subscription-based audiobook-streaming platforms at 250,000 titles and growing—we’re already up from 200,000 titles since late last year. We’re excited for more listeners than ever to discover and engage with books, and to mark the occasion we asked authors from these markets—Canada’s Carley Fortune, New Zealand’s Chloe Gong, and Ireland’s Rosemary Mac Cabe—to share some of their favorites.

Carley Fortune

Canadian Carley Fortune is the best-selling author of Every Summer After and Meet Me at the Lake. Her new book, This Summer Will Be Different, will be published May 7.

What are three of your favorite audiobooks? 

What do you love most about audiobooks?

I’m not sure if this is a positive trait, but I’m a multitasker, and I love to figure out ways to use my time efficiently. I’m a full-time writer and a parent to two young, energetic boys—I will never be able to read all the books I’d like to, but audiobooks help! I can squeeze in reading while I’m driving or washing the dishes. But it’s not just that audiobooks help me read more. A truly excellent audiobook elevates the reading experience, absorbing you in the story and bringing the emotion to life. And they’re so accessible. Listening to an audiobook is reading: Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. 

Chloe Gong

Raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Chloe Gong is the best-selling author of the Secret Shanghai novels and the Flesh and False Gods trilogy.

What are three of your favorite audiobooks?

What’s your earliest memory of stories’ being read aloud to you, audiobooks or otherwise?

In primary school, we would read a class-selected book quietly, and then we would come together for the teacher to read it aloud while we sat cross-legged on the mat. It was one of the most joyous parts of my day as a five-year-old. I developed such an appreciation for how class read-aloud time held my attention, and I grew more and more intrigued by the act of storytelling until I became an avid reader myself and eventually an avid writer.

Rosemary Mac Cabe 

Irish author and journalist Rosemary Mac Cabe was raised in Dublin and published her book, This Is Not About You: A Menmoir, in summer 2023.

What are three of your favorite audiobooks?

What’s your earliest memory of books’ being read to you? 

One of the few books from my very early childhood that I remember is Smoke and Fluff, a Ladybird book written and illustrated by AJ McGregor, a fact I didn’t even have to look up because it’s now on nightly rotation in my house. I ordered a secondhand copy online for my two-year-old pretty much the month he was conceived.

Opening it up again after so long was weird, though. I hadn’t seen or read it in probably three decades. I remembered it almost word for word. The illustrations were almost as familiar to me as my childhood bedroom, or a scarf my mum has worn every winter for my whole life.

There’s something about reading this same book—which is quite long, for a children’s book—every single night that reminds me just how much time goes into parenting. It makes me feel close to my own mum, too, who put in this same time, this same love, when she read it to me over and over so many years ago. I live in the U.S. now, while she’s still at home in Ireland, but when I’m reading this it’s like she’s there with us.

EQUAL Teams Up With Football’s Top Stars for an All-Women’s Playlist Dedicated to the Beautiful Game

July 12, 2023

As football fans everywhere turn their attention to the action in Australia and New Zealand for the World Cup, Spotify is here to celebrate the biggest global party of 2023.

For the first time ever, players are celebrating their sport together with EQUAL’s THE PLAYERS—our all-women football playlist that’s built by the world’s most-adored players.

“We love to bring together the worlds of music and sports,” Taj Alavi, Spotify’s VP, Global Head of Marketing, remarked. “THE PLAYERS playlist is so exciting because it involves incredible female athletes from around the world and extends our commitment to shine a spotlight on women in music.”

EQUAL, now in its third year, is our global program dedicated to highlighting women creators, celebrating their contributions, and cultivating opportunities to foster gender equity. 

“There are a lot of similarities amongst the World Cup athletes and EQUAL artists; the greatest being that they all wish to experience greater equity while pursuing their passions,” explained Bel Aztiria, Spotify’s EQUAL Music Lead. “THE PLAYERS offers a new destination for soccer and music fans alike to gather and celebrate football’s return to the global stage.”

Curated by nearly 40 players—including 27 who are representing their home nations in the tournament—across 15 countries, the playlist includes selections from Alex Morgan (USA), Crystal Dunn (USA), Jess Carter (England), Laura Giuliani (Italy), Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria), Lina Magull (Germany), Remy Siemsen (Australia), Meikayla Moore (New Zealand), and Ashley Lawrence (Canada). Featuring more than 120 tracks by women artists, THE PLAYERS is a true representation of women’s football around the world. 

“Growing up I always wondered what my favorite athletes listened to while preparing for a major competition,” Ashley Lawrence said. “It’s so cool to be able to collaborate on a playlist with female athletes across the globe spanning all levels. This initiative is showing the importance of highlighting the achievements of women both in sport and music.”

GLOW Artist Sycco Shares How She Found Her Voice

May 25, 2023

Dive into the psychedelic pop sounds of “Ripple” or “Dribble” to immerse yourself in the bright and colorful world of 20-year-old Sycco. The artist, who has Torres Strait Island lineage and started off by writing and producing songs from her Meanjin/Brisbane bedroom, has spent the past year racking up streams and gracing several Spotify playlists, including Australia’s Front Left, Deadly Beats, and EQUAL AU & NZ. 

Now she’s Spotify’s latest GLOW artist. 

GLOW is our global music program celebrating and amplifying LGBTQIA+ artists and creators. We’ll support Sycco on-platform with a dedicated hub and flagship GLOW playlist, and off-platform via billboards and other takeovers. As part of the program, Sycco will also release a Spotify Singles recording of her track “‘Ripple” and a cover of Post Malone’s “Rockstar.”

“When I was asked to do this, I looked through my recent playlist to see what song I should cover and ‘Rockstar’ was in there, and I was like perfect, and started trying things straight away,” Sycco said. “My drummer, Paddy, hit this breakbeat, and it was it! I’ve been making so much trap music recently, randomly, so it felt very fitting. I am so excited to play this live. I feel like people will go hard!”

Though she’s in the middle of a tour with Australian favorite Tame Impala and U.K. indie breakout Glass Animals, Sycco spoke to For the Record about her identity and craft.

Tell us about your journey into music. How did you find your voice?

My dad taught me guitar when I was 7, and I just kept playing and writing songs. I loved playing drums on anything I could find and watching karaoke videos online. In high school I saved up all year and bought a Mac and started producing. I feel like that’s when I really found my voice. Music was my favorite place and my safe place to express myself. 

Why is it important to amplify LGBTQIA+ voices year-round?

Representation is everything. It is so important to amplify LGBTQIA+ voices all the time to create safe spaces and allow everyone to be themselves! 

What are some of the ways your Indigenous and queer identities intersect?

I am on my journey with educating myself about both—learning my privilege and breaking down my imposter syndrome. I also find so many similarities of empowerment, representation, community, and an ability to understand myself better.

What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?

I’m really into the Jonas Brothers at the moment.

What do you hope people take away from your music?

I want people to leave with jaws dropped, tears in eyes, and butterflies in their stomachs knowing they have just transcended everything they had ever known. A slay. 

Who are some queer artists or cultural icons who have inspired you? 

SOPHIE, Frank Ocean, Charli XCX, and sooo many more! 

What makes you GLOW?

My friends! We create such a safe space to allow freedom in self-expression and to be our authentic selves. 

How does music empower queer communities?

It’s a place of vulnerability and sharing stories. A place where people can relate in private or feel that collective energy in a crowd of people. It is truly magical. 

What is the best advice you received when you were growing as an artist? 

I guess it wasn’t directed at being an artist, but my mum always encouraged me to be myself. I think that advice, when I’d get a bit lost, was always really nice to know that it’s what my mumma taught. 

Catch Sycco on our episode of Spotify: Mic Check.

Spotlighting CHAII, Jawsh 685, Paige, and MELODOWNZ at Aotearoa Music Awards

November 12, 2020

Coming up this weekend is New Zealand’s annual music event: The Aotearoa Music Awards. And this year is particularly unique, as Spotify takes the role of the event’s official audio streaming partner. With this new partnership comes a lasting commitment from Spotify to the New Zealand artist community, and one that continues to amplify the country’s diverse and creative local artists found on Spotify.

That talent includes the four nominees for the Spotify Breakthrough Artist Award, who have seen streaming success on Spotify throughout 2020 on a global scale. The nominees include singer and Jason Derulo collaborator Jawsh 685, rapper-producer and RADAR artist CHAII, singer-songwriter Paige, and rapper-poet MELODOWNZ.

Collectively this year, the four have amassed 652.75 million streams on Spotify thanks to audiences at home and around the world. Take a look at the streaming success of each artist to date:

Can’t wait for the awards? Find CHAII, Jawsh 685, Paige, and MELODOWNZ on the official Aotearoa Music Awards playlist below. 

Tanya Hennessy Speaks Up in ‘I Can’t Stop,’ a New Spotify Original Podcast

August 18, 2020

Tanya Hennessy isn’t afraid to say what’s on her mind—and she’s built a massive following doing just that. You might recognize her from online videos where she shares her funny, real, and relatable takes. Now the Australian comedian, author, radio presenter, and social media sensation is bringing her often “hearted” opinions to the podcasting world in her new show, I Can’t Stop.

The Spotify Australia and New Zealand Studios Original podcast gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at the realities behind social media, television, and radio. Tanya will also take on a variety of other topics, like those random thoughts that keep you up at night and questions you never thought to ask yourself. True to her style, the unofficial “queen of relatable” shares it all with the heart and vulnerability of a 30-something who’s just trying to understand the world around her. Joining her each week will be comedian Steph Tisdell, who will be asking questions on behalf of listeners.

Ready to be even more excited? Hear from Tanya herself as she introduces the podcast, explains what listeners can look forward to, and opens up about the importance of taking risks—while never losing her candor or sense of humor.

Stream the first episode of I Can’t Stop now, and stay tuned for new episodes each week.

New Zealand’s CHAII Brings Persian Flair to Hip-Hop

June 17, 2020

Soon after migrating to New Zealand at age eight, the Iranian artist CHAII heard Eminem and felt “instantly hooked.” Three years later she was making music herself. Fast-forward to today, and her swaggering, pop-friendly hybrid of Western hip-hop and Persian musical touchstones is making a massive splash, leading her to being included in Spotify’s global emerging artist program, RADAR.

The program features artists from over 50 markets worldwide and helps performers at early stages of their careers broaden their fan bases. Awareness of the artists is built through Spotify’s social channels, RADAR playlists curated by Spotify’s editors, and bespoke marketing initiatives.

Originally from Ahwaz, Iran, CHAII paid tribute to the region with her debut single, 2019’s “South.” The song incorporates sounds from southern Iran, which is home to a deeply rhythmic style of traditional dance music called Bandari. This style of music combines Persian instruments like the tombak and daf with Afro-Cuban instruments like conga and talking drums. 

“It’s very inspiring, especially the drums and percussion in the 6/8 time signature,” CHAII tells For the Record. “Persians love dancing, and 6/8 gets you moving no matter where you are in the world.” She also credits modern classics from Persian artists like Googoosh and Siavash Ghomayshi for reminding her of her native country’s musical offerings during her rap-heavy teen years. 

Those mingling global influences inform her own music today: her breakthrough track “Digebasse” sees her rapping in both English and Farsi alongside an equally international guest in B Wise, an Australian rapper with Nigerian heritage.

“Rapping in Farsi came naturally for me,” she says. “It also helped me practice my native tongue. Incorporating traditional Persian music into the hip-hop world [has been] a very long but fun process. I’m still experimenting with it and feel I’ve only just scratched the surface.”

Her punchy, continent-jumping sound recalls the similarly worldly hip-hop of artists like M.I.A. and Tkay Maidza, especially on her new single “Lightswitch.” Produced by Frank Eliesa of the genre-bending New Zealand ensemble Yoko-Zuna, the song packs CHAII’s nonchalant lyrical takedown into a brisk three minutes of catchy hip-hop.

“‘Lightswitch’ reflects on my journey in music so far, working hard to get to every stage,” says CHAII. “Coming to the conclusion that you can’t please everyone and have to own what you do. To live with no regrets and be bold.” She also connects the song to some of the Iranian artists now based in Los Angeles who similarly have brought their country’s music to wider audiences. Like so many artists at the moment, CHAII watched her year’s plans dissipate somewhat in the wake of the pandemic. She was slated to make her debut at SXSW this year, for example, before the festival was cancelled due to COVID-19. Yet she remains upbeat, using this time to reflect and work ahead.

“I’m used to having to adapt to change, especially from being in the music industry,” she says. “Even though it’s a crazy time, I see it as a time to refocus and write more music. [And] to make a bigger and better show for when the time comes to resume our shows overseas.” 

For now, CHAII’s already considerable international reach will get a serious boost thanks to her inclusion in RADAR. “I was truly surprised to be chosen,” says CHAII. “It’s a partnership I’m hugely looking forward to. Spotify has been a big part of getting my music to a wider audience, regardless of not fitting [into any one] box. My music is an example and a reflection of cultures morphing, and I feel the world needs to see, hear, and experience more of that.”

Check out more of the artists selected for Spotify’s global RADAR program.

Spotify Celebrates Women in the Music Business in Australia

November 27, 2019

Allies: Bring One, Be One, Meet Many. That was the theme of the inclusive Spotify gathering held on Monday, November 25, to celebrate women in the Australian music business.

Hosted ahead of the ARIA Music Awards in Australia (a pivotal industry and cultural moment for the country), the event was an opportunity to bring together and celebrate the achievements of women in music, as well as recognize important support from their allies.

Your Daily Podcasts Playlist Makes Finding Your Next Favorite Show Easier Than Ever

November 19, 2019

You’ve just binged your favorite podcast and you’re finally caught up. But now you have to wait an entire week until the next episode. Now what? With so many great podcasts on Spotify, it can be hard to know what to listen to next. Thanks to our latest personalized playlist, it’s now easier than ever. 

Spotify transformed music discovery with playlists like Discover Weekly and Daily Mix. Now we’ve created Your Daily Podcasts—our first daily personalized podcast playlist that gives users an easy way to discover new shows while also keeping up with old favorites. If you’ve listened to at least four podcasts in the past 90 days, you’ll find the playlist in the “Your Top Podcasts” shelf on Home or in the “Made For You” hub on browse.

Here’s how Your Daily Podcasts works:

  1. Spotify’s algorithms analyze your podcast behavior—like recent streams and follows.
  2. Then, based on your listening history and the podcast type, we’ll recommend the next best episodes for you.
  3. That might be the next sequential episode in a podcast you’re already listening to (think Dog Tales and How’s Work with Esther Perel), a recent stand-alone evergreen episode in another show (maybe Amy Schumer Presents: 3 Girls 1 Keith or Certified Buckets), or a timely episode from a daily updating podcast (like Horoscope Today or The Journal).  
  4. Don’t worry—no spoilers here! If you’ve never listened to a story-driven sequential show we think you’d like, you’ll get the trailer or pilot episode first—to see if it catches your eye (er, ear).

Free and Premium users in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Sweden, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand can check out their Your Daily Podcasts playlist, now available on Spotify.

Introducing Spotify Kids, A New Standalone App for the Next Generation of Listeners

October 30, 2019

Spotify is committed to bringing audio content such as music and stories to more people in more ways–including the next generation of listeners. That’s why we decided to launch a fun standalone app designed with safety in mind specifically for kids and families.*

 

We sat down with Alex Norström, Spotify’s Chief Premium Business Officer, to learn a little more about the app. 

1. Why create a Spotify Kids app now? What can users look forward to?

We know that families love listening together—whether it’s while driving in the car or cooking dinner together in the kitchen. But we also know that family members love to listen on their own too. That’s why we’re so excited to welcome the next generation of listeners—kids—into the Family Plan experience. 

Kids consuming audio content, such as music and stories, isn’t a new phenomenon—in fact, they love it. But most audio experiences were built with adults in mind—meaning they’re not simple, easy, or fun for young kids to use. 

Spotify Kids was born out of the desire to create a playground of sound just for kids—to build a place where younger kids can explore their favorite music and stories in a fun environment. The content is ad-free and hand-picked by a team of editors, and the experience is bursting with color. Our visuals help guide young minds through the app with simple navigation and scaled-back text. Before setting out to explore, each kid can also select a custom avatar and color theme to personalize their experience. 

Spotify Kids is a composite of playlists, which makes it easy for kids to find music and stories from their favorite movies and TV shows or hit plays on a playlist to sing along to during their favorite activity—or their least favorite chore.  

We’re thrilled to beta launch in Ireland and look forward to introducing Spotify Kids in all markets that have Premium Family in the coming months. As we evolve the app experience, we’ll roll out enhanced parental settings and controls for even more customization in an effort to give parents peace of mind. 

2. How is the Spotify Kids app different from the original app? Any unique content?

Spotify Kids is a standalone app available exclusively for Premium Family subscribers and intended for kids ages 3+. The content within Kids is hand-picked by a team of editors, who have nearly 100 years of combined experience curating content for kids. They come from some of the most well-respected brands in this space, including Nickelodeon, Disney, Discovery Kids, and Universal Pictures, as well as Public Service in Sweden and BookBeat, which is a family- and kids-oriented audio streaming service.  

Beyond the content, the entire Spotify Kids user experience looks and feels different from the Spotify app. And that’s intentional. It’s built for kids, with their specific cognitive skills in mind, and exudes a fun, familiar, playful, and bright atmosphere. This look and feel also varies by age group—for example, the artwork for younger kids is softer and character-based, while content for older kids is more realistic and detailed. 

3. Why launch in beta? What are you hoping to learn? 

Having a standalone app specifically for younger kids is a new space for Spotify, and we understand the sensitivities around content for children. We are being very deliberate in our launch approach. We’ve started with a beta launch in Ireland, knowing that this initial roll-out phase will yield many learnings from parents, caregivers and other experts as they begin to interact with the app.

As we evolve the Spotify Kids experience over time, we plan to enhance parental control features to allow for even more customization. We’ll also bring our audio expertise to the table with listening experiences that go beyond music—like more stories and audiobooks and eventually podcasts.

4. As you were building the app, did you tap any external resources? Say, consult with any parent organizations or conduct focus groups?

While launching this kids app is an exciting moment for Spotify, creating it was not a task we took lightly. We knew the importance of understanding parents’ needs and making sure they would have peace of mind about the content their kids are consuming. 

Spotify has spent more than two years learning about this space, and we’ll continue to learn as people begin to interact with the app. We have gathered expert insight from a number of organizations, including the National Children’s Museum in Washington, D.C.,  and conducted our own studies with parents around the world and tapped into our Employee Resource Groups here at Spotify.

Spotify Kids is available starting today in Ireland. Ready to get started? Spotify Premium Family master account holders can simply download Kids from the App Store or Google Play, then sign in to their regular Spotify account. (If you’re new to Spotify, you’ll need to sign up for Premium Family before signing in to Spotify Kids.)

For those outside of Ireland, Kids will be rolling out to all markets that currently have Premium Family. Be sure to check back here for more or check out spotify.com/ie/kids.

*Update March 17, 2020: Spotify Kids has also rolled out in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.

Update February 11, 2020: Spotify Kids has also rolled out in the UK and Australia. 

Update November 27, 2019: Spotify Kids has also rolled out in Denmark, Sweden, and New Zealand.

Update May 12, 2020: Spotify Kids has also rolled out in Germany and Japan.

Spotify Celebrates Australian and New Zealand Hip-Hop with A1 Live

September 25, 2019

Australia and New Zealand have firmly taken their place in the global hip-hop story. The scene was on a slow burn in the ’90s, fueled only by small underground artists catching fire locally. Then in the 2000’s, pioneering artists like Hilltop Hoods and Thundamentals brought the genre onto the global stage. Thanks to that base, today’s talents have kept pace with shifts in hip-hop around the world while also surfacing themes and sounds that are unique to Australia and New Zealand. 

You can get to know this growing movement on Spotify with our flagship playlist, A1 Hip-Hop, as well as through The Drip, Beats n Bars, All Aussie Hip-Hop and Mellow Styles. Plus, join in on the celebration of the Australian and New Zealand hip-hop scene in person with our landmark A1 Hip-Hop live event on November 7 at the Metro Theatre in Sydney.

Live the Playlist IRL

The A1 Live concert will showcase the two countries’ top breakthrough hip-hop talent, bringing Spotify’s A1 Hip-Hop playlist to the stage for the first time.The free 18+ event is inspired by the hottest beats from Australian, New Zealand and International artists and brings the sound to more than 280,000 followers. Some of the local luminaries slated to perform are Manu Crooks, Triple One, Kwame, JessB, Sophiegrophy, and Hooligan Hefs. Register to win tickets here.

“To be able to bring an off-platform experience that heroes and celebrates the importance of homegrown talent is something we are beyond excited about,” says Peter Stevens, Senior Music Editor at Spotify Australia & New Zealand. “With world-class artists breaking through locally and stepping up to show they have their place in the global hip-hop story, hip-hop in Australia and New Zealand has never been healthier. A1 has become a home for local audiences to hear these artists sitting among fellow luminaries from the US, UK, and beyond.”    

Here’s a closer look at the live line-up of rising stars performing at A1 Live.

Four-member Sydney rap crew Triple One displays a defiant blend of brash bars and melodic hooks. With followers from the Harbour City all the way to Chicago, the Inner West supergroup racked up more than 5 million streams with its recent track “Butter.” 

Manu Crooks, a Ghanaian-Australian rapper from the western suburbs of Sydney brings a futuristic global sound that matches his international hip-hop style. Thanks to his popular B Wise collab “Throw It Back,” and hit “Fuego,” he’s amassed 10 million streams.

Kwame is a versatile MC who shared the same church pew as Manu Crooks when they were kids in Sydney. He burst onto the global hip-hop scene with his summer anthem “WOW” from a second EP Endless Conversations, which has more than 6 million streams so far. The rapper and producer has a huge following at home in Australia, and he’s now catching on in New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.  

Also heating up the A1 Live stage is rapper JessB. Debuting out of Auckland, New Zealand, in 2017, the recent commercial and alternative radio favorite made quick work of accumulating nearly 2 million streams. Her EP Bloom was released to acclaim in 2018, followed by her second album, New Views, which has more than 1.5 million streams. 

Rounding out the A1 line-up is Hooligan Hefs, a Southwest Sydney-based Samoan-Chinese emcee whose genre-melting sounds mashup EDM, dubstep, techno and rap. The Doonside native clocked more than 2 million streams right from the get-go with the release of his debut single “The Party.” 

Nigerian-born, New Zealand-raised rapper Sophiegrophy rocketed into the spotlight in 2017 with the debut of her no-holds-barred DIY indie mix tape. With catchy cuts like “Rolls Royce” and “Fa$t Life” and “Bag,” the Brisbane-based artist is attracting fans far from Down Under in American hip-hop hotbeds like Los Angeles and Chicago.  

For your chance to win tickets to A1 Live, register your details here and tell us who your favorite A1 Live artist is—and why—in 25 words or less. And for all the latest essentials in hip-hop, check out Spotify’s A1 Hip-Hop playlist: 

Spotify’s Front Left Live Returns to Australia for a Second Year, Celebrating the Best Genre-Defying New Music

August 6, 2019

Melbourne, Australia, has long been a music epicenter and live music hotspot. In keeping the music discovery game strong Down Under, Spotify has announced the return of our playlist event Front Left Live—moving from Sydney to Melbourne—on Wednesday, October 9.

This is the second consecutive year that Spotify has staged Front Left Live. The show will feature some of the world’s most genre-defying artists from near and far, including Tove Lo, who will perform exclusively in Australia for the Spotify event, Tones And I, girl in red, BENEE, and Electric Fields, with a special international guest soon to be announced. 

The showcase-format event is based on Spotify’s Front Left playlist, which boasts over 500,000 followers and has helped several rising Australian and Kiwi artists expand their fan bases at home and around the world—and vice versa. 

Here’s a look at some of the diverse artists slated to perform at Front Left Live:

  • Swedish pop sensation Tove Lo, best known for her hits “Habits,” “Talking Body,” and “Cool Girl,” is headlining the event in an exclusive Australian live performance. The artist struck a chord with local fans when she collaborated with Aussies Flume and Daniel Johns on “Say It” in 2016.  
  • Up-and-coming Australian indie pop star Tones and I started as a busker in 2018. Yet she has amassed the number one song on Spotify’s Australia Top 50, a number one single on the ARIA chart, tracks in 157 playlists worldwide, and over 40 million streams—in under four months. 
  • girl in red, the Norwegian singer-songwriter and self-produced artist Marie Ulven, is an innovative, authentic voice who’s building a global fan base on Spotify from the confines of her bedroom studio.
  • Auckland, New Zealand-based BENEE melds indie, R&B, and pop on her debut album FIRE ON MARZZ. Her breakout single “Soaked” has been streamed 21.5 million times since its release earlier this year.
  • Electric Fields, the Adelaide, Australia-based duo of producer-composer Michael Ross and vocalist Zaachariaha Fielding, combines an exciting blend of traditional Aboriginal culture and language with modern electronic beats.

Fans around the world can tune in to the exciting sounds of Front Left.