Tag: playlist

On the Ground at Cannes Lions with DJ, Author, and Entrepreneur Hannah Bronfman

June 20, 2019

If anyone has a soundtrack to their life, it’s Hannah Bronfman. The DJ, author, and founder of HBFIT has music playing around the clock, from prepping meals that go hand-in-hand with her lifestyle book to making one of her monthly playlists. And people are listening—her 5,000+ Spotify followers are a testament to that. The key to engaging that audience, she says, is in understanding the vibe people are looking for while infusing a fresh musical perspective.

We sat down with Hannah in the midst of the 2019 Cannes Lions Festival, where Hannah DJ’ed Spotify and Hulu’s kickoff party and joined our What’s Next panel. She offered us some firsthand insight into the relationship between music and prevailing millennial trends—and the creative process behind her monthly playlists.

You participated in Spotify’s Culture Next Trend Report. This week at Cannes, you talked about some of the learnings of the report on a panel. What did you walk away with after that conversation?

As a content creator and someone who’s very active in my community and very on-the-ground in pop culture, I think these trends are things that I’m definitely aware of. It was just really interesting to hear a different perspective on them, including from the brand side, too. It’s nice that brands are really thinking about these things.

The report found that millennials are listening to international music more than any other demographic. Have you seen that in your listenership? Is it something that you try to incorporate in your sets?

Absolutely. I think now more than ever, we are really seeing that global music is a huge trend. It’s never been easier to learn about new artists and new music. If I like one song [I can easily]  discover new music and new artists that I wouldn’t otherwise understand or know or have exposure towards.

Do you have a particular discovery tool that’s your favorite? Release Radar, Discover Weekly?

I love Release Radar, I love Discover Weekly. I also love following some of my friends. And then I constantly use Shazam. I travel a lot… and when I’m out in places that are foreign to me and I hear a song that I like, I’ll Shazam it, and then I’ll put it on Spotify and listen.

So what are some of the favorite new artists or international tracks you’ve discovered that you’ve incorporated into your playlists or your sets?

I love playing Doja Cat and Kehlani and then VanJess. They’re kind of newer artists that I’m really into, and I like the vibe of that music right now. And then I think more on the international side, Aroc! is amazing. I have a list that I just got from my friend who lives in Paris who’s been listening to a lot of music coming out of Nigeria. Which has these really authentic, amazing drumbeats, and it’s such a vibe. I think Afrikaans music is becoming a big trend in music right now as well.

You also had a chance to DJ the Spotify/Hulu party this week at Cannes. How was sharing the stage with Ciara?

It was awesome. It’s actually not the first time that I’ve opened for her. And I hope it’s not the last. She’s such an amazing inspiration. She’s unbelievably sexy and cool and just has such a vibe. Kind of an interesting crowd to play for, because I feel like everyone’s kind of like a music enthusiast, and so I was trying to play a little bit of Rosalia, some Lizzo, and then also get into some more mainstream stuff.

Is your playlist creation process the same as when you develop a DJ set?

No, actually. When I’m DJing, I very much read a crowd and go with my instinct. When I’m creating playlists, I really do try to create something different every single month. I like to use my playlists as a little bit of a place for discovery for people who are listening. Things that they might not necessarily hear on Top 40… so it’s a little bit more of a discovery than my DJ sets are.

In January you released your book Do What Feels Good, which outlines some healthy recipes. You spend your fair share of time in the kitchen preparing these healthy meals—what do you listen to?

Being in the kitchen is a very therapeutic moment of my day. I will sometimes put on reggae, or I’ll put on some jazz. Maybe if there’s a new album, I’ll put it on because that’s a really good, solid 45 minutes where I’m in the kitchen focusing on what I’m preparing.

How about podcasts—do you have a current favorite you’ve been binging?

I love Black Girls Texting. I love their conversations. I actually went on their podcast during my press tour for the book. And I just really fell in love with those girls.

You’ve been a guest on a lot of podcasts. Is there a difference in interviews via podcasting and than say an interview like this one?

1000%. Podcasts are single-handedly the most beneficial thing I did throughout my first tour. It’s incredible how addicted the audiences are to podcasts, and how each podcast is unique in how it’s talking about a topic. It’s also really cool to see the crossover in audiences since people are listening to multiple podcasts.

It’s more of a conversation. It’s not just so geared towards a specific answer or a specific routine. It’s very much conversational, and it’s about the interviewer and interviewee.

Don’t just take it from us – stream Hannah’s June playlist below.  

Poet Tyler Knott Gregson Explores His Creative Process – from Haiku to Song

March 19, 2019

Poet, photographer, and avid traveler Tyler Knott Gregson just released his fifth book, Miracle in the Mundane, but reaching this accomplishment doesn’t mean he’s about to take a break. Besides creating a Spotify playlist (below) in honor of the book’s release, he’s currently planning a destination wedding in Scotland with his fiancé, exploring what he might want to record a podcast about and, somewhere in between, making time to read The Overstory, a novel from the point of view of trees. Every day he also finds the time to write one of his daily haikus on love, which he’s been publishing on Tumblr (and now Instagram) for over a decade.

We chatted with an ever energized Tyler about the complexities of telling short stories, why he photographs his written work, and how he is eternally inspired by the world.

What is your creative process like?

The closest thing I have to a process is when there’s a line in my brain that just keeps spinning around. So all throughout the day those lines just start building up. When I finally have the space to sit down and do something with them, that’s when I feel better.

5 Tips for Crafting the Perfect Holiday Party Playlist

December 17, 2018

The most wonderful time of the year calls for a wonderful holiday party—and finally, the time has come. You’ve cleaned your house and gotten the food squared away in the kitchen, and now all you need is a solid, holiday-themed playlist.

Whether you’re an annual party host or cutting the crudité for the first time, anyone can use a hand when making a playlist fit for an evening of holiday cheer. Check out our five recommendations for a party playlist that will liven up the party until it’s time to leave.

  1. Think outside the (gift) box

While every store you wander into this time of year may be blasting Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé, or Bing Crosby, that doesn’t mean you have to do the same. Outside the popular classics, there are some great—and slightly more subtle—options. Consider famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s album “Songs of Joy and Peace,” which includes a really cool version of “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” with ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro. She & Him’s “The Christmas Song” is irresistibly slow and bluesy, while Fleet Foxes’ “White Winter Hymnal” is a popular offbeat choice. Then there’s Rufus Wainwright’s folky “Spotlight on Christmas.” Go exploring—there’s as much holiday music out there as there are presents in Santa’s workshop.

  1. Consider your audience

Your guest list should determine the tone of your playlist. If your friends are more rock-leaning, look to harder-edge Christmas songs like The Killers’ “A Great Big Sled” and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “Christmas All Over Again.” (Shameless plug: We’re pretty satisfied with Joan Jett’s cover of “Little Drummer Boy,” which she recorded for our Spotify Singles: Christmas Collection). There’s an abundance of awesome country music holiday tracks, too, Lady Antebellum’s “Holly Jolly Christmas” and Kacey Musgraves’ “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” among them. And if you’re hosting a sophisticated cocktail bash, you can’t go wrong with Jane Monheit’s “Moonlight in Vermont” or Frank Sinatra’s “Jingle Bells.”

  1. Get personal

It’s always fun to work in some tracks that will appeal to specific party guests. If one of your friends is nuts about Bruce Springsteen, why not add The Boss’s version of “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town”? Or if you have some Ariana Grande fans in the room (and what room doesn’t have at least three?), there are plenty of tracks to choose from on her 2015 album “Christmas and Chill.”

If kids will be at the party, be sure to include some favorites like “Frosty the Snowman,” and maybe skip any adult-themed tracks, like Albert King’s “Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin’” (great jam, though).

  1. Get on the a cappella train

While it’s always a good idea to mix up genres and eras in a party playlist, if you do plan to group songs a certain way—holiday classics, rocking Christmas, Bublé ballads—a good strategy for creating a transition is to pop in an a cappella track. There’s a crisp, layered feel to this type of vocal music, and it serves as a good palate cleanser before a shift in tone. Pentatonix’s “Mary Did You Know” and “Winter Wonderland/Don’t Worry Be Happy” are popular holiday-themed a cappella tracks with Spotify listeners. Also check out Straight No Chaser’s cheeky “Text Me Merry Christmas” (featuring Kristen Bell).

And finally …

  1. Don’t overthink it

Holiday parties are supposed to be lighthearted. Just as a guest showing up in a deliberately awful Christmas sweater shouldn’t be mocked, nor should you be for grabbing a hairbrush and jumping on the couch to sing along to Wham’s “Last Christmas.” If fun is what you’re after, don’t shy away from the fun songs! If in doubt, position the “cheesier” selections further down so they coincide when the eggnog has truly kicked in.

Find even more inspiration in Spotify’s suite of holiday-themed playlists including Christmas Hits, Christmas Pop, and Christmas Classics.

DJ Mia Moretti Knows Exactly What to Listen to—and When

July 2, 2018

Hunkering down with a good book and want some music to set the tone? Try world-renowned DJ Mia Moretti’s playlist “What To Listen To When It’s Too Cold To Go Outside.” What if you’re feeling spontaneous and up for an adventure? Moretti has an answer in “What To Listen To When Driving Up Highway 1 On A Whim.” Her incredibly specific playlists are curated around a particular experience, setting a mood that can translate to just the one you’re in.

Moretti travels around the globe, turning tracks everywhere from A-list fashion shows to birthday parties in the jungle in Tangier. And like most Spotify subscribers, she uses the platform to create playlists. But Moretti’s playlists are like a modern mixtape, carefully collected and named after an event that occurred in her own life, compiled in a way that relates to feelings we all have.

We spoke with Moretti about what influences her, the life motto passed on to her by her grandfather and, of course, the inspiration behind those special playlists. If you’re looking for the right music to fit a particular mood, check out Moretti’s Spotify page, and you’ll be sure to find the perfect tracks.

How can DJs who usually play electronic or house music incorporate classic rock and folk music?

I love this question because it presents two ideas we think of as different and then proposes a challenge to unite them. The thing I love most about DJing is that there is no fixed equation. Being a DJ means constantly moving and adapting, just like a song moves and changes.

As a DJ, you have limitless access to tools to manipulate and change a song. You have a loop roll so you could repeat a word or a verse, you have filters to isolate highs or lows, you have effects to add echo or reverb. In doing this you create opportunities to merge two worlds that might have either different tempos, different rhythms, or completely different feelings into one seamless movement. If the transition makes sense, your audience will follow you on the journey, even if it’s to a new place.

What is your responsibility as a DJ to seamlessly tie songs together?

The most important part of a DJ set is the bridge between the two songs. If you don’t do this, and you leave your audience confused as you jump from one world to another, it’s like removing a bridge from under someone’s feet, and then they might not cross over to the next journey with you. The transitions are also what add the humanity to your DJ set. It’s the difference between someone playing a playlist versus listening to a real DJ. It’s the feeling you add, the intention behind the change, the way you tell the story.

Your Playlist Series is called “What To Listen To When…” Why did you name it that?

Songs probably hold the strongest element in my memory. After hearing just a few seconds of a song, I can be transported back to a specific time and place, and even the temperature and mood of that moment comes rushing back. I wanted to make playlists that transport you to, or help create, these places and memories. So whether it’s the first time you fell in love and drove up Highway 1 in California [What To Listen To When Driving Up Highway 1 On A Whim] or when you were standing in front of Beyoncé’s iconic performance at Coachella [What To Listen To When #Beychella Is Over], I wanted to make these memories re-livable and real, so I made them each their own playlist that’s based on my experience.

What responsibility do musicians have to utilize other forms of art in their work? How has visual art influenced your work?

I don’t think an artist should feel any responsibility to utilize or not utilize any form, but I do think it’s necessary for an artist to have a complete expression of their work when it’s transferred from their heart into the world. The forms might be different for each artist. Today, most of us see music before we hear it; what we see will stay with us throughout the musical experience. I use visual art to build characters and worlds that people can step into so they can step out of wherever they were before this moment started: what they woke up to, what is on their to-do list, who they do or don’t love, and also the trauma that we are constantly being exposed to on a daily basis. That’s the power of music. It’s escapism, it’s freedom, it’s an uncompromising joy you feel when you are completely in the moment of a song.

My new song, “Club Soda,” is an instrumental dance track that aims at doing just that. Giving the listener a moment to escape, then let themselves get transported to a place of universal joy, no matter where you come from, where you live now, or what language you speak. Music isn’t about boundaries, it’s about bringing people together, and I hope I can do that, even if it’s just in brief moments.

What is a good life motto to go by?

I asked my 101-year-old grandfather a similar question the other day and he said to me, “Do something good for others, every day.” If it’s gotten him through this world for over a hundred years, there must be something to it.