Tag: q&a

Lilly Singh Talks Audiobooks, Favorite Reads, and Lilly’s Library

November 8, 2023

Lilly Singh staring at camera with her arms crossed

From viral sketch videos to late-night television, Lilly Singh is used to making people laugh. The Canadian entertainer, writer, and advocate has made her mark in the entertainment world. And while she’s still busy creating content and working on a number of projects, she’s also bringing a new focus to a different, more personal format: books.

Lilly is no stranger to the written word—she’s the New York Times Best-Selling author of How to Be a Bawse and Be a Triangle. But over the past few years, her love for reading has grown as she’s immersed herself in valuable self-help books, powerful intergenerational dramas, and lighthearted romantic comedies. “I used to read a lot when I was younger, and then there was a period of my life where I stopped reading because I convinced myself that it was too time-consuming and that I could watch things,” said Lilly. “And then I started my own book club called Lilly’s Library in an effort to not only highlight South Asian authors, but also to help get myself back into reading.” 

Lilly’s Library, which started in 2021, is genre-diverse and aims to provide readers with new stories they can relate to or learn from. 

In honor of our Audiobooks offering for Spotify Premium users debuting in the U.S. today, we spoke to Lilly about the medium, its capacity for representation, and why she’s so excited for more listeners to join in on the audiobooks journey. 

What prompted you to start Lilly’s Library?

One reason was to shine a light on South Asian authors because I feel like they don’t get the spotlight they deserve. But also, so much of my life is about representation and I’ve mostly focused on the screen for that. I’ve always been an advocate of seeing characters and stories that are diverse onscreen. And sometimes I get frustrated at the lack of that. 

I came across this book Tell Me How to Be and it became the first Lilly’s Library book. It’s a queer story, and the perspective is from a mother and a son. And me being a queer brown person, I’m always like, “Where are the queer brown people?” When I read that book, I was like, “Oh my God, this is so in-depth.” And the thoughts of these characters and the struggles that this family is going through, I’ve never seen on the screen. It was so real and it was so honest. And I realized that maybe the South Asian community, like me, don’t realize that their experiences—and what we’ve been waiting to see onscreen—are captured in books. 

But another big part of it is I think there’s this misconception that people have to be South Asian in order to enjoy South Asian stories, and that is just not true. I grew up watching a whole bunch of content that didn’t have South Asians. I was still able to relate to it, or at the very least, learn something new. One in four people on this planet are South Asian, and I want to normalize that our stories can be relatable for you. And if they’re not, they will teach you something new. Either way, that’s a win-win situation. 

With so much social, video, and audio content out there to consume, when do you instead turn to books?

I have been so pleasantly surprised—and punched by the reality—that books actually have phenomenal representation. Things I’m always wishing I saw onscreen, on social media, and other places, I’m finding in books. And that’s been really refreshing. The types of stories, characters, and problems that Lilly’s Library features are all so much more advanced than the ones I see onscreen.

And so I pick up a book when I want to relate to something. I want to be seen. I want to kind of escape into a story that feels safe. It’s also when I’m stressed, lonely, or feeling like my real life is a little too overwhelming and I want to dive into a different story. 

You’re a published author. What made you want to write?

I got to a place where I wanted to tell a deeper story that was very detailed, and literature—for me—feels like a safer space to share some of those stories. I can talk about things in as much detail as I want. And I’ll just be completely honest: Some stories feel safer writing it. When your face is in a video, it can be tough to talk about things, but sometimes when you’re using words, you can hide in the beauty and safety of the pages. I feel writing allows you to go a little bit more vulnerable and deeper than you otherwise might.

You also narrated both audiobooks. What was it like to read your stories aloud?

I won’t lie, recording both of my audiobooks was one of the tougher experiences of my life because you are forced to read your writing out loud—and multiple times—when you’re recording. I was like, “Who wrote this? Who wrote it like this?” 

But. . . it was also very therapeutic to actually hear my thoughts out loud and be forced to read it when I wasn’t in the editing process anymore. You can kind of get to relive your own story as an audience member when you’re doing that, and can disconnect in a way that lets you be more forgiving. I feel like, for the most part, I was able to have a level of compassion when listening to my story out loud that I probably didn’t have while I was writing and editing it.

Is there a book that’s had a big impact on you?

A book that really resonated with me is The Four Agreements. I love this book. It’s a very, very simple and practical guide to personal freedom. And it’s just well written and easy to understand. It was actually the inspiration for my second book, Be a Triangle. Anytime I’m struggling, I open that book and read a section of it. It’s been like a life resource for me. 

What are some elements about audiobooks that you especially enjoy?

I really love holding a physical book, but I realized that I wasn’t always able to read as much as I wanted to because of that restriction. I can’t read in any moving vehicle or I will get extremely carsick. And I travel a lot.

I’ve also learned recently that some audiobooks actually enhance the book in a way that I can’t do when I’m reading it alone thanks to the voice performance. They make the book have so much more depth. For instance, I was listening to The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, and I was blown away that the voice actor does like 30 different voices in this audiobook. And they’re horrifying and beautiful and he does different accents. I was like, “Dude, I’ve been missing out on audiobooks!” That really got me to switch.

Share your favorite Lilly’s Library pick.

There are a lot of really good options. There’s a book called At Least You Have Your Health by Madi Sinha. I like this book because it made me laugh and it was a nice read. But what I really liked was the subject matter. It’s a commentary on the women’s health sector and is about how understudied women’s bodies are. The book is done in a very, very smart way.

How do you determine which stories make it into the club?

So the Lilly’s Library mandate is pretty simple: The book has to be written by a South Asian author. One of the powers of the South Asian community and culture is that it’s very founded on the family unit, and so a lot of the books are the mother’s perspective, then the daughter’s perspective, then the grandmother’s perspective. And our goal is that families can read these books together and talk about it. So my mom actually has read every Lilly’s Library book with us. Our conversations with each other are much more in-depth now because when we discuss a book, inevitably we discuss life and why those choices didn’t resonate with us, or whatever it is. And so it’s just been really awesome to have our relationship evolve through the help of books and the library. And that’s what I really hope for other people as well. 

 

Make your next read an engaging listen with audiobooks available on Spotify. To hear more perspectives from Lilly, check out her books How to Be a Bawse and Be a Triangle. 

Spotify’s Audiobook Leaders Explain Why You Should Listen to Books on Spotify

October 3, 2023

For many years, audiobooks have had limited distribution avenues, leading many book lovers to overlook the medium. But our rollout in the U.K., Australia, and soon the U.S. means that tens of millions of Spotify Premium listeners will soon be able to access 15 hours’ worth of audiobooks from over 150,000 options each month, dramatically expanding the audiobooks market. 

In anticipation of this expansion, both David Kaefer, Spotify’s VP of Business Affairs and the Audiobooks Business, and Owen Smith, Spotify’s Head of Audiobooks Product and Tech, have been working diligently with their teams, as well as publishing houses, authors, and narrators, to bring audiobooks to our platform in a seamless way. 

Below they explain to For the Record how the combination of Spotify’s extensive catalog, world-class content discovery capabilities, and Premium offering will result in a magical experience for audiobook lovers and newbies alike. 

Today is a big day for our audiobooks business, but it’s also a big day for our users. What can they look forward to? 

Owen: At launch in the U.K. and Australia, and soon in the United States, listeners will have over 150,000 titles available to them. And they can listen however they would like. So they might focus on one title and finish it, or have ten books open and make their way through all of them slowly. That flexibility is a real benefit of our product. And they’ll have 15 hours a month in which to listen to that mix of content. If they love it and want to listen to more, they can head to our website, where they can buy top-ups so they can get more hours and continue listening. 

David: We really have a top-rate catalog. If you take a look at the top publishers in the book industry, they’re all working with us here at Spotify in some fashion. We don’t have every audiobook—because some audiobooks are exclusive and there’s a couple of pieces of catalog we’ve not licensed—but you’re going to find that most of the top authors, most of the top titles that are available as audiobooks are there, unlocked, in Spotify Premium for you to enjoy. I’m especially excited that we currently have over 70% of books from the New York Times bestseller list. 

I think a lot of people have not seen the mix of flexibility that the hourly listening model gives you with the catalog quality that we’ve been able to assemble. Then you add our investments in discoverability and that’s sort of the trifecta, that’s really a magical combination. 

What excites you most about listeners’ accessing audiobooks in the same place where they already have so much audio content? 

David: This is uniquely Spotify, this opportunity to bring multiple forms of amazing content together and make it seamlessly easy to discover and enjoy them. Compare that to a standalone audiobook app, for example. That experience today still feels a lot like it did 10-plus years ago. I’d buy a book and I must just listen to that book and perhaps be stuck with it. That’s a very different customer proposition.

We want our customers to have flexibility in what they listen to. If I want to dive in and out of music or pods or audiobooks, that’s all possible. 

Owen: These formats can also really borrow from one another. The book industry is particularly excited about using an author’s appearance in a podcast to help promote how people discover and ultimately listen to an audiobook and vice versa. So the opportunities to reinforce and discover across our different formats are definitely going to be there. 

What have we learned from launching other verticals—podcasts, for example—that’s informed this launch? 

Owen: First, you have to have amazing content that people want to listen to. Second, you have to help people find that content. In some cases, book titles will drive discovery themselves. There’s often a cultural book of the moment and people want to go find it. But we also really want to expand what audiences listen to, and to do that we’ve had to invest in recommendations for discovery. So just as we did in our podcasts journey, we’ll do that for audiobooks. 

We’ve got a great initial product that will include audiobooks across all our core surfaces. Our personalized Home feed is certainly one of those and will serve up recommendations based on what you like, as well as some suggestions for your next favorite book; while if you already know what you want, then you can just type it into Search. Then with Browse you’ll find some of our editorial booklists, where we will help you explore the huge catalog available. For example, we will take a genre like mysteries and serve up a curated selection so you can find just the right mystery book for you. 

David: We also have a lot of experience and learnings from our work with labels, music publishers, and podcast studios. The most important thing to remember is that these relationships are partnerships. It’s not about the first time you do a deal, but about building a lasting relationship. For book publishers, podcasters, and people in the music world, it’s important that we can grow the market. That’s our mission for the book industry. So they’re going to be assessing whether our offering is adding listeners and adding revenue that benefits the authors they represent. 

At the same time, we’re looking for the types of product flexibility that we need to be able to really delight users. We want to be able to use exciting new technologies to help people find that perfect book. We might want to evolve the format in a way where it looks fresh and gets people excited to engage.  

Why should someone who’s never listened to an audiobook before start now on Spotify?

David: I think a lot of people were originally surprised by how much they were into podcasts. They were on our platform listening to music, and they decided to give podcasts a try. The rest is history.

For booklovers who’ve never listened to an audiobook, they’ll be thrilled to see that audiobooks are awesome for multitasking moments. When I want to read a physical book or I want to read an e-book, I’m often curled up on the couch during focused time. But if I’m working out or I’m on the drive in to work or I’m dropping off the kids, those are awesome moments to think about “how do I build in an audiobook?” I think families with kids will also be delighted by the types of titles that you can listen to and enjoy together, and I think we’re going to see a lot of families super excited and engaged with this content, and they’re going to get a lot of value from it. 

What do you remember about the first time you listened to an audiobook? 

David: My first memory is of a book series I was a fan of. I had read 10 books and then listened to an audiobook, and it was jarring that the narrator’s voice didn’t match the voice in my head. So one lesson I’ve taken for myself is that the narrator is supremely important. We need to surface amazing narrators so they can be part of our journey.

In the audiobooks world, we need to be thinking of the author and the narrator as almost equal partners. Because as important as it is to write the book, that narration really determines whether somebody is going to stick with a title for often eight or 10 hours. It’s really predictive. So if I’m reading fiction and somebody really just allows me to get lost in the title, we know that that leads to completed listening of the book, and it benefits the author.

Oh, and I also figured out I’m a larger fan of nonfiction than fiction for now! 

Owen: I grew up in the U.K., so my first memory would probably be listening to audiobooks on BBC Radio, where they used to broadcast excerpts and—on rare occasions—broadcast the whole audiobook end to end. I see audiobooks as a wonderful way to replay one of our oldest human traits, which is to tell and pass on stories, whether that’s in a novel, memoir, or even some of the nonfiction books that I listen to for work. One of the great things about the product we’ve built is that I’m now finding new ones that I enjoy more frequently than ever before. 

What audiobooks are you listening to right now? 

David: I’m just starting Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, written and narrated by Angela Duckworth, which is very appropriate for this particular role of launching any new business vertical. For more fun I’m trying out the Millie Bobby Brown novel, Nineteen Steps. 

Owen: I recently finished Stanley Tucci’s Taste, which is a memoir interspersed with stories about food and recipes. I loved the book and he’s a naturally fantastic narrator. I’ve just started Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, which was a recommendation based on my podcast listening on Spotify.

India’s Classical Music Takes Center Stage in Spotify’s Echo Campaign

September 26, 2023

In India, music fans are diving into classical music. Recent data shows that over the last two years, India’s classical music consumption grew by nearly 500% on Spotify. And while users of all ages are tuning into these songs, more than 45% of listeners are under the age of 25. Classical music, it turns out, is indeed for everyone.

Indian musical instruments have a rich cultural heritage and are consumed widely not just in the country, but across the world. Generations of artists have taken this music to listeners across the globe, with instruments such as the sitar, flute, tabla, and more, recognized and beloved everywhere. So, to celebrate and highlight this legacy, we launched Echo, an initiative that puts the spotlight on Indian classical music and musicians. Over the past three months, we’ve focused on the flute, tabla, and sitar, educating our listeners via playlists that celebrate artists who have mastered each instrument, including sitarist Rishab Rikhiram Sharma with the Soulful Sitar playlist, flutist Naveen Kumar with the Fascinating Flute playlist, and multi-percussionist Anuradha Pal with the Tabla Rhythms playlist. 

Seleção Brasileira de Breaking se prepara para uma Nova Batalha de Dança

August 22, 2023

Ritmos incríveis, footwork sofisticado, dançarinos talentosos, batalhas de tirar o fôlego – tudo isso compõe o Breaking, uma forma de dança que combina movimentos complexos com dança estilizada

Nascido nas comunidades negra e latina do Bronx, o Breaking se originou nos anos 70, no início do movimento Hip Hop. O nome refere-se aos breakbeats que definiram o som inicial do Hip Hop, que deu aos dançarinos a chance de mostrar seus movimentos. Ao longo dos anos 70 e 80, equipes de dança se formaram e competiram entre si, introduzindo novas técnicas como o headspin, freeze e o top rock.

Música é uma parte crítica do Breaking, e os DJs que comandam as mesas geralmente misturam elementos de hip hop, jazz, disco, electro e muito mais para criar uma faixa atraente para os dançarinos, conhecidos como b-boys e b-girls. 

No início dos anos 80, o Breaking ganhou força no Brasil, proporcionando uma nova maneira para a juventude do país se conectar e interagir. E até hoje nas ruas de São Paulo acontecem batalhas de dança, com b-boys e b-girls disputando quem tem os melhores movimentos.

Em 2024, o Breaking fará sua estreia olímpica em Paris e o Brasil se prepara para os jogos. A seleção brasileira é composta por seis estrelas de destaque: Leony, Luan San, Rato, Toquinha, Mini Japa e Nathana. Enquanto eles treinam, o Spotify está com eles a cada passo do caminho como patrocinador da equipe. Além de apoiar eventos na comunidade do Breaking, estamos fornecendo ajuda financeira para a equipe competir em eventos nacionais e internacionais, bem como em seus treinamentos.

O For the Record conversou com os membros da equipe Leony e Toquinha para saber mais sobre o Breaking e onde eles veem o futuro do esporte.

Qual é a sua parte favorita sobre Breaking? 

Leony: A liberdade, a parte que eu mais amo é a liberdade dentro do breaking, a liberdade de poder fazer tudo no meu tempo, de fazer qualquer coisa que eu criar do meu jeito. A liberdade de ser e fazer aquilo que eu imagino com o meu breaking.

Toquinha: A melhor parte do breaking pra mim é o sangue no olho e a adrenalina das batalhas!

Existe uma música ou artista em particular que você gosta de ouvir? 

Leony: Eu sou fã do A Tribe Called Quest. Pra mim o melhor grupo de rap que teve.

Toquinha: Eu gosto muito das músicas do Veigh! Como dj, em especial pra treinar eu curto os beats do Dj Batata’Killa.

Leony performing a breaking dance move on a bridge

Leony

Qual foi sua reação quando soube que o Breaking se tornaria um esporte olímpico?

Leony: Fiquei feliz, eu sabia que isso alavancaria o breaking no mundo, e foi o que aconteceu.

Toquinha: Quando eu soube que o breaking estará nas olimpíadas eu fiquei animada, ansiosa e motivada a treinar mais!

Muita improvisação é necessária para ser bom em Breaking. O que mais você acha que é essencial para se destacar no esporte? 

Leony: Ter personalidade e ser original. Com certeza ser “único” no breaking é uma das coisas mais difíceis e sem dúvidas a mais valiosa.

Toquinha: Para se destacar no Breaking você precisa ter estilo é muito flow. Acredito que a persistência nos treinos é a chave para desbloquear tudo oque o seu corpo alcança e você ainda não sabe.

Toquinha performing a breaking dance move on a bridge

Toquinha

As Olimpíadas certamente ajudarão a aumentar a compreensão e o conhecimento do Breaking. O que mais você espera para o futuro do esporte?

Leony: Espero que com toda essa exposição, possamos alcançar mais pessoas e mais lugares.

Toquinha: O breaking entrando no ramo olímpico abriu muitas portas pra mim e também pro resto do mundo. Eu treino e me dedico muito para que no futuro as coisas sejam mais fáceis para as novas gerações e é isso o que eu espero!

Como tem sido ter o apoio do Spotify enquanto a equipe embarca nessa jornada?

Leony: Tem sido incrível, não só para nós como membros da seleção mas para o breaking nacional. Breaking e música são um casal inseparáveis e ter uma empresa como a Spotify ajudando a disseminar o breaking no Brasil sem dúvidas tem ajudado muito. Isso nós dá uma notoriedade e valor para alcançar mais coisas.

Toquinha: Pra mim foi incrível receber a proposta de patrocínio da Spotify.. É bizarro o quanto Breaking e Spotify combinam!

Journalist Brian Raftery Dissects Vietnam War Films—and America’s Love for Them—in His Podcast From The Ringer, ‘Do We Get To Win This Time?’

August 8, 2023

Hollywood has long held a fascination with the Vietnam War. From films that were released while the war raged, like John Wayne’s The Green Berets, to the popular 1980s hits, like Oliver Stone’s Platoon, America’s role in the war has been documented—accurately or not—on the big screen for decades.

Growing up in the 1980s, Brian Raftery encountered these combat films left and right, bringing Vietnam to life right before his eyes. Fast-forward to today, and Brian’s ready to take a deeper look into these films and how they still resonate today, both culturally and politically.

Photo credit Tom Martin

In his new podcast from The Ringer, Do We Get To Win This Time? How Hollywood Made the Vietnam War, Brian chronicles and dissects some of the most seminal movies that reflect the war. Throughout the eight-episode season, Brian talks with filmmakers, experts, and veterans who discuss what these movies tell us about “the most divisive conflict in our country’s history and America’s perception of it.” 

For the Record caught up with Brian to learn more.

What made you want to cover the Vietnam War—and how Hollywood approached it—specifically?

I didn’t grow up under the shadow of Vietnam—I was born after the war—but I did grow up under the shadow of Vietnam movies. When I was a kid, it seemed like every other weekend saw the release of an intense R-rated film about the war, like Platoon and Full Metal Jacket. And even as a preteen, I’d heard of some of the major Vietnam movies of the seventies, like Apocalypse Now and The Deer Hunter. Vietnam was, strangely, a major part of popular culture back then.

I watched as many of these films as I could—and I devoured the countless Vietnam-related TV shows, books, and even comic books that arrived in the eighties and early nineties. And I wasn’t alone: These were huge movies, especially for Gen-Xers. We were being inundated with stories about a war we hadn’t witnessed—and that we barely understood.

For the podcast, I wanted to learn as much as I could about the making of these films, because, frankly, we don’t get many like ’em anymore: These are epic, highly ambitious combat films, all of them made before the CGI era, and the stories behind these productions are amazing. But I was also interested in how Hollywood’s depiction of Vietnam changed over the years, and how it reflected how America felt about a very controversial and disturbing war. This was a war that deeply divided the country, and sometimes one of the best ways to understand a moment in time is to look at the movies it inspired.

Why do you think Hollywood’s fascination with the Vietnam War was different from other major historical events?

Vietnam wasn’t like World War II. That conflict, as horrific as it was, had a definite ending—and a victorious one, at least for America. As a result, some of the movies Hollywood made about World War II in the forties and fifties were celebratory and deeply jingoistic. Not that I mind—I love a good rah-rah moment as much as anyone—but these were movies made at a time of peak national pride, and they could be a bit bloodless, literally and figuratively.

By contrast, Hollywood had no idea what to do with Vietnam at first. This was a divisive war—and the big studios don’t do “divisive.” So they spent years avoiding it, until the late seventies, when it became clear that some veterans were struggling to deal with the aftermath of the war, resulting in movies like Coming Home and The Deer Hunter. By the eighties, there was even greater recognition of what America’s vets had gone through. That helps explain how a movie like Platoon can become such a phenomenon. Don’t get me wrong—it’s a great film, no matter when you see it! But Platoon happened to come at the exact moment that millions of Americans—young and old—were trying to understand what had happened in Vietnam.

As a result, Platoon kicked off a wave of Vietnam films, one that would peak in the late eighties. I can’t even count how many Vietnam films were made during that time. But after the Vietnam wave ended in the nineties, moviegoers would soon lose their interest in war altogether: The conflicts of the last few decades—most notably Iraq and Afghanistan—haven’t produced anywhere near as many films as Vietnam did. It was the last war Hollywood re-created in a major way.

How do you think these films shaped the view Americans had of the war?

I can only speak for myself—and a lot of the people I knew!—but I think movies like Coming Home and Born on the Fourth of July had a huge impact on how young people in the eighties and the nineties perceived Vietnam vets. How could you not have empathy for what they’d gone through, during and after the war, after seeing the struggle depicted in those films?

And I think ground-level movies like Platoon and Hamburger Hill really opened young Americans’ eyes to the horrors of combat. Those movies didn’t make fighting look glamorous in any way. They were gory and terrifying and heartbreaking; they were horror movies, in their own way. I think they made moviegoers understand what happened to those who’d gone to Vietnam.

What movie did you find particularly compelling and knew it had to be covered for the podcast?

We have entire episodes dedicated to both Platoon and Apocalypse Now, which are probably the two best-known Vietnam films ever made. There’s no way you can ignore Platoon—it brought the war to vivid life for millions of moviegoers, and it kicked off an entire movement of Vietnam films. And Apocalypse Now might be the most over-the-top movie production in history: An Oscar-winning superstar director goes into the jungle with millions of dollars and some of the biggest stars of the world . . . and winds up in a swirl of chaos, egos, and explosions. How can you not try to bring that story to life?

What’s something surprising you learned from your interviews or while researching the podcast?

There are a lot of specific stories that amazed me, like when Courtney B. Vance told me that, in order to create enough smoke for Hamburger Hill, the producers actually burned tires all day, which I’m hoping is illegal nowadays. Or when Dale Dye, a lifelong military man, explained how he trained the Platoon actors for the movie by forcing them to endure a brutal bootcamp. Like I said, these movies were made by filmmakers who’d do anything to get their story on the screen. And a lot of stuff was blown up along the way.

But I was also surprised by how many Vietnam movies we were able to cover—and how many genres of Vietnam movies. It’s not just combat films—there are Vietnam-related horror films, comedies, family dramas, revenge fantasies, and so many more. I don’t think any single modern event has found its way into as many stories, and as many kinds of stories, as much as the Vietnam War did.

At the end of the series, what do you hope listeners walk away with?

I hope they’re entertained by it. And, of course, I also hope they come away feeling a little bit smarter! But mostly, I’d love it if the series inspires listeners to add some Vietnam movies to their Letterboxd lists.

Why did you choose a podcast as the medium for best telling this story? How did inserting audio clips from films complement the project?

Audio brings these movies to life in a way that no other medium can. Even a few seconds of movie dialogue plugs audiences directly into a scene—something that’s hard to do in a book. Plus, we get to play a lot of old movie trailers, some of which are very over-the-top. There were entire afternoons in which I spent hours watching old movie trailers, which I can’t believe is an actual job.

Ready to dive into Hollywood’s relationship with the Vietnam War? Join Brian as he digs into the films in his podcast from The Ringer Do We Get to Win This Time?

Netflix Hit ‘Heartstopper’ Showcases Several LGBTQIA+ Artists in Its Official Playlist for Season 2

August 3, 2023

In 2022 Netflix released Heartstopper, a British television series that follows high schooler Charlie Spring, who falls in love with his classmate Nick Nelson. The coming-of-age show, based on the hit graphic novel, includes doses of drama, comedy, and romance as Charlie and his group of close-knit friends navigate the trials and tribulations of teenagedom.

The show features a captivating score from Adiescar Chase and a perfect parallel playlist from Spotify, Heartstopper: Official Playlist. It’s now back for a second season.

For Season 1, the official playlist featured 36 songs, many of which are by both established and emerging LGBTQIA+ artists. A track from Norwegian indie-pop star girl in red appeared alongside a song from Irish singer-songwriter Ezra Williams, giving users the opportunity to listen to their favorite artists while also discovering new ones. Fans can find the playlist within our Netflix hub, as well as our GLOW hub, a dedicated space on Spotify that highlights music and podcasts of LGBTQIA+ voices for queer listeners and allies.

To celebrate the release of Season 2, Spotify is updating the official Heartstopper playlist with a new batch of tracks, including ones from Baby Queen and Tegan and Sara. Devoted fans listening to Spotify on their phones will also quickly spot an Easter egg: animated leaves floating across the screen in a nod to the illustrated visual elements depicted in the show. And as a little extra love, visuals from the series will also be depicted on select tracks in the playlist through Spotify Canvas. 

Listeners looking for more can also dive into the character-driven playlists for Nick and Charlie, Tara and Darcy, and Elle and Tao. Music is a critical component of the series, and each character has music that uniquely defines them. When For the Record asked Yasmin Finney, who plays Elle Argent on the show, which song she thinks best represents her character, she said, “‘Dog Days Are Over’ by Florence + The Machine,” because it sort of represents new beginnings. “The dog days are over, the hiding is over,” she explained. “Elle gets to step into herself, and we all see that—and she’s a boss. That song, to me, resonates with her a lot.”

In advance of Season 2, For the Record caught up with Patrick Walters*, executive producer for the show, to learn more about the integral role music plays in Heartstopper, and what artists and music fans should look forward to hearing this season.

Of all the songs on Heartstopper’s official playlist, roughly half are by queer artists. How did you discover some of the emerging talent? 

Alice and I had been developing Season 1 during the pandemic, and lockdowns meant Alice had a whole year to write all eight episodes before we could get into production. Across that time, we would send songs back and forth to each other to our favorite tracks for particular moments, like Nick and Charlie’s first kiss, Charlie running in the rain, Nick typing “am I gay?” into Google, etc. The songs and artists we found were just what we were listening to at the time. Alice had found “Why Am I Like This?” by Orla Gartland around that time, and as soon as we discussed it as a potential song for Nick’s internet search, we became pretty sure it was the one. That was long before we started filming. I remember listening to “Internet Religion” by Baby Queen from a playlist on Spotify and thinking it could be a good song for Tara in Season 1. That ultimately didn’t work, but we found Baby Queen’s other tracks, and she ended up having more music than any other artist in the series! It was a very organic process.

Many of the artists on the playlist are bedroom pop stars with effervescent sounds that match perfectly with the light hues and illustrations that accompany the show. Why was it important for you to keep the music in this style?

There’s something raw and emotional in the music made by young artists independently. They wear their hearts on their sleeves, just like the characters in Heartstopper. Our music syncs work best when the emotion of the scene is underlined by the lyrics and swagger of the song and artist. We wanted the songs in the mixtape to feel like the characters’ favorite songs. “Bedroom pop” is perfect for us because we spend a lot of time in the bedrooms of our characters, where they can most freely express themselves and feel safe.

What can we look forward to musically in the new season? 

We wanted to remain consistent with Season 1 while also broadening the musical palette to be slightly more mature and in line with the characters’ journeys. There are more commercial tracks in Season 2. We spent a long time clearing some key tracks that felt important to us. “seven” by Taylor Swift initially reflects Tara and Darcy’s relationship breakthrough in Episode 8, but we then decided to keep it over the montage of all of the friends spending time together after prom. We also have “ur so pretty” by Wasia Project, Will Gao’s own band, as the final song of the season. Both of these tracks were vital for us because they show a maturity and an intimacy we hadn’t really conjured yet in Season 1. Season 2’s music tracks also nod more to different worlds and nostalgia—a reference to the characters stepping into adulthood. When we are in Paris, we have some French songs to reflect their new surroundings. And at the prom in Episode 8, Baby Queen makes a cameo to sing her own version of The Cure’s song “Just Like Heaven.” It’s an 80s throwback she expertly brings into the world and style of the show.

If you were creating a playlist for the graphic novel, how much would change?

A playlist for the graphic novel might have more variety. When we choose the music for the show it has to have a really clear identity that sits alongside the score by Adiescar Chase. We go back to a lot of the same artists again and again for this reason. For example, in the graphic novel, “Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac is Nick and Charlie’s song, and would definitely be on the playlist. But for the show, this would sit so outside of our signature style; it would really take the audience out of the drama to suddenly have such a recognizable song from a different era. Maybe Baby Queen can cover it for Season 3 though . . .

If you had to pick a theme song for each of the four main characters, what would they be?

This is so tough! For Season 2 Charlie, I’d say “Shatter” by Maggie Rogers. For Nick, maybe “How Can I Make It OK?” by Wolf Alice. There’s a really great one for Tao we wanted to use but didn’t manage to get in this season: “The Most Beautiful Thing” by Thomas Headon. Elle’s would definitely be “mona lisa” by mxmtoon.

In addition to Patrick, Alice Oseman, the writer and creator of Heartstopper, revealed what songs she thinks best represent each character. Her picks did not disappoint:

Whether you’re planning to binge-watch Season 2 today or you’re saving it for a later date, get your heart pumping in anticipation with the Heartstopper: Official Playlist now.

 

 

*Interview content captured prior to July 13, 2023.

Creating a New Podcast Space for Underrepresented Voices in Atlanta

June 30, 2023

Quianah Upton and Jennifer Lind sitting in the new podcast studio in front of two mics at Nourish Botanica

Removing barriers increases accessibility. Making Space, a Spotify for Podcasters initiative aiming to elevate underrepresented creators by making studio-quality podcasting gear available to communities for free, is our way of doing just that. By partnering with local businesses—Greenville, South Carolina–based Savereign, a plant store, and Curia on the Drag café in Gainesville, Florida, are two recent examples—Spotify provides a safe place for storytellers to share and helps build a more diverse ecosystem of podcast creators.

Our third Making Space studio, which received support from Spotify’s Creator Equity Fund, is in Nourish Botanica, an Atlanta, Georgia, plant shop and community space that offers weekly markets, queer karaoke nights, plant festivals, free plant swaps, and more. 

Quianah Upton standing inside nourish botanica in front of the recording equipment

“I really appreciate Spotify partnering with us to model high-level creative entrepreneurship. I love the idea that we can be a Black-owned business in a historically Black neighborhood and provide a level of cool, quirk, and professionalism that you can’t find anywhere else,” shared Quianah Upton, the owner of Nourish Botanica. “It’s also a really good reminder to large companies worldwide how much artists and creative spaces need funding and collaboration support.”

Motivated by her own experiences of childhood food insecurity, Quianah conceived the idea for Nourish Botanica in 2013. Her hope was to create food-based events that featured talks surrounding art, storytelling, gentrification, food sovereignty, and justice issues. Now Nourish Botanica will be joined by a podcast studio. “Making Space will allow us to begin to build a safe space where dialogue, education, and conversation can take place,” Quianah explained. “Storytelling affects social justice, conveys history, builds empathy, and educates audiences by instilling a sense of belonging and community among those listening. Through our storytelling programming, Nourish Botanica works towards building an inclusive and equitable world.”  

Jennifer Lind is one creator who hopes to educate audiences by sharing her family’s history through her podcast, Telling HERstory. The Atlanta native had no podcast experience but was able to bring her idea from concept to fruition in just one month by using Spotify for Podcasters. Jennifer’s show explores the life and legacy of her maternal grandmother, longtime Augusta, Georgia, educator Rosa T. Beard, through interviews with those who were closest to her. 

After launching the podcast in 2020, Jennifer is now part of a thriving Atlanta podcast scene. She explained to For the Record that she’s excited that Spotify’s Making Space studio will provide another low-barrier way for those looking to get involved.

Did you have any idea how to make a podcast?

I really knew nothing about podcasting! But most people who know me know that once I decide that I want to do something, it’s not a matter of if I’m going to do it, but how. When I decided to create the Telling HERstory podcast, I started researching everything I could, and that’s how I discovered the Anchor app, which is now Spotify for Podcasters. I saw that it was not only an all-in-one tool, but also free to use. And within four weeks of deciding that I was going to start a podcast, I actually launched it. To me, that is a testament to what a great tool Spotify for Podcasters is—it makes it possible for just about anyone to become a creator.  

Why do you think a podcast was the perfect medium for sharing your grandmother’s story?

I wanted to not only tell her story, but also the stories of those whose lives she touched, and document them for future generations. Especially as someone who comes from the community of color—and when you think back to our roots, of African American and African history, it involves a lot of oral storytelling. There’s something about podcasting that, in a way, goes back to those roots of documenting stories. And to have people say it in their own voice, it’s really impactful.

For example, I was able to interview Ambassador Larry L. Palmer in episode five. He was one of my grandmother’s former students who went on to become a Senior Foreign Service member and U.S. ambassador, serving under six different U.S. presidents. This is someone who had grown up in the segregated South, so there were a lot of barriers—and yet he was still able to go and do these great things. I interviewed him in January of 2021, and sadly he passed away in April 2021. And so to have his voice documented telling his story . . . that kind of solidified why this is so important. 

How did your grandmother influence your life?

One of the things that impressed me the most about her was her pursuit of education. She received her undergrad degree from Paine College in 1942, which was unusual for women then, especially Black women in the South. And then she followed that up by getting a master’s degree from Columbia University in 1951. So here she was, at a top school for her master’s at a time when most people weren’t even able to go to school. She started a legacy that not only changed the trajectory of her life, but the lives of generations to come. Education has also played a big part in my life. I have a doctor of pharmacy degree and two master’s degrees, as well. 

the recording equipment located at nourish botanica

What are you looking forward to most with the new Making Space studio?

I’m excited that other people who want to tell a story now have a free podcasting studio in the community that’s accessible with the tools and the resources they need. I hope that it will give a lot of people the boost in confidence they need to actually start that podcast they’ve been dreaming about.

What’s your advice to others who want to create a podcast but aren’t sure how to get started?

Don’t overthink it. I think we get in our heads and paralyzed by the thought of where to begin. If you have the tools, which we now have, whether you’re using the Spotify for Podcasters app at home or if you’re going into the new Making Space studio in Atlanta, that barrier is removed. 

Also, don’t question your story or your voice. People, me included, are nervous about putting themselves out there. When you start your podcast, know your “why” and know what your motivation is. 

I started The Avana Company LLC, a brand rooted in diversity and creative expression, to focus on amplifying voices and telling our stories because I believe podcasting can open doors. So many doors have been opened to me through this podcasting journey, and I would love to reach back and pull as many people as I can through those doors. A lot of people have asked how I started the podcast, so I decided to make a free launch checklist to help others get started. I want to help as many people as possible realize that it’s not impossible. It’s really about having the confidence to get started. If you have the tools and resources available, it can be a little less intimidating.

Everybody brings a unique perspective from their lived experience to a conversation. And so, the more people we can have out there sharing their stories, the better.

 

Hear more from Jennifer, and learn about the incredible legacy of Mrs. Rosa T. Beard, in her podcast, Telling HERstory, below.

 

From Underground Clubs to Eurovision Fame, GLOW Artist Dana International Inspires and Ignites

June 22, 2023

Dana International playlist equal cover art

Dana International defied the odds and the critics when, in 1998, she was selected to represent Israel for Europe’s biggest music event, Eurovision. Her performance of “Diva” captivated the audience in person and at home, and she was crowned contest winner.

Dana’s success on one of the world’s biggest stages is but one example of the Israeli singer’s powerful, dazzling musical presence. Over the past three decades she has released a number of albums and singles and even represented her home country a second time at Eurovision in 2011.

Dana’s perseverance, passion, and talent are just a few of the reasons why she’s one of Spotify’s featured GLOW artists for the month of June. Through GLOW, our global music program celebrating and amplifying LGBTQIA+ artists and creators all year round, we’re supporting Dana International on our platform with a dedicated hub and flagship GLOW playlist, and off our platform via billboards like those in New York City’s Times Square and on the city’s MTA subway system.

From finding her voice to the importance of celebrating Pride, Dana International shares more with For the Record below.

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

I released my first song almost 30 years ago. I was very content to have one hit song—I believed that someone like me couldn’t truly pursue a singing career. As a teenager, I had begun to realize that I was a woman, and that desire was stronger than anything else. Choosing to live as a woman meant giving up on my dreams of living a normative life. That’s when I discovered nightlife. Hiding under the cover of darkness—clubs, music, the exaggerated atmosphere of the 1980s—brought everything to life in Tel Aviv. The night became my refuge.

At the age of 18, I started performing with the drag team at the only gay club that existed in Israel at the time. One day we created a parody of Whitney Houston‘s song “My Name Is Not Susan” and turned it into a humorous Arabic song called “Sa’ida Soltana.” The song became a summer hit in Israel. After that song, I released a second solo song, followed by my first album. The album was quite successful, so, against all odds, I released three more. I became the singer of the year twice and sold gold and platinum albums.

The beginning of my career wasn’t easy. There were performances where people spat on me, cursed me, and threw trash at me. But it only gave me strength and motivated me to continue. After two years, I became one of the most successful singers in an early 1990s Israel that was mostly conservative. Soon, I started receiving offers for a TV series, a movie, and a musical about my life. And in 1998, I was chosen to represent Israel in Eurovision. 

What was it like performing at Eurovision for the first time?

As soon as it was announced, there was a big controversy in Israel. It wasn’t easy for me, and I admit that there were moments when it shook me. But I won first place with the song “Diva.” My life changed that night of the victory. I returned to Israel to pack a suitcase, and then I traveled to Europe and lived there for almost a year. The media in England declared that the new pop queen was born, but I suffered greatly.

How did your life change after winning the competition?

I became a media star. All the entertainment shows and news programs in Europe wanted me, but the interviewers felt entitled to pry into my life in a way they wouldn’t dare to do today. They invaded my privacy, and I provided them with everything they wanted to hear, overflowing with smiles and charm. But inside, it deeply offended me. I was publicized as a singer who won Eurovision. Why are you only interested in my sexuality and gender? How dare you talk to me about things you wouldn’t discuss with other female singers? I felt like I was living in a gilded cage.

So I returned to Israel to gather my strength and then released an intimate album that was different from anything I had done before.

What are you up to now?

At the age of 55, I am still onstage. I have become a gay icon, and it feels strange and somewhat overwhelming because I don’t want to be seen solely through that lens.

From all the musical activity and hundreds of performances worldwide, the joyful successes and the painful failures, the achievements, the awards, and the journey, the thing I’m most proud of and what I truly understand to be the most important is when people—of all ages, in all languages, from all over the world—approach me and say: “You changed my life. You gave me the strength to believe in myself. I realized I’m not alone. You were with me in the toughest and loneliest moments.” Very few artists truly manage to change something in the world, to change lives and help those who are struggling. Only in recent years have I truly understood this and realized that it’s much more important than whether my new song succeeds or not. 

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

I believe that queer culture disperses a lot of color, sensitivity, and interesting and different perspectives in the world. It’s known that even during periods when people didn’t come out of the closet, writers, poets, singers, and gay artists brought the world great and important cultural creations. The world would be much grayer and much more boring if the voices of our community weren’t heard. Our community is the decoration committee of the world, but we’re not only that. 

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

This whole character of mine is a big show. I’m not satisfied with my character. I hate flashy designer clothes and makeup. My battle is when I go up onstage. I don’t feel brave, and I’m very shy in my everyday life. In that period at the beginning of my career when I fought for my right to be onstage and sing, I created this shining, radiant, and audacious character of Dana International. 

There’ve been so many advances in LGBTQIA+ rights and representation in the last decade. Why is it still important to celebrate Pride?

It’s important for all those children and teenagers who are sitting at home right now, afraid of who they are, afraid to tell their parents and friends at school, and feeling sad and alone. In every Pride parade, we tell them, “You’re not alone, we’re with you,” and we embrace them. Since Eurovision, I have appeared in Pride parades all over the world. And still, I get extremely excited about Pride parade performances. I think it’s important for us and for the children who used to be scared and embarrassed, too. Once a year, we celebrate our Pride holiday, where we spread the message of love, acceptance, equality, and the freedom to be who you are. 

What do you hope audiences take away from your music?

In one of my songs, I sang, “My joy is my protest.” I come from a difficult place, and it was very easy to sink into sadness and give up. My songs are happy. Pop music that reminds us of the beautiful and joyful side of the world. Pop songs are generally considered light and shallow, but I believe that happiness also holds a lot of power. It’s hard for me to express pain; I don’t cry. In life and in my music, I don’t cry. My message is that despite everything, we are obligated to find joy. I try to bring happiness to people and also find joy within myself, and it’s not always easy.

How does music empower queer communities?

I believe that music influences everyone. In my eyes, it’s the true prayer of humanity. We, as a community, are much more dramatic and sensitive, and I think music plays a much bigger role in our lives.

 

Catch Dana International and many other LGBTQIA+ artists this month and all year round on our flagship GLOW playlist.

Rock On During Black Music Month With These Frequency x Spotify Singles Tracks

June 14, 2023

a compilation of song cover art featuring bands: Zulu, Meet Me @ The Altar and Jean Dawson

This June, in honor of Black Music Month, a group of talented Black rockers recorded new tracks as part of a Frequency x Spotify Singles collaboration. Pop-punk darlings Meet Me @ The Altar, hardcore/metal band Zulu, and alternative artist Jean Dawson each showcase their distinct music stylings on a reimagining of one of their original songs and a cover of another artist’s single that they love.

Frequency’s year-round program celebrates Black art, entertainment, creativity, culture, and community both on- and off-platform.

“Frequency was launched in 2021 out of the desire to create a space where listeners and creators can come together to celebrate Black expression in music. Since its inception, we’ve fostered community within diverse subgenres through marketing, editorial, and shared experiences,” explained Kimmy Summers, Lead for Artist Partnerships at Spotify.  “We take pride in our responsibility to partner and invest in artists that redefine what Black artistry looks and sounds like, and are thrilled to support the next generation of rising stars.”

These particular Spotify Singles reflect the diversity and talent within the Black music community and help expand perceptions of the range of genres in which Black artists excel.

“For this iteration of Spotify Singles, we chose to highlight Black artists making waves in Rock— whose contributions, despite the expansiveness of the genre, are not traditionally amplified,” shared Chissy Nkemere, Lead for Rock & Alternative Artist Partnerships at Spotify. “Each artist comes from a different subgenre within rock, and their distinct styles are reflected through the songs they chose and the recordings themselves.”

Get to know these musicians and check out their new Spotify Singles.

Meet Me @ The Altar is a critically acclaimed trio currently on tour for their debut album, Past // Present // Future. They put a new spin on their second single, “Kool,” and covered Kelly Clarkson’s 2003 hit “Miss Independent.” 

How did you choose and add your personal stamp to the song you’re covering?

Kelly Clarkson is an artist that we have looked up to all of our lives. Our favorite Kelly Clarkson era is the early 2000s pop rock she was serving. I mean . . . everyone loves “Since U Been Gone”! We are giving this song [Miss Independent] our personal spin by making it an even more rock ’n’ roll–leaning listen.

How does your music reflect your identity?

The music we make is the manifestation of many forces and influences throughout our lives, but primarily we would say that it’s exactly what we would’ve wanted to hear from the stage when we were kids and started experiencing live music, or playing on the radio on the way to school. It’s reaffirming for us to be able to say it’s fully authentic to what we want our sound to be. Nobody tells Meet Me @ The Altar what we have to sound like or be other than the three of us.

What advice do you have for other Black rockers?

Take up space and be yourself. Be proud of your identity, but don’t let it be the only thing people talk about. At the end of the day, your music is the most important thing. You being Black should be an afterthought, not the first thought. 

 

Zulu, whose sound blends hard-core and power-violence with elements of jazz, hip-hop, funk, and soul, recently released their first full-length album, A New Tomorrow. Their Spotify Singles are a reworking of “Shine Eternally” and a cover of  Slipknot’s “Wait and Bleed.”

How did you choose and add your personal stamp to the song you’re covering?

Honestly, some of us kind of naturally thought of either Slipknot or System Of A Down for some reason, and we ended up going with Slipknot. It’s funny how we all naturally shared that same thought. 

How does your music reflect your identity?

It’s a musical representation of my identity—it is who I am, and no matter what I make, it’s represented. Different styles of music are just different aspects of my identity. 

What advice do you have for other Black rockers?

Don’t let anyone tell you this music isn’t for you, or that you’re playing white-people music. Our ancestors made it possible for this music to exist, and we can’t let people take that away from us.

 

Jean Dawson is a Black and Mexican musician and visual artist whose most recent album CHAOS NOW* debuted in 2022. He reimagined his track “PORN ACTING*” and covered “Window Shopper” by 50 Cent for his Spotify Singles. 

How did you choose and add your personal stamp to the song you’re covering?

“I’ve always looked at this song as a rock song, so I decided I would take it there and add my twist to it. People fail to realize that 50 Cent was an innovator in being hyper melodic while doing a format of music that was known for being more rhythmic. I have always seen him as being very punk rock. 

Austria’s My Ugly Clementine Rocks the Indie Scene as Spotify’s EQUAL Global Artist of the Month

June 13, 2023

the band My Ugly Clementine posting in front of the camera in a room

Listen to one song from My Ugly Clementine and you might imagine that the ’90s are back. Counting Radiohead as one of its inspirations, the Vienna-based indie outfit is comprised of Sophie Lindinger, Mira Lu Kovacs, and Nastasja Ronck. All three members of the non-male rock band have experienced success in previous musical projects—whether solo, as a duo, or in a band—but their talents collided in 2020 on their debut album, Vitamin C.

Vitamin C was critically acclaimed and earned the trio the 2021 IMPALA Album of the Year Award. Since then, the band has performed across Europe and is readying its next album, The Good Life, due in August.

My Ugly Clementine is also Spotify’s EQUAL Global Artist for June. The EQUAL Global Music Program launched in 2021 with the aim of combating gender disparity in the music industry by amplifying and celebrating the work of women creators around the world. Sophie, Mira, and Nastasja currently adorn the cover of the EQUAL Global playlist, and their new single “Feet Up” is featured in the top spot.

For the Record asked the band to fill in the blanks about its creative process and inspirations.

The artists who have most inspired us are _____.

HAIM, Avril Lavigne, Radiohead, Ani DiFranco, Julia Jacklin, and Courtney Barnett.

One piece of advice we’d give other emerging artists is _____.

Communicate! Communication is key when it comes to working as a team and with a crew. To get anything accomplished, it is absolutely necessary to talk to each other. Without that, we wouldn’t be able to put anything together—a tour, a music video—let alone write songs together.

One notable moment in our career so far is _____.

When we won the IMPALA award in 2021. That meant a lot to us, but it was hard to grasp because we couldn’t celebrate like we wanted to . . . COVID, remember?

Our creative process consists of _____.

Spending time with each other, having deep talks, and trying to make sense of our struggles and insecurities by working through it . . . mostly together. Art is therapy.

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

By simply booking the big festivals equally. Honestly, we find it embarrassing to see a festival nowadays announcing a lineup with maybe 2% non-cis-male-fronted bands. That still happens a lot and it’s unacceptable, especially because there is impeccable queer and female talent everywhere you look.

A few up-and-coming women and nonbinary artists we’re excited to watch are _____.

Albertine Sarges, Mhaol, Slow Pulp, Squirrel Flower, and Claud.

Songs that make us feel gender euphoria are _____.

There are definitely songs like “Faceshopping” by SOPHIE or “Europe Is Lost” by Kae Tempest that we celebrate! Also, artists who defy gender roles and norms just by existing and being seen are the ones we aspire to and who we want to see on festival lineups much more.

 

Check out music from My Ugly Clementine, as well as other talented women artists, in our EQUAL playlist below.

Cristobal Tapia de Veer, Composer of the Viral ‘White Lotus’ Theme Song, Reveals His Process and Expectations for Season 3

June 8, 2023

Plenty of TV sitcom theme songs stand the test of time. The singability of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, clap-infused pop of “I’ll Be There For You” from Friends, and nostalgic harmonies of “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” from Cheers each holds a notable slot in the cultural zeitgeist. It’s less common for a drama’s theme song to meet the same reception. And that picture is even more complicated when the theme is a wordless instrumental used—in the first moments of the show—to set the scene for dead bodies washing ashore.  

Yet composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s “Aloha!” and “Renaissance,” which serve as the theme songs for first and second seasons of The White Lotus, respectively, have reached such success. Each track features a consistent melody with high-pitched instrumentation, a  danceable beat, and breathless vocals. Each is also tailored to reflect its season’s location—Hawaii in the first and Sicily in the second. 

Each season, The White Lotus offers colorful, suspenseful commentary on exploitation, wealth, class, and race with a backdrop of murder and dysfunction set in a fictional luxury resort. The combination of Cristobal’s masterful composition, the show’s alluring storytelling, and a rabid global fan base has propelled both themes to viral fame and millions of Spotify streams, and raised the profile of their composer. 

Fans on the prowl 

Since its July 2021 release, “Aloha!” has been streamed most by fans in Warsaw, Berlin, and Paris. The song’s popularity only grew in the lead-up to the October 2022 premier of the second season, with fans taking to the internet to share commentary on the song. 

One popular fan theory was that its repeated notes created a musical allusion to the Gregorian chant “Dies Irae,” or “The Day of Wrath.” In a rare interview with For the Record, Cristobal explained that this is but a coincidence. “Those melodies are the result of chanting with voices and finding a melody that works with the sound. For lots of reasons, I ended up with those types of harmonies, but I wasn’t specifically inspired by that music or trying to use it intentionally.” 

Following the debut episode of the second season on October 30, 2022, searches for “White Lotus” on Spotify increased more than 500%. But to the chagrin of fans, “Renaissance” wasn’t released on Spotify until December 11, the end of the season. 

Even so, dedicated fans steadily played “Aloha!” on Spotify while they waited, and on December 12, streams of “Aloha!” jumped 200% compared to the month prior. Searches for “White Lotus” soared to 4,800% compared to two months prior. 

Once released, daily streams of “Renaissance” hit an all-time high on December 13, 2022, with fans in Paris, Oslo, and Berlin leading the charge. And as for Cristobal? The composer saw a 162% lift in his own catalog’s daily streams following season two. 

Even after the season came to an end, fans continued to circulate the song, using it as the musical background to their viral videos. On February 17, 2023, Dutch DJ Tiësto put out his own remix of “Renaissance,” which became a favorite among fans in Sydney, New York, and Oslo in particular.  

Soundtracking suspense

So what went into creating the right soundtrack? Cristobal employed wind instruments to create the whirling bird sounds on “Aloha!” “For the first season, I wasn’t trying to make Hawaiian music. It was more about making something about nature kicking the characters in the ass, and the wild stuff coming for the characters,” Cristobal explained. To hit his mark, he combined bird calls with tribal chants for an island feel with a spooky tropical depth.

Composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer

“The temp score was this loungy, rather soft thing—something that would be playing in a nice luxury cafe when you’re on vacation somewhere,” he recalled. “It was very different from what I came up with. I went with a tribal, rather aggressive screaming, and drums and flutes.” 

That “screaming,” which seems to be the best way to describe the vocal sounds, became a driving force behind the song’s virality when it came time to adapt it for the second season. Cristobal knew he wanted to match the vibe of the location and utilize disconcerting vocal tones.

“The ‘oululus’ are the most important thing,” said Cristobal, using his tongue heavily to propel the sound from his own mouth. “For the second season, I was trying to fit into the Italian and the Sicilian vibe. We spoke about having some renaissance sounds, some harps, mandolin, violin, things that we’d connect with Italian music and opera. I did a demo of some classical Italian music, something operatic, and that’s the beginning of the track. From there, I wanted to somehow bring back the sound of the first season, which is these screaming voices that are so recognizable.” 

He also wanted to evoke a different journey for a new cast of characters. 

“In the first season, there’s a lot of conflict in the music,” he said. “It feels very stressful and more tense than how it should; it has more dissonance. But this was something calculated. And I think the second season is funnier because things become dark later, towards the end of the show. So the song keeps it more playful, more light and harmonious.” 

A trip to Thailand

Cristobal finds the composing process as tumultuous as life is for the White Lotus patrons at times. “I don’t do anything particular to get into the zone,” he notes. “Sometimes people try to have the best conditions—relaxed and with a view—but surprisingly, for me, I like to see the stuff that results from being in a bad situation, a stressful situation, not having the right equipment, or not being in the right place.” 

For Cristobal, discomfort is more impactful, motivating, and conducive to creativity than pleasure or perfection. “When I feel that I’m in danger, it feels like I’m gonna probably come up with something better, a more original idea—as long as I’m surviving a situation—than if I’m too comfortable.” 

With the third season of The White Lotus confirmed for Thailand, we asked Cristobal to hint at some musical elements fans might expect when the show debuts.  

“For Thailand, I want to bring in some Eastern philosophy, something a little bit spiritual,” he said. “I love the Buddhist temples there, and funnily enough I have a collection of Thai gongs. I have 36 Thai gongs to make melodies with, so you can expect to hear some of those. I’d really like to go deep with it, make it take a journey.” 

Prepare for the third season of The White Lotus with The White Lotus Official Playlist on Spotify.

Criadores latino americanos mostram sua criatividade com podcasts em vídeo

June 7, 2023

Muitos apresentadores de podcast estão se aproximando dos fãs de uma nova maneira: por meio do vídeo. Os podcasts em vídeo oferecem uma uma dimensão extra de interatividade e proximidade, permitindo que os ouvintes observem as reações ou prestem atenção no ambiente onde o apresentador está. Alguns criadores estão até animados em se vestir e mostrar seus melhores looks. 

A mudança para podcasts em vídeo está ocorrendo em todo o mundo e, especificamente no mercado latino americano, alguns dos podcast favoritos do público estão trazendo essa nova camada para seus programas. 

A criadora mexicana Roberta Woodworth, cujo podcast  LIBRE&LOCA traz temas íntimos e pessoais, como amor próprio e mágoas, é uma dessas criadoras que está fazendo experiências com vídeo em sua mais nova temporada. O programa Escuela de Nada, criado por três amigos venezuelanos radicados no México, também está adotando o vídeo como uma nova maneira de se conectar com os ouvintes. E há ainda o criador mexicano multifacetado Juanpa Zurita, que introduziu o vídeo na segunda temporada de seu podcast original do Spotify, No Hagas Lo Fácil.

Enquanto isso, alguns podcasts já estão usando o recurso de vídeo desde o início. O podcast brasileiro Spotify Original Carona Podpah, com Igor Cavalari (Igão) e Thiago Marques (Mitico) do Podpah, estreia no Spotify em 7 de junho e incluirá vídeos em seus episódios semanais. O programa acompanha os apresentadores enquanto eles entrevistam convidados dentro de um carro, tornando o vídeo uma parte essencial do podcast.

Conversamos com Roberta, apresentadora do Libre & Loca, Juanpa, apresentador do No Hagas Lo Fácil, Chris Andrade, fundador e co-apresentador da Escuela de Nada, e Igão e Mitico, anfitriões do Carona Podpah, para saber como o vídeo está revolucionando seus podcasts. 

O que mais o empolga na ideia de ter o recurso de vídeos em seu podcast?

Igão & Mitico:O Podpah nasceu como um podcast em vídeo e o público sempre gostou muito desse aspecto – fomos o podcast mais ouvido no Spotify no Brasil em 2022 e o 24º em todo o mundo. O vídeo é fundamental para o formato do nosso programa porque temos o entretenimento como pano de fundo de tudo o que produzimos – seja falando sobre culinária, futebol ou música. Quando uma plataforma tão relevante como o Spotify se interessa por uma parceria conosco para um podcast em vídeo, isso mostra para nós e para o mercado que o produto ainda tem muito a ser explorado.

Roberta Woodworth: Meu podcast é muito íntimo e acho que o vídeo convida o ouvinte a se aproximar, refletir e ter ainda mais empatia com esses tópicos “íntimos e universais” que abordamos no Libre & Loca.

Juanpa Zurita: Foi algo que minha comunidade me pediu em todos os episódios da última temporada. Por isso, fico muito feliz por termos conseguido isso para a segunda temporada! Ouvir é bom, mas nada se compara a ver. Acho que a conexão e a dinâmica do podcast são mais íntimas do que antes. E as pessoas estão felizes, o que me deixa muito feliz!

Chris Andrade: A Escuela de Nada, por ser um podcast de comédia improvisada, usa o poder da interação em seus vídeos com os fãs. Poder reagir às piadas e ver a resposta dos seguidores foi uma mudança que nos empolgou muito.

Como o vídeo influenciou a maneira como vocês conduzem cada episódio?

Igão & Mitico: O vídeo nos dá liberdade para criar mais e mais. Existem alguns desafios, como por exemplo, o Carona Podpah envolve filmar em um espaço apertado, pois levamos nossos convidados para dentro do carro enquanto conversamos sobre as músicas que marcaram suas vidas – mas isso não nos impede de tentar coisas novas.

Roberta: Sou muito expressiva, e estar diante das câmeras me faz lembrar que o mundo inteiro verá meu rosto. Isso, por si só, torna tudo mais humano, orgânico e real. Não sou mais apenas uma voz que o acompanha. Sou uma pessoa.

Juanpa: Houve uma mudança drástica em nosso cenário para dar a ele o visual e a sensação de NHLF que queríamos. Também tivemos que reinventar as introduções dos episódios e estou muito orgulhoso do resultado.

Chris: O vídeo nos levou a ter um novo tipo de continuidade e proximidade com nossos fãs. Como podemos nos ver e ouvir como apresentadores, estamos percebendo que o interesse dos fãs é muito maior.

Como o vídeo está ajudando você a se conectar com seus fãs?

Igão & Mitico: A principal característica de um podcast em vídeo é que o público pode testemunhar as reações. O que gostamos em ter o recurso de vídeo é que nosso público poderá acompanhar o podcast como se estivesse conosco no carro, vendo tudo o que está acontecendo. O vídeo torna o programa mais dinâmico e nos permite estabelecer uma conexão maior, não apenas com nossos convidados, mas com quem está do outro lado da tela.

Roberta: Isso nos aproxima muito mais porque as pessoas não apenas ouvem o que penso e sinto, mas também o veem. E eu falo muito sobre emoções, então é muito interessante como essa conexão se torna mais profunda.

Juanpa: Há algo muito especial na linguagem corporal que você não pode sentir se não puder ver. Também quero agradecer aos nossos fãs por todo o carinho durante a primeira temporada e pela insistência de todos em usarmos o vídeo. Sem eles, não teríamos conseguido.

Chris: O vídeo nos ajudou a expandir e disseminar ainda mais nosso conteúdo em uma plataforma de mídia social em que o vídeo é dominante. Cada pessoa tem sua própria maneira de consumir conteúdo e, sem dúvida, o vídeo agrega muito para nós e traz muito valor para as novas gerações.