Tag: Radar Landing Page

Meet DORA, the RADAR Teen Rewriting What It Means to Be a Global Pop Star

December 22, 2020

Spanish singer-songwriter DORA has had a busy year—and that’s putting it lightly. At just 16, she’s already graced the cover of Vogue España and appeared on the soundtrack for Élite, a popular Netflix show. Now the Madrid-based artist can add another item to the list: she’s a part of Spotify’s global emerging-artist program, RADAR.

Launched in March 2020, the program features artists from over 50 markets worldwide and helps performers at early stages of their careers broaden their fan bases through Spotify’s social channels, curated playlists, and tailored marketing initiatives.

DORA is the sole author behind many of her genre-bending tracks. She shifts between English and Spanish with ease, singing over tracks influenced in equal measure by 2000s bubblegum pop, moody indie rock, and pulsing EDM. Since the launch of RADAR, DORA has released three singles, some of which were even recorded in her school uniform: the twinkly discoteca-ready “Oxena,” acoustic-driven “Hoy,” and infectious English-language “Stay.” 

We sat down with the RADAR artist to learn more about how she got here—and where she’s planning on going next.

You’ve had a pretty meteoric rise in the past year. What’s it been like to see your career take off?

It’s a blessing to see my music reach a wider audience throughout the years, and seeing the different people that follow me into this journey is amazing. For me, it’s like watching my newborn baby getting older—I accompany my music’s steps. I put work into it, and my music gives me a lot of other beautiful things in exchange.

Meet The Kid LAROI, Spotify’s Third U.S. RADAR Artist

October 21, 2020

In March, Spotify launched our global emerging-artist program, RADAR, to help artists across all stages of their career use the strength of our platform to deepen connections to their audiences. We recently doubled down on that commitment by launching the RADAR Global Hub, and today we’re continuing to expand RADAR in the U.S. through our newest partnership with teenage hip-hop artist The Kid LAROI.

The 17-year-old rapper, born Charlton Howard, is proving that for the rising generation filled with promising talent, yesterday’s borders are no longer barriers. LAROI was born in Sydney to a mother of Aboriginal descent and a French father, and grew up with his mother and uncle. He was always listening to America’s adored exports (e.g., hip-hop and R&B) and was especially passionate about icons like Tupac, Erykah Badu, The Fugees, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West.

After the tragic death of his uncle in 2015, LAROI and his mother moved into a housing project. To overcome his despair, LAROI honed his music, filling notebooks with rhymes and fine-tuning his lyricism and flow. It wasn’t until he started uploading freestyle videos did he begin to amass an audience to tell his stories to.

Now LA-based, The Kid LAROI has a staggering 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and his name adorns some of Spotify’s most popular playlists, including RapCaviar, Pop Rising, Most Necessary, Internet People, Tear Drop, Hot Rhythmic, and more. LAROI has also cultivated collaborations with leading artists across all genres, including Marshmello, Lil Tecca, Lil Tjay, Lil Mosey, Internet Money, and the late Juice WRLD. His steady stream of hallmark tracks this year are just the beginning, with highly anticipated projects set to release this fall.

“The Kid LAROI is an artist we’ve been watching closely for the last eighteen months,” says Ned Monahan, Spotify’s Head of Global Hits. “LAROI developed a rabid fan base in Australia and then translated it to an even bigger audience in the U.S., which is incredibly rare and speaks to his potential as a global hit maker. The vulnerability and boldness of his music places him at the heart of young music audiences across the world. We can’t wait to see LAROI break on a superstar level.”

As a RADAR artist, LAROI will be featured on our RADAR playlist, he’ll create a Spotify Singles recording, and he’ll receive promotional support for his upcoming releases. The Kid LAROI’s campaign will also include a forthcoming mini-documentary to premiere later this November.

We caught up with the newly anointed RADAR U.S. artist for an inside look at his plans for 2020 and beyond. 

At what point in your life did you realize you wanted to pursue a musical career? What was your first step in making it happen?

Right from the start, honestly. Some of my earliest memories involve music. The first step is actually doing it. You can only do so much planning before it’s time to execute. I was already writing and recording when I could, so getting that studio experience early on was pivotal.

You have been very open about Juice WRLD’s being your mentor. How did that relationship influence your creative process? What memories do you have from touring together?

My biggest memories from Juice is how he always went all out for his fans no matter what while on tour. Regardless of how he was feeling that day or if he wasn’t having the best day, you couldn’t tell once he got onstage, and that’s how I want to be. You have to put the fans first because we wouldn’t be here without them. Working with him definitely expanded my creativity and increased my love for making music.

What are you looking forward to as Spotify’s new U.S. RADAR artist?

Everything. Looking forward to seeing how the fans receive everything. The family’s growing stronger and stronger every day.

How has growing up in Australia influenced your perspective and work ethic as an artist? What has that journey been like transitioning into (and now gaining recognition in) the U.S. market? 

My upbringing really just made me a go-getter. It implanted the work ethic that got me to where I am now. The journey has been fun and challenging so far. Quarantine has kind of slowed things down a bit as far as going out and actually doing shows, but even so it’s been worth it. The transition was made much easier because of my team around me. They make sure I’m always comfortable and at home.

What’s one thing you’d want aspiring artists to know?

Things might not go according to plan to start off, but never give up chasing your dreams.

Stream “This is The Kid LAROI” below. Then get to know other RADAR artists Alaina Castillo, Agnes Nunes, Lous & The Yakuza, CHAII, and more.

This Week on the ‘Spotify: For the Record’ Podcast, Hear From the Artists on Our RADAR

October 1, 2020

September marked six months since the launch of our global emerging-artist program, RADAR. Now, with this week’s episode of Spotify: For the Record, we go on a journey of discovery with Andy Sloan-Vincent from Spotify’s International Music Team to learn more about RADAR and the commitment to spotlighting rising talent.

The episode also dives into the music and backstories of five RADAR artists. Tune in to get to know: 

  • Japan-born, U.K.-based Rina Sawayama, who talks about navigating her Asian and queer identities in music and life.
  • Australian merci, mercy, an introspective, self-aware singer-songwriter who has released two singles since working with Spotify.
  • Young T & Bugsey, Londoners whose song “Don’t Rush” became the soundtrack to a social media sensation and propelled them to their own streaming success.
  • NYC-based J.I the Prince of N.Y, who overcame getting booed off the stage at age 15 to become a national hit, with billboards around the U.S.
  • Lous and the Yakuza, a Belgian-Congolese singer and songwriter who can record in every language from French to Spanish to Congolese—and now has an international fan base to match.  

Listen to “On the RADAR: Emerging Artists Find their Voice” here.

Celebrate Six Months of RADAR Around the World

September 17, 2020

In March, we announced RADAR, our emerging-artist program spotlighting rising talent from around the globe—from Brazil to Japan to Germany to New Zealand and beyond. Now, six months and more than 2 billion streams later, we’re excited to share the debut of our on-platform RADAR hub, home to extensive, original, and exclusive RADAR content.

The launch of this emerging-artist program has propelled the growth of RADAR artists around the world—and fans are listening. Take a look at how much they’ve streamed these rising artists:

Spotify’s RADAR Program Launches Second US Artist, J.I The Prince of N.Y Alongside New Content

July 15, 2020

RADAR, Spotify’s global emerging artist program that launched in March 2020, represents Spotify’s commitment to supporting artists across all genres and stages of their development. We created RADAR, along with its 20 global sister programs, to harness the strength of our platform to deepen new artist connections to their audiences. Today, in the next step of the RADAR journey, we are excited to announce our newest partnership with NYC-based rapper J.I The Prince of N.Y. 

“Our team is excited to announce its partnership with J.I The Prince of N.Y for its RADAR program,” says Carl Chery, Spotify’s Head of Urban. “We look forward to helping develop the career of one of the most promising new rappers in the game.” Ned Monahan, Spotify’s Head of Global Hits, continues, “We’re proud to be championing world-class talent through our global marketing and editorial teams with RADAR. J.I has built a devoted fan base that is ready to support him as he continues to grow and attain a broader audience. We couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this development.”

J.I The Prince of N.Y is the second 2020 U.S. RADAR artist. He’s already made waves in the rap community and is known for his melodic flow, infectious charisma, and powerfully honest lyrics. “I used to write short stories in school,” says J.I The Prince of N.Y.  “English was my favorite subject and it inspired me to try and write music at 12. And then at the age of 14, I went for it and put myself out there.”

At 14, the Puerto Rican-native—by way of Crown Heights, Brooklyn—began posting his freestyles on Instagram and soon caught the attention of legendary rapper-producer-executive Jermaine Dupri.

“I used to create videos of myself rapping and would upload them and tag the show, production, and Jermaine Dupri,” the rapper explained. “He started following me on social media, and then they reached out and finally flew me out to record [The Rap Game]. This show gave me a platform and it’s exactly what I needed.”

As the rapper’s star continues to rise, Spotify is propelling J.I The Prince of N.Y’s further success through the RADAR program’s wide universe of original content. That includes the forthcoming mini-documentary premiering on HotNewHipHop with a trailer out today, third-party partnerships, features in On Our Radar and RapCaviar playlists, a Spotify Singles recording, support on his album release, and marketing and social promotion across each tentpole initiative.

“I want to stress to all aspiring artists that a solid team behind you is what you need. When I started my career I had my family working with me,” J.I The Prince of N.Y explained. But “the reality is that they were not industry connected.”

J.I The Prince of N.Y has captured the attention of artists such as Jadakiss, Cardi B, and Drake, who recently sang along to his track “Used To” on Instagram Live. His music continues to be shared with his fan base, which includes over 1.4 million followers.

J.I The Prince of N.Y’s single “Need Me” is now climbing past the 89 million stream mark, and “Love Scars” and “Proud of Me” total over 300 million streams on Spotify. The East Coast rapper, who has cemented his place as a rising star to look out for, is set to release his new EP, Welcome To G Starr Vol. 1, on July 17, which is only the tip of the iceberg. He has a wave of music in store for his fans and a new approach to changing the game.

“Some of the artists that I am listening to include Novani, a rapper from Brooklyn who stays true to himself; and Toosie—he is blowing up and I am planning on working with him,” he said. “We need inspiring artists. We are in a weird gap in the music industry and we need more artists to make an impact in a positive way.” 

Since RADAR launched, Spotify has supported and helped spotlight breakthrough artists such as the first U.S. RADAR artist, Alaina Castillo, as well as Agnes Nunes (Brazil), Lous & The Yakuza (Belgium), CHAII (Iran), and more. With RADAR, Spotify uses its strength in discovery to support artists of all levels and genres globally so they can be heard and supported in every way throughout their careers.

“I am excited to be presented with this global opportunity . . . with all of Spotify’s support, it’s just adding fuel to our jet pack,” J.I The Prince of N.Y said. “I don’t plan on going anywhere and people will need to get used to me.”

Stream J.I The Prince of N.Y’s top hits below.

Meet Alaina Castillo — Bilingual Singer-Songwriter and Featured U.S. RADAR Artist

March 30, 2020

Recently, Spotify launched RADAR, a global development program for emerging artists around the world. RADAR allows us to deepen our commitment to young talent at all stages and strengthen their connections to their audiences. One such young talent we’re excited to support is U.S.-based singer-songwriter Alaina Castillo.

Prior to her junior year of high school, Alaina’s musical career revolved around singing in the church choir. Then, she began posting original songs, covers, and ASMR content on her video channel. In a matter of months, the Houston native had accumulated nearly 800,000 subscribers and made a fan of RØMANS — a producer known for churning out hits from pop stars like Demi Levato, John Legend, and Clean Bandit. From there, her career took off. 

RØMANS went on to produce Alaina’s debut EP in 2019, Antisocial Butterfly, which showcased her ability to weave beautifully between her two languages, English and Spanish. The album’s hit single, “i don’t think i love you anymore,” raked in more than 3 million streams on Spotify and paved the way for her sophomore single, “Valentine’s Day.” Most recently, she released two new singles, “ocean waves” and “just a boy,” and two Spotify Singles recordings.

We caught up with the RADAR U.S. representative for an inside look at her EP Antisocial Butterfly, what it was like to collaborate with RØMANS, and life on Spotify’s RADAR.

36 New Artists Around the World That Are on Spotify’s RADAR

March 9, 2020

Lauv. The Blaze. King Princess. Lil Baby. Official HIGE DANdism. Jorja Smith. These are undeniably prominent artists in today’s global musical landscape. They’ve been making their way onto Wrapped cards and festival headliner slots—but not so long ago they were just starting out, working their way up for a chance in the spotlight. Each was assisted in this journey by Spotify’s commitment to bringing up-and-coming artists to your attention—something we’re excited to continue with the launch of RADAR.

Through RADAR, our global emerging-artist program, we’re deepening our commitment to emerging artists at all stages of their development and strengthening their connection to audiences. With this global launch, we’ll continue to build on Spotify’s history of working with emerging artists through 19 sister programs featuring up-and-coming creators from more than 50 markets worldwide, all focused on helping artists from around the world reach the next stage in their careers.

“Spotify is a major reason why I’m able to be an independent artist,” says American singer-songwriter/producer Lauv, who was featured through Spotify’s developing artist program a few years ago. “Having their support from day one in making my music accessible to millions of users around the world has allowed me to grow as an artist and share music on my terms over the past five years. To have fans, whether in the Philippines, Peru, or Philadelphia know the words to songs all before I ever toured there speaks to Spotify’s global reach and ability to speak directly to fans with music that resonates around the globe.”

The launch of the program brings a mixture of Spotify’s best-in-class editorial and marketing abilities. Our playlists feature new and emerging talent around the world, and our marketing campaigns provide fans with the opportunity to get to know their new favorite artists.

“Spotify is thrilled to announce the launch of RADAR this year with an incredible group of emerging artists from across the globe,” said Ned Monahan, Spotify’s Head of Global Hits. “RADAR will become an influential program for up-and-coming artists across all genres worldwide and a great way for our global marketing and editorial teams to support the next generation of international superstars.”