Tag: rosalía

The Music Masterminds Behind EA SPORTS ‘FIFA’ Soundtracks Break Down the Method Behind Their Magic

November 2, 2022

The arrival of a new EA SPORTS FIFA game is always an event eagerly awaited by millions of gamers around the world. The release of EA SPORTS FIFA 23 in September was no exception. But in addition to getting their hands on the latest and greatest gameplay, a major highlight for fans of the series was the launch of the FIFA 23 Official Soundtrack. 

Now, Spotify is introducing an exclusive and personalized EA SPORTS FIFA Mix that takes some of your favorite songs and mixes them with a handful of FIFA soundtrack classics to create the ultimate audio experience as you celebrate your wins. 

It’s also time to settle the age-old debate for the greatest tracks in EA SPORTS FIFA’s 25-year history. Along with the personalized EA SPORTS FIFA Mix, EA SPORTS and Spotify have also partnered to make the 1,000+ songs that have been featured on FIFA soundtracks playable in one place. From there, fans can back their favorite song and even share it on social media using the hashtag #UltimateFIFASoundtrack to fight for its rightful place on the Ultimate FIFA Soundtrack, slated to launch in-game November 9.

Ever wondered what makes the EA SPORTS FIFA playlists pop? For the Record sat down with long-time EA music supervisors Cybele Pettus and Raphi Lima to get the ins and outs of what goes into one of the most influential gaming soundtracks out there.

Creating a soundtrack for a franchise as big and storied as FIFA seems like a massive undertaking. Where did your process begin for FIFA 23?

Cybele Pettus: The process begins immediately after the previous year’s game soundtrack is finished. The actual sourcing starts with the hundreds of global contacts we’ve nurtured over the past 20 years, including labels, publishers, managers, and artists. And while that gives us a unique overview of emerging trends and new performers, it is still a massive undertaking. I think the process is ongoing in that our FIFA ears are open all the time.  

Raphi Lima: For me, the process is absolutely ongoing. Every time I hear a new song that triggers a huge emotion in me, I immediately ask, “How can we get behind this and put it in FIFA?” I feel like I’ve been happily in this process for the past 20 years. 

Steve Schnur, EA Games President of Music, has previously spoken about how the FIFA soundtracks have become culture. In your eyes, what makes the FIFA soundtracks so unique?

CP: Think about what MTV and terrestrial radio meant to young people 30 years ago. But even then, those formats were localized. Because soccer/football is the world’s most popular sport, tens of millions of gamers have come to know our FIFA soundtracks as their number one destination for discovering new music. Even more important, we’ve brought together so many different genres in a cohesive body of work. Again, it’s about commonality; people’s love for the sport and the game has united the world in a collective love for its music. That’s the power of FIFA.  

RL: Music is my favorite language and mixtapes were a way to communicate and connect back in high school. The music we shared became a part of each other’s lives and our identities.  

I’ll always see that as the foundation for what we do with FIFA. Every year, it’s as if we get to create the most incredible global mixtape ever. Cybele and I still have that same “You’ve GOT to hear this!” enthusiasm for music we both had in high school, only now it’s on a worldwide level.  

Over the past 20 years, we’ve had the ability to turn people onto the next song or artist they’re going to fall in love with. Even if you don’t speak a song’s language, you can connect with its vibe. The bridges we’ve built with music around the world have changed people’s lives. And we are incredibly proud of that. 

Are there specific qualities in a song you were looking for as you narrowed down the list for the soundtrack? 

CP: We start by listening to literally thousands of songs. Next, we pare it down to hundreds. Then we listen and discuss song by song by song. It can be a painful whittling process because while we agree on plenty, there will always be those songs that we individually feel passionate about. Those are my favorite arguments. Keep in mind that we’re often looking at new artists that haven’t released any music yet, so there are no quantifiable metrics to apply. So much of what we do is based on good ears and gut instincts. It may sound cryptic, but you know when you know.

Is there a particular mindset or mood that you want the soundtrack to evoke as people play FIFA 23?

CP: The main soundtrack will always have a global focus on new music from up-and-coming artists and new material from established stars. But the game’s Volta mode, which is street-play based, allows us a much grittier programming palette. This year, we’ve curated 52 tracks that bring together hip-hop, grime, electronic and more from U.S./U.K. performers like Jack Harlow, Central Cee, Nas, and Kojey Radical ft. Knucks, alongside new underground artists from places like South Africa, India, Germany, and Nigeria. The two soundtracks may wear slightly different hats, but they work really well together in that unique FIFA way. 

Are there any new sounds, ideas, or approaches that you worked into the FIFA 23 soundtrack?

CP: The year features 110 total tracks representing 34 countries, including artists from Malaysia, Lithuania, Sierra Leone, and Malta for the first time. That’s as global as it gets. I also think many of this year’s more unique new artists—Daniela Lalita, Haich Ber Na, SOFY, MILKBLOOD, Cryalot, and Bianca Costa, for example—will make a huge impression in the year to come. Add in that great gritty Volta vibe, and it’s truly a standout soundtrack.

RL: I think this year’s specific mix of genres, new acts, and marquee names works incredibly well. There can sometimes be a quick commercial trajectory on songs by established artists, so it’s important that their songs be both new and major. This year’s tracks from Phoenix, Gorillaz, M.I.A., Yeah Yeah Yeahs, ROSALÍA, and especially Bad Bunny are all that and more. 

One of the hallmarks of FIFA soundtracks is that they often feature rising talents. Are there any artists who broke through on Spotify after being featured on a FIFA soundtrack?

CP: The second the FIFA 22 Spotify playlist dropped, everyone knew Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” was an instant classic. The ultimate metric will always be the fans’ reaction.

RL: Every year we get feedback from our artists and partners when the FIFA soundtrack is announced. The impact is felt across big and small acts, with streams jumping over 500% for some of them during the weeks that follow. Smaller artists have leveraged major record or publishing deals after a FIFA placement, as well as booked international tours once a song made the list.

If you had to pick your FIFA anthem, what would it be?

CP: Certainly Blur’s “Song 2” is FIFA’s most iconic track. Kasabian’s “Club Foot” is another huge one. And I think John Newman’s “Love Me Again” is timeless.

RL: That’s a tough one. But Major Lazer’s “Que Calor” from FIFA 20 was a song we brought to life for the game, and it became an instant hit. Best of all, you still hear it at major sports events—not just FIFA—to this day. My heart explodes every time it comes on!   

Ready to revisit 25 years of FIFA soundtracks? Click here to create your own unique FIFA Mix. And to hear all the hottest sounds from this year’s entry to the series, check out the FIFA 23 Official Soundtrack below:

 

Spotify and ROSALÍA Invite Fans To Experience the Art of ‘MOTOMAMI’ With Temporary Tattoos

March 18, 2022

Since bursting onto the scene in 2017, ROSALÍA has become a worldwide phenomenon, racking up 3.4 billion streams thanks to singles like “MALAMENTE.” And she’s continued to gain momentum along the way, landing on playlists like Today’s Top Hits and Viva Latino. Her sound—an infectious mix of flamenco, urbano, and pop—has also earned her 22 million monthly listeners around the globe. That number includes not only fans in her native Spain, but also in Mexico, the United States, Argentina, France, and Italy, among other markets.

Today, ROSALÍA delivers her latest album, MOTOMAMI, notable as her most personal and confessional album yet. With hit singles such as “LA FAMA” (featuring The Weeknd) and “SAOKO” on the album, its title represents the contrasting sounds of the record that highlight two types of energy: moto and mami. 

To illustrate the dual moods of MOTOMAMI, Spotify and ROSALÍA have teamed up to create a bespoke film that visualizes the singer’s different sides through the creative use of temporary tattoos. As “SAOKO” plays, for example, a blacklight shines on a non-tattooed ROSALÍA, revealing the brightly colored temporary ink.

Giving fans the chance to get in on the fun, Spotify is also creating a two-day immersive experience March 25 and 26. Fans have the chance to meet up at a tattoo parlor in Mexico City, get the same temporary tattoos ROSALÍA wears in the film, listen to MOTOMAMI, and enjoy exclusive visuals created for the album.

 

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In addition to the film and in-person event, fans around the world might also notice ROSALÍA popping up on billboards in Times Square, downtown Los Angeles, Mexico City, Argentina, Spain, and Italy.

Spotify has loved ROSALÍA from the very start, and now that MOTOMAMI is here, we can’t wait to bring this unique experience to her fans.

5 Questions (and Answers) with Federica Tremolada, Managing Director, Spotify Southern and Eastern Europe

April 26, 2021

Federica Tremolada joined Spotify exactly two years ago as Managing Director for Southern & Eastern Europe. This diverse region is made up of 26 countries, including big established markets like Italy, Spain, Turkey, and Poland, as well as a number of fast-growing newer markets, like Czech Republic, Hungary, Greece, and the Balkans. From the start, Federica knew there wouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all approach for her markets. 

At Spotify, Federica has combined her passion for audio (she’s been a musician since a young age) with her experience in international media and technology. Her background in negotiating and managing complex international media partnerships led her to have a deep understanding of different business models at Spotify and how to fit them into the puzzle that is Southern and Eastern Europe. 

Recently, Federica was honored on Billboard’s 2021 International Power Players list. For the Record took the opportunity to check in with Federica to hear about what she’s been up to—and what she looks forward to down the road.

What’s Spotify’s ultimate vision and goal in Southern and Eastern Europe (SEE)?

Our mission at Spotify is to unlock the potential of human creativity—by giving a million creative artists the opportunity to live off their art and billions of fans the opportunity to enjoy and be inspired by it. The translation of our mission into the 26 markets of the Southern and Eastern European region is to enable this unique connection between artists and fans at a local level by providing the most relevant content, a highly sophisticated personalized experience, and the best product fit to local artists, users, and advertisers. 

If I think about some of the most recent campaigns we’ve launched, they had an enormous impact both locally and globally. As an example, our Sanremo 2021 campaign was a huge success! During the five days of the popular Italian musical festival, the official playlist was the third-most-listened-to playlist globally, just behind Today’s Top Hits and RapCaviar. 

What are some of your greatest achievements at Spotify to date?

One of the biggest achievements came from better understanding the diversity and priorities of all my 26 markets with high growth potential, both in terms of new monthly active users and subscribers. Being more local means providing an adequate type of support to creators and being culturally relevant for all our users regardless where they come from. This translated into multiple initiatives we launched in the region: the localization of Spotify for Artists in most of the relevant languages, the launch of an Original & Exclusive strategy for podcasts starting from our top markets that brought an Emmy-like award in Spain (Premios Ondas) for XRey, a bigger and better approach to our local marketing campaigns, artists’ promotion at a larger scale (like Sfera Ebbasta, C Tangana, ROSALÍA, or Taco Hemingway), and last but not the least, the creation of a team that could facilitate and accelerate this type of support. 

What do you view as the key headwinds that you and the region face?

The real challenge is managing complexity at a large scale. We need to make sure we stay competitive in our most mature markets by acquiring new audiences, refreshing our original and exclusive content slate at a stable pace, owning local music genres as much as we do for global trends (for example, Flamenco Flow in Spain or Disco Polo in Poland), and personalizing the Premium experience in every country. 

At the same time, it’s important not to lose sight of everything happening in countries at an early stage of growth or those still on a fast growth trajectory by fueling that growth with the right amount of resources and investments. We’ve never invested so much in local initiatives in SEE as we’re doing in 2021.

Within your market, what would you say are the most exciting or interesting trends that you’re seeing?

Podcasts are definitely one of the most interesting trends that also had a huge acceleration during the pandemic. Italy and Spain were among the two markets that quarantined first in early March 2020, and during those first few weeks podcast listening went up in those markets. This format is particularly loved by millennials and Gen Z users who identify podcasts as a more humanizing technology and also a better way to fuel self-discovery. In order to provide high-quality content around these topics, we launched three new shows in Spain (X-Rey, AM, and El Rey del Cachopo), plus three originals (Tutto Sanremo ma dura meno, L’Educazione Responsabile, and Complottisti Domestici), and one exclusive format (Demoni Urbani) in Italy in the last few months.

If we took a look at your recently played list, what would we find right now?

I love true crime in general for podcasts, so both Demoni Urbani and the recently launched El Rey del Cachopo are among my favourite titles, along with some of the shows we launched globally, like Renegades: Born in the USA or Dare to Lead with Brené Brown. From a music perspective, I love discovering new hits that I can add to my library, so Release Radar and New Music Friday are my favorite playlists during my spare time.

Stream one of Federica’s favorite Spanish podcasts, El Rey del Cachopo.

Spotify Flagship Playlist ¡Viva Latino! Hits 10 Million Followers

July 26, 2019

It’s been growing five times faster than any other playlist in Spotify’s top 1000. It’s propelled numerous Spanish-language songs to the Global Top 100 and Top 50 charts. And now, ¡Viva Latino!, our flagship Latin music playlist, has hit a remarkable 10 million followers. 

Spotify users from all over the world are tuning into ¡Viva Latino! to hear the hits from the hottest Latin artists – whether it’s the latest global anthems by Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Ozuna, or Nicky Jam, the soulful sounds of Karol G, the sultry hits of Becky G, or Rosalia’s reinvention of flamenco, to name just a few. ¡Viva Latino! is loaded with songs that grab your attention, fill your day with music, and secure a place in your heart.

The growth of the third-most-followed playlist reflects the incredible movement within Latin music over the past few years. Since 2014, Latin artists have seen a staggering 250% increase in representation across the Global Top 100. Plus, in the past two years alone on Spotify, we’ve seen an average 33% year-over-year increase in streams of Latin music.  

We’re excited about this 10-million-follower milestone—thanks in large part to you, the listeners and fans. The artists who made the playlist great are thankful and excited too. Check out the video below for best wishes from Daddy Yankee, Anitta, Wisin & Yandel, and more. We are 10,000,000 strong.

If you’re as excited about this milestone as we are, come celebrate with us in Miami at the second ¡Viva Latino! Live concert, featuring Bad Bunny, Nicky Jam, Rosalia, Sebastian Yatra, and Sech. Get tickets on Ticketmaster. 

¡Viva Latino! Live Miami Adds Rosalía, Sebastian Yatra, and Sech to Lineup

July 16, 2019

On June 10 we announced that renowned hitmakers Bad Bunny and Nicky Jam would be headlining the next installment in our ¡Viva Latino! Live series in the vibrant metropolis of Miami. Today that lineup is growing to include some of the hottest rising stars in the business: Rosalía, Sebastián Yatra, and Sech. Each artist brings their own growing momentum to the show, touting a combined 53.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

  • Rosalía has catapulted to stardom since being featured as an emerging artist just a year ago on ¡Viva Latino! The artist, who recently became the Spanish singer with the most monthly listeners on Spotify, gained widespread acclaim for her debut album and Coachella set this spring. Her collab with J Balvin, “Con Altura,” is now #41 on the Global 50.
  • Sebastián Yatra is one of the most formidable stars to rise in recent years. Since his breakout song “Tracionera” in 2016, he’s released two albums, including this year’s pop-leaning FANTASÍA. The album’s lead single, “Un Año,” reached the Global Top 50 in March. Most recently, he featured the Jonas Brothers singing in Spanish on “Runaway.”
  • Sech is this year’s biggest success story; the Panamanian artist was featured as an emerging artist to watch on ¡Viva Latino! in April with the release of “Otro Trago,” which reached #4—and is currently at #10—on the Global 50.

 This year’s lineup is a testament to the ever-growing power of Latin music. Bad Bunny’s surprise collab album with J Balvin, Oasis, debuted in three of our Top charts within the first 24 hours after release, and his track “Callaita” is #9 on the Global Top 50. These victories, coupled with Nicky Jam’s massive #1 global anthem, “X,” mark the show as one fans won’t want to miss.

 There’s no doubt that Latin artists will continue to grow within the Global Top 100. In fact, we’ve seen a staggering 250% increase in the number of Latin artists appearing in the Global Top 100 since 2014. In the last two years alone, we’ve seen an average 33% year-over-year increase in streams of Latin music.

 With ¡Viva Latino! on the precipice of reaching 10 million monthly followers—growing at a rate five times quicker than any other playlist in Spotify’s Top 1,000 Playlists—there is no better time to bring the music to life with a live show.

 ¡Viva Latino! Live Miami takes over American Airlines Arena on August 30, 2019, and tickets are now available on Ticketmaster.com.

 For the latest info, updates, and behind-the-scenes looks, be sure to follow @VivaLatino on Instagram and @SpotifyLatino on Twitter!

Looking Back on a Year of For the Record

April 2, 2019

This month, For the Record turns one year old. We couldn’t have gotten to this milestone without support from you, our readers. To mark the occasion, we’re taking a look back at some of our favorite stories—and some of yours.

Take a walk down memory lane or check out a piece you might have missed.

Rosalía’s Flamenco-Inspired Sound Is Rooted in Tradition, but Fearlessly New

Rosalía, a twenty-five-year-old Barcelona native, is combining traditional flamenco and modern beats to make a sound all her own. We sat down with the artist on the heels of her “De Mi Nombre” single drop. Since then, she’s released her second, wildly acclaimed album, El Mal Querer, and her star is only getting brighter.

EQL Resident Roundtable: Meet the Women Behind the Mixers

The EQL Residency was created to help aspiring female and non-binary engineers gain the experience and mentorship needed to take their careers to the next level. We went behind the mic—and the mixer—with the first three members of our EQL Residency to learn a little about their work. Stay tuned for applications for our next cohort.

The Top Songs, Artists, Playlists, and Podcasts of 2018

Our readers tuned in en masse to take a look at the world’s top artists, genres, songs, and playlists for 2018. Be sure to check out some surprising stats—like which age group is the most chill—and some classics, like the year’s top throwback songs. And don’t worry: December 2019, in all its Wrapped glory, will be here before you know it.

Audio First by Daniel Ek

In February our CEO, Daniel Ek, shared our goal of becoming the world’s number-one audio platform and the addition of podcasting companies Anchor and Gimlet. On the heels of those acquisitions, we announced that Spotify also acquired Parcast.

Nadia Dies. Nadia Lives. ‘Gotta Get Up’ Plays. Users Repeat.

We noticed that the late Harry Nilsson’s “Gotta Get Up” was playing in (almost) every episode of Netflix’s Russian Doll. It turns out that fans were also streaming the song on repeat. Check out the soundtrack, or, namely, the “theme song” to see if you think it’s as catchy too.

4 Questions (and Answers) with Amarjit Batra, Managing Director, Spotify India

India is the most recent addition to the seventy-nine markets that can now enjoy Spotify, following our thirteen new market launches in the Middle East and South Africa. Opening in this region helps us bring the music of artists around the globe to over a billion people and exposes Indian artists from multiple genres to the rest of the world.

And there’s plenty more where that came from. Here’s to another year of discovery!

Who Will Win the Latin Grammy Awards? Here’s What Our Streaming Data Says

November 14, 2018

Honoring the biggest stars in Latin music, the 19th Annual Latin Grammy Awards on November 15 are just around the corner, and the lucky winners are anyone’s guess. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun projecting which talented artists will take home the coveted gold gramophones.

First, let’s look at what we know for sure. The breakout hitmakers topping the charts lead the pack of this year’s Latin Grammy hopefuls, including Colombian reggaeton sensation J Balvin, who racked up eight nominations. Flamenco fusion standout Rosalía isn’t far behind, with five nominations total, a testament to the Barcelona native’s sizzling sophomore album. Meanwhile, Afro-Colombian gypsy jazz ensemble Monsieur Periné is riding the worldwide Latin music wave to what could be the band’s second Latin Grammy win in just three years (the group won the Latin Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2015). Taking home the 2018 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year Award will be Maná. The iconic six-time Latin Grammy-winning and four-time Grammy-winning Mexican rock-pop superstars will receive the coveted award for the group’s outstanding contributions to the Latin music community and for its dedication to environmental preservation and support for human rights.

Maná, the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year Award

Now, just for fun, let’s gaze into our data-driven crystal ball. Drawing on Spotify’s own statistics—based on what the listeners are streaming—we put together projections for the leading hopefuls in four top Latin Grammy Award categories. Since we rooted our predictions in Spotify user behavior, our listeners are in the future-gazing driver seat. So, based on the total plays on Spotify in the past month (drumroll, please), the potential winners are:

Record of the Year

“X” – Nicky Jam & J Balvin, 17 million streams in the last month

“Mi Gente” – J Balvin con Willy William, 15.2 million streams in the last month

“Malamente” – Rosalía, 5.6 million streams in the last month

Album of the Year

“Vibras” – J Balvin, 45 million streams in the last month

“Prometo” – Pablo Alborán, 9.4 million streams in the last month

“¡México Por Siempre!” – Luis Miguel, 5.4 million streams in the last month

Song of the Year

“Robarte Un Beso” – Mauricio Rengifo, Andrés Torres, Carlos Vives & Sebastian Yatra, songwriters (Carlos Vives & Sebastian Yatra), 7.3 million streams in the last month

“Malamente” – Antón Alvarez Alfaro, Pablo Diaz–Reixa & Rosalía, songwriters (Rosalía), 5.6 million streams in the last month

“Bailar Contigo” – Monsieur Periné & Mauricio Rengifo, songwriters (Monsieur Periné), 1.7 million streams in the last month

Best New Artist

Karol G, 83 million streams in the last month

Best New Artist Nominee Karol G

Christian Nodal, 26 million streams in the last month

Best New Artist Nominee Christian Nodal

Angela Aguilar, 18 million streams in the last month

Best New Artist Nominee Angela Aguilar

Don’t forget to tune in to see where our predictions land. The 19th Annual Latin Grammy Awards air live Thursday, November, 15th on Univision at 8 p.m. EST/PT.

Get pumped for the big show with our 19th Annual Latin Grammy Awards playlist, packed with 127 songs from nominees spanning several Latin music genres—pop, salsa, banda, cumbia, and more.

Rosalía’s Flamenco-Inspired Sound Is Rooted in Tradition, but Fearlessly New

October 30, 2018

Just looking at Rosalía, it’s hard to imagine she has hundreds of years of history behind her. But the 25-year-old Barcelona native, with her cool, commanding voice and wildly colorful style, has crafted a new sound from the pain and passion of traditional flamenco music. “I make music with risk,” she tells us—and she’s doing it like no one else.

Since the release of her debut album Los Ángeles in 2017, Rosalía has enchanted listeners around the world. “Malamente,” the first single from her new album El Mal Querer (out November 2), has racked up over 34 million global Spotify streams. And as her star rises, her sounds continue to evolve; El Mal Querer (The Bad Love), a concept album that chronicles a twisted romance, is vibrant and alive one moment, chill and detached the next. The record’s urban-classic experiments borrow from hip-hop, R&B, and electronic, while spotlighting traditional flamenco features like rhythmic hand claps (las palmas) and romantic guitar (toque). It even samples broken glass and cribs from Justin Timberlake. Per Rosalía, the album’s diverse ranges of expression are driven by one essential element: “attitude.”

Energetic and seductive, Rosalía’s music has crossed borders and smashed language barriers—and the fearless performer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist shows no signs of slowing down. In honor of her latest single, “Di Mi Nombre,” dropping today, we spoke to Rosalía about borrowing from the past, breaking with tradition, and finding her true freedom as an artist.

How does the cultural heritage of flamenco translate to El Mal Querer? How have you reinvented traditional elements to create your own uniquely modern approach to a classic style?

My music is about attitude. I make music with risk and experimentation … In everything I do, I keep in mind that my music needs to reach people. I make music in order to share it with others.

The flamenco cantes (songs) are my foundation, my basis. Without flamenco, my music wouldn’t make sense. As a musician, I always think about growing, and now I want to explore composing and become more involved than ever in the production of my songs. On El Mal Querer, there are songs based in flamenco, but they go beyond just one genre.