Tag: Who We Be

Toast Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary With Our Special Playlist Hub, Murals, Animated Shorts, and More

August 3, 2023

Fifty years ago, hip-hop was born in the Bronx. And today, it continues to influence music and culture on a global scale. To celebrate this massive milestone over the next month, we’re creating murals in some of hip-hop’s biggest capitals, giving fans a personalized hip-hop listening experience with our DJ, and releasing a series of animated shorts. But to kick off the festivities, we’re launching the Hip-Hop Turns 50 hub.

Highlighting the contributions of hip-hop’s greats, this special destination will live on-platform over the next month and house more than 40 global playlists that reflect the various eras, regions, and trends that have shaped the genre over the last half-century. This includes many of our top data-driven and editorially curated playlists, as well as dedicated shelves for the 50 most-streamed rappers and hip-hop albums on Spotify. 

“We wanted to acknowledge the anniversary in more than one way. Three months ago, we kicked off conversations on social media with our Top 50 Hip-Hop lists and are now showcasing how hip-hop’s and Spotify’s history intersects,” said Carl Chery, Creative Director, Head of Urban Music, Spotify. “Throughout August, we’re paying homage to some of the artists that paved the way in their own cities with murals and billboards, creating an animated shorts series narrated by artists, and built out a destination on platform that features a variety of playlists from around the world. Stay tuned for more—here’s to the next 50″

Fans can dive into the best hip-hop songs of each decade with special curations for the ’80s, ’90s, ’00s, and ’10s, as well as the ’20s, where listeners can tune in to RapCaviar, our flagship hip-hop playlist, to find the best of hip-hop today. As part of the global hip-hop shelf—which features playlists like Spotify Italy’s Plus Ultra, Spotify India’s Rap 91, Spotify Korea’s KrOWN, Spotify U.K.’s Who We Be, the Spotify Middle East’s Arab Hip-Hop, and Spotify Philippines’ Kayle Hip-Hop—we’re showcasing the hottest, freshest, and most diverse hip-hop sounds being created around the world.

We’re also revisiting some of our editors’ top picks through our 50 years of hip-hop shelf, which features episodes from podcasts like the New York Times’s Popcast and Fab 5 Freddy’s 50 Years of Hip-Hop, as well as Spotify Originals like The RapCaviar Podcast, Dissect, The Ringer Music Show, and Nas and Miss Info’s The Bridge. 

You can check out more of For the Record’s hip-hop content from over the years by visiting our special Hip-Hop Turns 50 hub. 

Spotify celebrates in hip-hop’s biggest meccas

To honor some of hip-hop’s biggest game changers, Spotify is collaborating with illustrator and image-maker Raj Dhunna to design large-scale murals and billboards. These pieces will put a spotlight on artists in their respective hometowns and depict the ways rap’s most influential sounds spread from region to region. 

In New York, Spotify will unveil a mural acknowledging the history of drill as it grew from its origins in Chicago with legends like Chief Keef, and expanded into London and Brooklyn with artists like 808 Melo and Pop Smoke. A second mural will spotlight the impact of women in hip-hop and feature icons like Lil’ Kim and Cardi B. 

In Atlanta, Raj will create a mural that celebrates the evolution of trap music, which was pioneered by Atlanta’s own T.I. and cultivated into a global phenomenon by artists like New York’s Arcángel.

Raj’s designs will also appear on billboards in Miami and Los Angeles. The L.A. billboard will feature Dr. Dre and Mustard, two of the city’s musical titans, with a tagline that reads “Long live the West Coast sound. Hip-hop is everywhere.” The Miami billboard, meanwhile, will pay tribute to the provocative sounds of the region’s most influential women rap acts.

Spotify will also commemorate hip-hop’s growth in Mexico and pay homage to its current and foundational artists with a mural that features over 15 Mexican hip-hop artists, including Akwid, Cartel de Santa, Santa Fe Klan, and Gera Mx.

The party continues

In addition to the on-platform destinations and custom murals, our AI-powered DJ will provide expert hip-hop commentary all month long on Spotify, supplying aficionados with cultural context about musical legends and retracing how hip-hop has grown through history.

To close out the month, Spotify will debut editorially curated animated shorts that underscore hip-hop’s influence in over nine countries, featuring narrations from artists. 

Our celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary will let fans discover and connect with artists of the past, present, and future. But this is only the start. Stay tuned for updates throughout the month as we commemorate one of the most beloved genres in the world. 

Hit play on our flagship RapCaviar playlist and discover the artists who are making their mark in hip-hop’s history books. 

Spotify’s Notting Hill Carnival Microsite Returns With Original Writing, Playlists, and Podcasts

August 25, 2021

London’s annual Notting Hill Carnival is a 55-year-old celebration of the United Kingdom’s Caribbean community—one full of parades, food, and, of course, music. For the second year in a row, Spotify is supporting the festivities virtually with the Carnival Sounds 2021 Microsite in collaboration with Notting Hill Carnival. 

This year’s site continues to celebrate everything fans love about Carnival and features brand-new content encompassing written, audio, and musical content from influential Black creators. Fans will once again get the chance to virtually explore the official Notting Hill Carnival sound systems, featuring DJs playing a mixture of dub, reggae, soca, soulful house, and everything in between. King Tubby’s, Carnival’s oldest sound, is back, along with Rampage Sound, one of Carnival’s most coveted spots; the all-female line-up Seduction City Sound; and Martin Jay, the prince of U.K. soca.

Spotify has also worked with some of the U.K.’s most iconic Black creators to help curate a Carnival soundtrack with some of the most popular playlists:

  • The Gold List will incorporate selections from British soul icon Billy Ocean.
  • Reggae on the Irie playlist is in expert hands as Protoje takes over.
  • Afro Bashment gets a West London spin from WSTRN.
  • Who We Be, the U.K.’s biggest hip-hop, Afrobeat, dancehall, and R&B playlist, gets curated by Who We Be TALKS_ hosts Harry Pinero and Henrie.

Plus, brand new this year are exclusive essays on the theme of Carnival from some of the U.K.’s most renowned Black writers and creatives. Look out for writing from:

  • Candice Carty-Williams, writer and author of the Sunday Times bestselling novel Queenie, for which she became the first Black woman to win the “Book of the Year” accolade at the British Book Awards in 2020.
  • James Massiah, celebrated poet, spoken word artist, and musician who has read at the Tate Modern, Southbank Centre, and the Houses of Parliament.
  • Malika Booker, writer, poet, artist, and pioneer of the spoken word movement in the U.K.
  • Eddie Otchere, photographer, educator, and curator whose work recounts the Black British experience in art spaces.
  • Lava La Rue, Ladbroke-Grove-based visual artist, rapper, and founding member of NiNE8 COLLECTIVE.
  • Dawn Hill CBE, former chairman of the Black Cultural Archives, the U.K.’s only national repository of Black history and culture.

And as part of the ongoing celebration and to embrace the visual nature of Carnival, Spotify commissioned a mural by London-based multidisciplinary artist Bokiba in the heart of Notting Hill. The piece captures the movement and sounds of Carnival, as well as incorporating emojis as a nod to the virtual element of this year’s event. As with all of her work, women of color are at the heart, along with bold colors and patterns. The artwork mural features a scannable Spotify code so that passersby can dive straight in and immediately immerse themselves in the sounds and experiences of Carnival from their phones.

How ‘Body’ Became the First U.K. Drill Track to Land Today’s Top Hits

June 28, 2021

Turn up the bass and 808s: U.K. drill has dug a space for itself on Spotify—and across the global music industry at large. The trap sub-genre’s share of listening has grown 351% on Spotify since 2017 across Europe, Australia, and Africa, and especially in cities and countries where listeners can relate to the genre’s unfiltered themes, booming sound, and direct lyrics. As it spreads, it takes root in different languages and locations, making it even more accessible. 

Though the trap sub-genre has been rising in the U.K. for several years—a staggering 442% listening share increase since 2017—2021 has taken it to a new level, complete with prominent features on Spotify playlists, a runaway global hit single, and increased presence in the U.K.’s annual BRIT Awards. 

“Body” then became the first-ever U.K. drill track to be featured on Spotify’s global Today’s Top Hits playlist. This song, which emanated from Spotify’s U.K. rap and hip-hop playlists, then started traversing the globe as a cross-continental remix. Its journey is a strong reflection of the story of drill in the industry as a whole. 

A place on playlists

Drill has long been a feature on U.K. hip-hop playlists like Who We Be and Rap UK, which have been two of the top three playlists in the country since they each launched. New playlists, like Just Dropped, are also increasing in prominence week after week, and the biggest episodes of the Who We Be TALKS_ podcast continue to be ones featuring drill and rap artists. Rap UK has even become the region’s biggest export playlist for U.K. hip-hop.

“Streaming allows the audience to decide exactly what they want to listen to and when. We are seeing this reflected in consumption on platform,” says Safiya Lambie-Knight, Artist & Label Partnerships Lead at Spotify for the U.K. and Ireland. “It has also allowed for the birth of new drill scenes across the globe from Australia to Ghana. Playlists like City to City are great examples of global drill and the audience’s appetite for the genre on an international level.” 

“Body” takeover

“Body,” originally by Russ Millions and Tion Wayne, came out in March 2021, complete with a dance challenge. The next month, the duo released “Body (Remix)” featuring a number of U.K. and U.S. artists, including a new artist from Brighton named ArrDee, U.S. drill artist Fivio Foreign, Bugzy Malone, E1 (3×3), ZT (3×3), Buni, and Darkoo. The track quickly took over, hitting close to 600,000 streams daily in the U.K. and 200,000 daily in the U.S. and Australia. It jumped from its spot on Rap UK, Who We Be, and Hot Hits UK to Australian hip-hop playlist A1, where it cemented its place as the biggest song in the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand—the first drill song to ever do so. 

Then, overnight, the song was added to Today’s Top Hits, which contributed to the track’s success: It’s now been streamed over 58 million times, in addition to having been streamed over 1 million times in a single day. It also garnered multiple other remixes, featuring artists from all over the world helping to drive more international growth and top 10 prominence in Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Norway.

“U.K. rap has dominated the mainstream for some time now, but ‘Body’ reaching the top of the charts in the U.K. and Australia simultaneously is incredibly significant for drill,” says Safiya. “It shows not only the importance of the U.K. as a key market, but also the export and international potential that U.K. rap now has.” 

2021 BRITs and beyond

While “Body” became the first drill track to reach the top slot, U.K. rap has been topping the charts in the U.K. frequently for many years. The BRITs nominations this year, therefore, were a reflection of the appetite for U.K. rap in popular music culture—featuring the biggest as well as newest names in rap nominated across all of the categories. 

“It’s important that institutions like the BRITs recognize the hip-hop talent they have here and reflect that in awards,” says Joel Borquaye, from Spotify’s U.K. and Ireland Editorial team. “At Spotify we have worked closely with a number of the artists nominated over the past year. This included emerging artists like S1mba, whose support began early on in our playlist Who We Be, and Young T & Bugsey, who were our first RADAR artists in the U.K., as well as album campaigns with Headie One, AJ Tracey, and J Hus, the latter of whom won the coveted male solo artist of the year award.”

Since we launched the Spotify U.K. charts, the popularity of rap has been clear on Spotify. Now, the U.K. music industry has caught up—and the world is next. 

“Rap has always been fast moving and agile, and that has been more evident over the past year with the capacity of releases that we saw on Spotify,” says Safiya. “Consumption habits have evolved, too, and it isn’t just the data that shows us this—it’s culture. Look at the way music spreads across social media. There’s a lot of support across the music and artist community and there’s a huge engaged, young fan base watching that and wanting to be part of it and creating their own content to be involved in the conversation. Artists now know where their audience is and music can travel more easily now than ever.” 

How Who We Be, Altar, and Our Generation Are Propelling UK and Irish Artists to the Top

February 8, 2021

Spotify’s editorial playlists are full of musical collections that fans won’t find anywhere else. Some of these playlists follow moods, while others contain songs curated for a specific genre—many of these playlists highlight emerging artists and help them connect their music with new audiences.

In the UK and Ireland, three flagship playlists are particularly influential. Listeners can find the UK’s biggest rap, grime, R&B, Afrobeat, and dancehall hits on Who We Be. Altar is the destination for the best electronic dance music. And for those looking to experience new and emerging genreless sounds, the Our Generation playlist contains some of the most exciting emerging acts on the UK and Irish scenes.

In 2020, many fans discovered new artists through these lists, and the proof is in the numbers. Read on to learn about some of the standout artists who saw success on these playlists last year. 

Who We Be

The Who We Be playlist has grown significantly since its launch in 2016, and it now has over half a million fiercely loyal and engaged followers. One of the playlist’s biggest breakthroughs in 2020 was Central Cee. The West London rapper commanded more than 200,000 streams from the Who We Be playlist alone, and he saw almost instant success with his single “Day In The Life.” Since he joined the Who We Be Community, the artist’s followers on Spotify have grown by almost 359%.

S1mba is another rapper who made waves last year with his debut single, “Rover (feat. DTG),” which peaked at number two in the UK Top 40 in April. The Zimbabwean-born Londoner is the 15th-most-streamed artist overall on the playlist, and since “Rover” was released, he has seen a 16,435% rise in listens.

After being featured on Who We Be, Tiana Blake’s “Cut Ties” became the best-performing traditional R&B track from a British artist on the playlist. The track went on to make waves in other global Spotify playlists, such as Chilled R&B, and saw a 159% rise in streams.

Altar

Dance and Electronic music isn’t going anywhere. If you need proof, look no further than the Altar playlist, which saw a 193% increase in listens in 2020. One of the biggest artist breakthroughs of 2020 was award-winning producer Fred Gibson, who released tracks under his alias, Fred again... The artist’s unique sound blends raw vocal samples with club-ready euphoria and has been a hit with the Altar audience; they’ve made him one of the top 20 most-streamed artists on the playlist last year.

TSHA was the third-most-streamed UK female on the playlist in 2020. She saw an increase in year-on-year streams of 134%. TSHA’s single “Change” with Gabrielle Aplin, which was recorded at a Spotify Song Writing Camp in 2019, became one of the top-100-streamed tracks from Altar in 2020. 

In May, one of Europe’s most exciting DJs and producers, India Jordan, launched their genre-defining EP For You. Two of the tracks, “For You” and “I’m Waiting,” were featured on the Altar playlist, and over the course of the year, their streams increased by 388%. India was also one of Spotify’s RADAR first listen artists in 2020.

Our Generation

Genreless playlists are growing in popularity around the world, and the case is no different for Our Generation. The playlist, which surfaces the new wave of artists emerging across the UK and Irish musical landscape, saw an 18% increase in streams in 2020. With playlist takeovers from some of the most exciting breakthrough artists on the scene, including beabadoobee, Thomas Headon, and Biig Piig, the home of genre-defying artists has driven huge discovery for fans this year.

Our Generation played an influential role in elevating many artists, including rising star Holly Humberstone, who has grown her audience to over 2 million monthly listeners since her first release, “Deep End,” was added to the playlist in early 2020. 

Other acts that saw great first-time success include Tayo Sound, who was busking on the streets of Reading less than a year before making it onto the cover of the Our Generation playlist in May 2020. His hits “Cold Feet” and “Heartbreaker” were two of the most-streamed tracks on the playlist in 2020, and overall his streams soared by more than 1,000% in the last six months. 

Kamal, an 18-year-old London alternative R&B star, secured the second-most-streamed track on Our Generation with “homebody” after he was featured on his first Spotify playlist cover art in early 2020. Since then, the artist has seen an 84% growth in listens.

With a new year comes more new music. Follow these playlists to discover the latest finds when it comes to emerging artists and hit tracks.

Spotify’s Virtual Notting Hill Carnival Microsite Amplifies Black Creators Like Never Before

August 19, 2020

London’s annual Notting Hill Carnival is a 54-year-old celebration of the United Kingdom’s Caribbean community, and it’s often filled with parades, food, and, of course, music. Due to this year’s social distancing recommendations, the Carnival’s in-person events are on hold, but the art and culture of the U.K.’s Black creative community can be heard just as loudly as Notting Hill Carnival goes online. As an official partner for Notting Hill Carnival 2020, Spotify is excited to share our dedicated Carnival microsite, with a full virtual musical lineup, playlist takeovers, art experiences, and more.

That’s right: The party isn’t stopping; it’s just moving from the streets into your home. Our new microsite is filled with playlist takeovers from big names, and it gives fans a chance to explore over 40 of the official Notting Hill Carnival sound systems and on-the-road DJs who spin dub, reggae, soca, soulful house and everything in between. Plus, we’ll be featuring an exclusive portrait and film gallery from renowned photographer Ekua King, podcast episodes covering Carnival’s rich history and a look forward, and ways to tune into live events throughout the weekend.

“Notting Hill Carnival is such an important celebration of Caribbean heritage for communities in London and beyond—enriched in tradition and activism and lived through music and dance,” says Sulinna Ong, Head of Music at Spotify U.K. and Ireland. “While it can’t take place in its usual way, it’s key that the celebration continue—in homes, living rooms and gardens—especially given the current climate.”

Learn how you can celebrate Carnival through some of Spotify’s microsite features.

Playlist takeovers

We’ve worked with some of the U.K.’s leading Black creators in music, film, and entertainment to help guide fans through some of our most popular playlists, which will be dedicated to Notting Hill Carnival for the long weekend event. Fans can enjoy:

  • Lockdown success story No Signal’s take on Who We Be, the U.K.’s biggest hip-hop, Afrobeat, dancehall and R&B playlist
  • The legendary Marleys, who will help fans jam along to One Love
  • Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s compilation of tunes for Throwback Thursday
  • Everything from reggae legends to the new school as Koffee introduces our Irie playlist
  • Spice, the Jamaican dancehall artist and star of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta’s Dancehall Queen takeover

Notting Hill Carnival sound systems

Our microsite also gives fans the chance to explore over 40 of the official Notting Hill Carnival sound systems (aka large DJ booths) and on-the-road DJs. Check in with King Tubby’s, Carnival’s oldest sound; Rampage Sound, one of Carnival’s most coveted spots, the prince of U.K. soca, Martin Jay; and even Carnival’s only all-female sound system, Seduction City Sound.

“Last year I celebrated 25 years of being the only female sound system in Carnival,” says Lady Banton of Seduction City Sound. “I’m a woman and a Black woman, and I’m proud to be a Black woman. I’m also a child of the Windrush generation, so we never forget. I thought, ‘What a relief I am here again.’”

Exclusive photo and film gallery from Ekua King

Just as the in-person Carnival has music and art to boot, so will the microsite, thanks to exclusive work from Ekua King. The renowned London-based photographer of Jamaican heritage who shoots for the likes of i-D, Paper, and Vogue, has created an exclusive photo and film gallery on the site. Check out her stunning portraiture of the over 40 sound systems and on-the-road DJs, whose stories come to life through her shots.

Harry Pinero and Henrie Celebrate Black Music and Culture on the Latest Season of “Who We Be TALKS_”

July 8, 2020

What happens when you combine the most relevant topics in Black culture, a Spotify playlist with over 600,000 followers, and two hosts who can find humor in just about anything? You get Who We Be TALKS_—the podcast partner to the UK’s biggest rap, grime, R&B, and Afrobeat playlist, Who We Be. The show, which has been running since 2018, recently launched its latest season with two exciting new hosts: Harry Pinero and Henrie.

The weekly podcast celebrates Black music and culture by offering insights directly from the people who help shape it. The episodes, which are recorded on Mondays and drop the next day, are centered around the hot topics of the moment. Each week, the duo is joined by a special guest, and together they share their unique perspectives on the most pressing issues in Black music and culture today.

We caught up with Harry and Henrie to talk about how they’re using their platform to amplify Black voices and why they choose to approach difficult topics with humor.

Who We Be TALKS_ goes hand in hand with the Who We Be playlist. Why is it not enough to just listen to the music? Why do we need both the playlist and the podcast in tandem?

Henrie: We can’t talk about Black music without talking about Black culture: They go hand in hand. It’s something that I think we all talk about without even thinking about.

Harry: The artists create music, but they all have a story. I think the podcast gives artists room to be themselves without being filtered. Some of the artists that have come on the show, Tion Wayne and Big Zuu for example, probably spoke more in-depth than they ever have because our platform is set up for them to do that.

Why do you think it’s important to have a playlist like Who We Be that combines music from Black creators across genres including rap, grime, R&B, and Afrobeat?

Harry: I think for a long time a lot of the Black genres have been umbrellaed under one category: urban. But it’s more than just that. The Who We Be playlist highlights dance, soul, Afrobeat, rap, trap music individually. It puts everything in one place where people can listen to so many different genres.

How have you switched up Who We Be TALKS_ for the new season?

Henrie: We’re now making it more about culture—it’s not just about music and the artist. When we talk to artists, yes, we talk about their latest project or song, but we get their take on what’s happening right now as well. When we had Tion Wayne in, he talked about Black Lives Matter. I think that is incredible to see something like that because you now get a different script of the artist. 

How else are you addressing the Black Lives Matter movement and tying together current events and music?

Henrie: If you’re interested in the music, then of course you’re going to be interested in what’s happening with Black Lives Matter, because the music is reflective of Black lives. 

Harry: When you strip away the job titles of artists or creatives, at the end of the day, these are Black people who are dealing with racial injustice. These are real emotions that they’re feeling. I think that anyone that comes on the show, White or Black, will want to talk about these things, because it’s affecting all of us. What we, and Spotify, are trying to accomplish here is celebrating our culture and saying that we are stronger together than we are against each other.

What do you think is comedy’s role in pushing some of these really important, serious conversations?

Henrie: Comedy plays an important role because even though life is serious, I don’t take life too seriously. I think that finding the lighthearted factor in these times is something that Black people just do really well.

Harry: I agree. I watched Dave Chappelle’s special “8:46,” which was very deep but also very funny. I respect Dave Chappelle because he’s got that balance where he can touch on very technical issues while still finding the humor. 

What are you hoping to bring to Who We Be TALKS_ that you’ve learned from your other work?

Henrie: I do quite a few things at the moment, including No Signal Radio, which recently announced a partnership with Spotify. That show has taught me a lot about myself. Because it’s Black radio, I don’t have to filter what I say or who I am. But at the same time, I don’t necessarily have to have an opinion there. On Who We Be TALKS_, it’s a part of the show. We need to have an opinion, and everybody gets to share theirs whether or not we agree with each other. 

Harry: I started my career on social media talking about real-life issues in the funniest way possible. Then I began hosting events, including one for Spotify. After I did the BET Awards and the BRIT Awards, I started to become more interested in music professionally. Now when I sit down and I talk to people in the music industry, it’s helping me broaden my understanding of the scene. I’m still learning every day.

What do you hope listeners will take away from the show?

Henrie: It’s not really meant to be rigid conversations. It’s meant to be how you would just chat with your friends if you went to their house. I want the audience to imagine us as their friends. See it as being an inclusive conversation as opposed to just an interview.

Harry: I want people to learn from these episodes. I want people to be inspired, to want to chase their dreams, to listen to music, and for artists to get streams. But I also want people to know that just because it’s Black culture doesn’t mean it’s just for Black people. There are a lot of different cultures within Black culture, and I hope this show is a place where anyone who’s interested in any of its many aspects can go to listen to their favorite artist, discover, and learn new things. 

Who We Be TALKS_ is available to stream exclusively on Spotify. Check out the first episode of the latest season, featuring rapper Tion Wayne, below.

Spotify Returns to BBC Music Introducing Live 2019 As Official Partner

November 1, 2019

BBC Music Introducing Live—the three-day, all-access event to help you make it in the industry—is back. From October 31 to November 2, music professionals (established and aspiring) from around the world will come together at London’s Tobacco Dock for a weekend of live performances, conversations, and advice to help launch their careers. 

Following a successful partnership in 2018, Spotify is returning to the festival to resume our pivotal role in having a relevant, cultural, and educational voice for the 15,000 up-and-coming artists, songwriters, producers, and creators in attendance.

We chatted with Bryan Johnson, Lead, Artist & Industry Partnerships at Spotify, at the start of the event to learn about the sessions Spotify will be overseeing at the festival.

You’ve been entrenched in the music industry from the very beginning of your career. How has your professional trajectory (and your experience as an artist) manifested itself in the work you’re doing today at Spotify?

My work at Spotify naturally has the artist front and center. Experiences as both an artist and industry professional come in to play and really help me make the right informed and instinctive decisions that I believe will benefit both the artist community and Spotify. 

A key personal and professional mission has always been to ensure that Spotify and the wider industry are accessible and in reach. I’m proud to say that through partnerships such as BBC Music Introducing Live, we’re able to make that happen.

BBC Music Introducing Live 2019 is underway. Why is Spotify partnering with BBC to sponsor this festival? What do you hope attendees will get out of the event?

As an official partner, we’ve curated plenty of relevant and interesting sessions for the attendees. We’re showcasing our key UK podcasts, such as Who We Be TALKS_ , providing a platform for artists to discuss their podcasting journeys through the Why I Podcast panel, and shining a light on health and well-being through the Keeping It Together panel (which we’re copresenting with Headspace).

We’re also bringing our Best Advice educational series to the stage for the very first time, and providing best-in-class education and guidance on how artists and their teams can use Spotify to further their careers via the Spotify Artist Masterclass. In addition to all of this, we’ll be bringing the Spotify x Soundtrap Pop-Up Studio to the UK for the very first time!

All in all, it’s a well-rounded series of events that I believe will have wide appeal and be truly inspiring.