Lagos: Spotify, a global audio streaming platform, is making strides in promoting women in music across Africa through its EQUAL Africa programme.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, this initiative has become a crucial global launchpad that is helping to level the playing field for women musicians on the continent.
Phiona Okumu, Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa at Spotify, highlighted the significance of the EQUAL Africa ambassadors’ involvement in the Greasy Tunes Caf© experience, marking a pivotal moment in the music industry. Artists like Moliy and Joyce Olong, who are ambassadors of the programme, alongside Lady Donli and Goodgirl LA, delivered performances that were described as vital moments in the industry. Their unique sounds and independent productions are actively reshaping the narrative of African music.
Spotify’s Greasy Tunes Caf©, a three-week experiential pop-up, celebrates the connection between Nigerian food, music, and culture. The event’s second week, headlined by Odumodublavk, The Cavemen, and Sarz, underscored the demand for street-influenced sounds among Nigerian youth. The week featured a multi-genre agenda, powered by contemporary female artistry that added a forward-looking energy to the event.
The week’s highlight was the ‘INDUSTRY MACHINE GALA,’ which saw an enthusiastic crowd engaged by the night’s performances. Odumodublavk’s stage presence was particularly transformative, embodying a bold and commanding attitude that resonated with the audience.
The historical evolution of hip-hop in Nigeria was explored during the ‘Loose Talk Podcast Live.’ Panelists discussed how hip-hop laid the groundwork for artists like 2Baba, empowering them to transform foreign tracks into the celebrated Afrobeats sound. The panelists predicted that the next wave of authentic hip-hop is set to emerge from Eastern Nigeria.
This forecast was echoed by the audience’s appreciation during the documentary screening of ‘Ki’mon! The Eastern Nigerian afro-funk revolution 1970-1980,’ which highlighted afro-funk as the original post-conflict sound of self-definition in Nigeria, preceding the rise of Afrobeats.