In this article, the Upper Entertainment team gives an editorial recap on the recent two-day Spotify-spearheaded event: “Afrobeats Journey of a Billion Streams celebration.”
On Thursday 12 and Friday 13, October, Spotify brought together celebrities, podcasters, influencers, music executives, media personalities, and music fans at two experiential events dubbed #SpotifyPodcastsLagos and #SpotifyAfrobeats. The events held at La Madison Place in Lekki, Lagos, showcased and celebrated the rich culture of Afrobeats and the remarkable achievements of the genre through the years.
Spotify was keen on timing as the colorful event kicked off with a red or ‘Spotify’ carpet segment that started at exactly 7:00 p.m. (as calligraphed previously on several media banners and posters).
The Disk jockey for the night, Dj Tohbad shook things up with his exhilarating mixes, bringing the Afrobeats vibe needed to spark a memorable night.
Speaking at the Afrobeats Celebration, Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Spotify’s Managing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, said, “Spotify’s commitment to connecting people with the music they love is at the heart of everything we do. We’re thrilled to continue celebrating Afrobeats’ milestones and reinforce our commitment to the growth of the music ecosystem in Nigeria and across Africa.”
The two-day celebrations began with a masterclass session featuring Ncebakazi Manzi, the Podcast Manager for Spotify in Sub-Saharan Africa. The session provided an engaging platform for podcast enthusiasts, diving deep into the craft of storytelling, exploring innovative techniques and insights, and illustrating Spotify’s commitment to empowering podcast creators. Following the session, there was a fireside chat facilitated by Gwenevier Ehimen Lem from Association of African Podcasters and Voiceover Artists (APVA), featuring a panel of industry experts, including Tony Doe from Into The Podverse and Tony Doe Media, Ayomide Tayo from Loose Talk, Dami Aros from So Nigerian, and Fay Fay, the founder of Naija Podhub.
Attendees were then later treated to captivating and thought-provoking live podcast recordings, featuring highly acclaimed Nigerian content creators Jola Ayeye and Feyikem Abudu from “I Said What I Said,” and Joey Akan from “Afrobeats Intelligence.” In a conversation with Victor Okpala, Spotify’s Artist and Label Partnerships Manager for West Africa, Joey Akan delved into a range of topics, spanning from the success of Afrobeats and playlisting strategies to Spotify’s contributions to the music ecosystem. The “I Said What I Said” live show guests were artists, Nissi and Pheelz, followed by a live Q&A session. The event ended with an exhilarating performance from Pheelz.
On Day 2, The Celebration commenced with an electric atmosphere and performances that saw a huge turn out of Afrobeats enthusiasts who were eager to indulge in the night’s festivities. The dance floor was alive with activity, and the room hummed with an infectious enthusiasm, thanks to DJ Tohbad, who skillfully set the stage with a continuous flow of chart-topping tracks by Nigerian artists.
The evening transitioned smoothly into the night’s performances featuring some of the most talented emerging and established artists from Nigeria. Bloody Civilian, who is also a Spotify RADAR Africa artist, had guests singing along to her hit songs, including I Don’t Like You making the event one to remember. Next on stage was FAVE, who has been a Spotify EQUAL artist, and enthralled the crowd with some of her hit songs including Baby Riddim, Beautifully and Mr Man, leaving the guests yearning for more.
Up and coming Nigerian Street Pop singer, Shallipopi set the stage on fire, delivering crowd-pleasing hits including Sharpiru, Ex-Convict and Elon Musk.. Sarz, DJ, producer and mixing engineer extraordinaire had the audience vibing with a set featuring both chill music and party bops, heightening the vibe for the night. Ruger, Nigerian sensational Afrodancehall singer, closed off the night, starting off with some of his hits songs that lit up the audience, displaying his unique style.
The venue was awash with gentle, warm lighting that accentuated Spotify’s brand image while the stage featured mesmerising visual projections showcasing details about the Afrobeats genre. The experiential booths were designed to recreate the Afrobeats microsite, offering attendees a chance to be fully immersed within the chronology of the Afrobeats genre.
Spotify’s Afrobeats Celebration was not just a music event, it was a celebration of culture, diversity and the power of music to unite people. With 15 billion streams and counting, Spotify continues to shape the future of the music industry. This journey has just begun, and we can’t wait to see where it leads.
