Spotify, the music streaming service, recently staged a two-day event in Lagos to commemorate Afrobeats’ global triumph.
The spectacular introduction of the ‘Afrobeats: Journey of a Billion Streams’ website, which commemorates the genre’s milestone, culminated in events that enthralled not only music fans, but anyone who had the luxury of being a part of the Afrobeats adventure.
The event, which took place on Thursday and Friday at La Madison Place in Lekki, Lagos, displayed and celebrated the rich culture of Afrobeats as well as the genre’s great achievements throughout the years.
It brought together celebrities, podcasters, influencers, music executives, media personalities and music fans.
Speaking at the Afrobeats celebration, Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, the streaming platform’s managing director in 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 led by Ncebakazi Manzi, Spotify’s podcast manager in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The workshop presented an engaging platform for podcast aficionados, delving deep into the craft of storytelling, exploring creative techniques and ideas, and demonstrating Spotify’s commitment to podcast creator empowerment.
Following the session, there was a fireside chat facilitated by Gwenevier Ehimen Lem from the Association of African Podcasters and Voiceover Artists (APVA). It also featured 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 Feyikemi 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, 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 artistes, Nissi Ogulu 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 turnout 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 infectious enthusiasm, thanks to DJ Tohbad, who skillfully set the stage with a continuous flow of chart-topping tracks by Nigerian artistes.
The evening transitioned smoothly into the night’s performances featuring some of the most talented emerging and established artistes from Nigeria. Bloody Civilian, who is also a Spotify RADAR Africa artiste, had guests singing along to her hit songs, including ‘I Don’t Like You’.
Next on stage was FAVE, another Spotify EQUAL artiste, who enthralled the crowd with some of her hit songs including ‘Baby Riddim’, ‘Beautifully’ and ‘Mr Man’, leaving the guests yearning for more.
Shallipopi set the stage on fire, delivering crowd-pleasing hits including ‘Sharpiru’, ‘Ex-Convict’ and ‘Elon Musk’.
The space was bathed in soft, warm lighting that complemented Spotify’s marketing image, while the stage featured mesmerizing video projections presenting Afrobeats genre characteristics.
The experience booths were created to replicate the Afrobeats microsite, allowing participants to get fully immersed in the Afrobeats genre’s chronology.
Spotify’s Afrobeats Celebration was more than just a music festival; it was also a celebration of culture, diversity, and the power of music to bring people together.Spotify continues to affect the future of the music industry with 15 billion streams and counting. This adventure has only just begun, and we can’t wait to see where it takes us.
