Spotify Celebrates Nigerian Creatives at #SpotifyPodcastsLagos & #SpotifyAfrobeats Events in Lagos

On Thursday, October 12, and Friday, October 13, 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.

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 the 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 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, 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 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 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, the 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, the Nigerian sensational Afrodancehall singer, closed off the night, starting off with some of his hit 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 in the chronology of the Afrobeats genre.

The music streaming giants recently launched an Afrobeats hub for all lovers of Afrobeats, a one-stop destination to explore all the Afrobeats playlists, and also successfully completed the launch of the Afrobeats: Journey of a Billion streams site that celebrates the milestone of the genre.

See highlights from the event below: