Spotify launched its new global initiative, Frequency, in hopes of cultivating a holistic destination for celebrating Black art, entertainment, creativity, culture and community both on and off-platform. Through content, cultural partnerships, and an ambassador program, Frequency aims to further connect the Black community to upcoming and established Black creators.
Lately, Spotify houses several Black-centered playlists like RapCaviar, Feelin Myself, and African Heat, and also highlights many of their podcasts such as Jemele Hill is Unbothered, Dope Labs, and You Heard Me Write.
Frequency marks the extension of Spotify’s ongoing commitment to and investment in Black voices. In addition to launching Black History is Now — a dedicated hub focused on the importance of celebrating Black history and people all year round — Spotify committed to further invest in Black creators through its $10M Racial Equity Donations & Giving Program to 15+ global organizations in June 2020. Frequency was created in response to a climate in which Black voices in music, fashion, business, and more continue to be left out of the narrative and their contributions left under-appreciated and underrepresented.
“It’s important for Spotify to recognize that Black artists have influenced and made music across all genres, from country music to Caribbean to pop, and should be celebrated because of its impact on mainstream culture,” Head of Hip Hop and R&B, Artist & Label Partnerships, Sydney Lopes says. “Coming from a global streaming platform that relies on the art of these creators to be successful, we have a huge opportunity to showcase how broad that spectrum of Black culture is, and giving artists more autonomy in how their story is told is key to building trust and understanding. It’s really just the beginning of Spotify’s commitment to uplift Black voices both internally and externally with this brand, and given the platform’s global reach, there’s a ton of opportunity to show up for the community in ways that we have not before.”
Spotify’s inaugural ambassador program aimed at connecting industry leaders and artists and creators on a global scale. The program includes a $50K scholarship fund for Black college students and future audio industry leaders, donation matches to community organizations of our ambassador’s choice, and a Frequency Songwriting Camp bringing ambassadors, artists, producers, and songwriters together with much more. Additionally, Spotify plans to use this new programming to expand their franchise playlists, podcasts and their original off-platform series called Ascent. The series will capture the day-in-the-life of artists and podcast creators with a rising social presence. Fans will be able to connect with the places and locations influential to the artist’s work and hear personal stories from creators that helped shape their life and music career.
