Spotify encourages collaborations in African arts, music, culinary industries

Spotify, a global online streaming platform, has expressed its commitment to encourage collaborations in the African music, visual art and culinary sectors.

Victor Okpala, Spotify’s Artiste and Label Partnerships Manager for West Africa, during ‘#SpotifyMoments’, an art exhibition, in Lagos, said such collaboration was necessary to elevate the African music listening experience.

He said the event featured 35 artworks and a menu inspired by five different African playlists on Spotify, Alter-NATIVE, Naija Bars, Naija Traffic Jams, Hot Hits Naija and African Heat.

Okpala said, “Across Africa, Spotify has been on the journey of intersecting music with other culture elements that elevate the music listening experience.

“Nigeria’s contemporary art scene is gaining global recognition just like its music, and we are committed to creating a platform for collaborations between music, art and other cultural elements that will bring Nigerian music to life.”

According to him, the artworks on display from young talents in the Nigerian art landscape are from Chinaza Nkemka, James Adebayo, Chijioke Anyacho, Kenter Kachina, Odinakachi Okoroafor, Abigail ‘Esoterica’ Oghene and Sotonye Jumbo.

He said these artworks cut across classic, contemporary and post-modern art.

“Each piece tells different stories inspired by different songs on the Spotify playlist.

“One of the artworks, Monday Morning on 3MB, was inspired by the Naija Traffic Jams playlist and it told a story about the upbeat and chaotic nature of Lagos traffic,” he said.