In a star-studded two-day affair on October 12th and 13th, Spotify orchestrated an unforgettable gathering in Lagos that brought together a fusion of celebrities, podcasters, influencers, music moguls, media luminaries, and music aficionados. The carefully curated event was in celebration of the Afrobeats genre ,its significant achievements  genre ,its significant achievements , and the remarkable milestone of surpassing remarkable milestone of surpassing  over 15.3 billion streams on Spotify.

These dynamic events, christened #SpotifyPodcastsLagos and #SpotifyAfrobeats, were held at La Madison Place in Lekki, Lagos. Below we highlight 5 things that stood out for us at the Spotify Afrobeats celebration. 

1) Spotify For Podcasters

The first day of the celebration was dedicated to players and enthusiasts in the Nigerian podcasting scene. As revealed by Spotify, Nigeria ranks as the second-highest consumer of podcasts in Africa. Therefore, it is fitting that this “Spotify For Podcasters” workshop was curated with a masterclass and panel session to support aspiring and emerging podcasters. 

Ncebakazi Manzi, Spotify’s Podcast Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, kicked off the day with thethe masterclass diving deep into the art of storytelling, innovative techniques, and Spotify’s dedication to empowering podcast creators. A few key takeaways from the enlightening masterclass include;

• Eighty-six percent of Spotify’s top shows fall into the “Always-On” category, meaning they consistently publish episodes without unusual breaks, as opposed to seasonal shows.
•  Notably, Ninety-five percentNinety-five percent of podcast consumption is attributed to “Always-On” shows, which record three times the consumption of their seasonal counterparts.

These insights are just a glimpse of the valuable knowledge shared during the masterclass.

A subsequent fireside chat, moderated by Gwenevier Ehimen Lem of the Association of African Podcasters and Voiceover Artists (APVA), featured a panel of industry luminaries, including Tony Doe, Ayomide Tayo (234 Essentials Podcast, Loose Talk Podcast), Dami Aros (So Nigerian Podcast), and Fay Fay (naijapodhub). 

Together, they dissected various facets of the podcasting world.

2) Live Podcast Recordings

The live podcast recordings were nothing short of riveting. 

The “I Said What I Said (ISWIS)” podcast, hosted by Jola “Jollz” Ayeye and Feyikemi Abudu, is one of the most popular shows among Nigerian listeners. At this event, the podcast separately hosted Uber-talented artistes, Nissi and Pheelz.

The second live podcast conversation hosted by Joey Akan of the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast was tagged – “Understanding Spotify’s Playlist and Partnerships.” Victor Okpala, Spotify’s Artist and Label Partnerships Manager for West Africa, graced this session as a guest. Together with Joey Akan, they delved into a range of topics, spanning from the success of Afrobeats and playlisting strategies to Spotify’s contributions to the music ecosystem.

3) Pheelz’s Brilliant Performance

The first day of the event concluded with a beautiful and interactive performance by Pheelz. He kicked off his set with renditions of his hit tracks, “Finesse” and “Electricity.” Pheelz then took the audience on an enchanting Afrobeats journey, seamlessly blending medleys of popular songs by other Afrobeats artists, accompanied by his synthesizer keyboard. The crowd was treated to tunes like Olamide’s “Meló Meló,” “Turn Up,” and Fireboy DML’s “Champion.”

In a thrilling finale, Pheelz invited two lucky individuals from the audience to join him on stage. Together, they created an Afrobeats song from scratch, to the amusement of the audience. The night closed with an energetic performance of Pheelz’s latest single, “Jelo.”

4) Musical Performances 

The second day, tagged – The Celebration, burst forth with electrifying energy, drawing a multitude of Afrobeats enthusiasts eager to partake in the night’s festivities. The party started at 7pm with DJ Tohbad setting the atmosphere with his delivery on the decks. Eccentric EDM DJ duo, Maze x Mxtreme also swept the crowd with their high-octane set. 

The night’s musical performances featured a splendid array of both emerging talents and established stars from Nigeria. Bloody Civilian captivated the audience with sing-along hits, including the infectious “I Don’t Like You.” FAVE, had the audience spellbound with performances of “Beautiful,” “N.B.U,” “Mr. Man,” “Body Riddim,” “Kante” and “Pop-Sermon.” 

Shallipopi ignited the atmosphere with hits like “Obapluto,” “Ex-Convict,” and “Elon Musk.” The versatile Sarz had the audience grooving to both mellow tunes and dancefloor anthems. The night culminated with a sensational performance by Ruger, supported by his live band. The artists performed fan-favorite tracks like“Tour,” “Snapchat,” and many more. 

5) Immersive Experiences

The entire experience at the Spotify celebration was nothing short of immersive. The venue was thoughtfully designed with a multitude of booths and sections, each contributing to the rich narrative of Afrobeats and its remarkable journey to global recognition. Notably, a captivating segment showcased a timeline of iconic events that played a pivotal role in shaping the Afrobeats genre. This historical perspective added depth to the celebration.

Another heartening section was dedicated to highlighting the “Women of Afrobeats,” paying homage to the talented female artists who have left an indelible mark on the genre. The immersive experience at the celebration brought the contents from the Spotify:Afrobeats Journey of a billion streams site to life. The immersive experience at the celebration brought the contents from the Spotify:Afrobeats Journey of a billion streams site to life.

Moreover, the celebration extended to the realm of refreshments with a cocktail menu featuring drinks named in reference to Afrobeats and Nigerian slangs. 

This two-day celebration of Afrobeats is a clear testament to Spotify’s commitment to the Afrobeats culture and the broader landscape of African creativity. In June, the Streaming giant launched a dedicated website for Afrobeats, to document and track the growth of the genre which has grown 550% since 2017. In addition, Spotify has organized and supported similar events like the “Spotify For Artist” masterclass, AfroGospel Community Hangout, African Heat Party amongst many others. Furthermore, it has taken steps to promote and empower African women through its “EQUAL” initiative. 

Without question, Spotify has firmly established itself as a valuable ally in advancing Afrobeats on its path to global prominence.