For many people, music can serve as a reflection of their roots and upbringing. With Spotify's playlist series Local Spot, celebrated Canadians are given a cool, eclectic space to introduce fans to their favorite Canadian artists.
Featuring all-Canadian music curation, Local Spot offers global audiences a glimpse into the unique music tastes of the country's celebrated figures. For our latest edition of Local Spot, poet, artist, and performer Rupi Kaur takes over as our featured curator.
A breakout literary phenomenon and number-one New York Times bestselling author, Rupi wrote, illustrated, and self-published her first poetry collection, milk and honey, in 2014, followed by the sun and her flowers, home body, and healing through words. Together, these collections have sold more than 12 million copies and have been translated into more than 40 languages.
Rupi has also made her mark in film and television, producing a first-of-its-kind poetry special, Rupi Kaur Live, the film This Place, and the 2024 Academy Award-nominated film To Kill a Tiger.
For her contribution to Local Spot, Rupi takes listeners on a journey through the songs and artists who inspire her, including Shawn Mendes, Charlotte Day Wilson, The Weeknd, Avril Lavigne, Daniel Caesar, KAYTRANADA, and Celine Dion. Ahead of the playlist's release, For the Record sat down with Rupi to talk about her experience curating Local Spot, her influences and creative process, and how growing up in Canada has shaped her.
Talk to us about curating Local Spot. It was so much fun to revisit some of my favorite tracks from the last 15 years or so. I actually felt very at home listening to them and was moved to write.
In one sentence, how would you describe your playlist? The songs that raised and healed me.
What does your Canadian identity mean to you? As an immigrant, I have always felt like Canada is a place of inclusivity and hope. I have always existed between two worlds-my parents' homeland and the one we built here. That duality is in everything I write. Now, as I travel the world, I'm often reminded of how much the diversity of Canada has contributed to my art.
Who are some of your favorite Canadian authors and music artists? Canadian writers I have deep love for include Michael Ondaatje, Lawrence Hill, Alice Munro. My favorite Canadian music artists are Charlotte Cardin, Charlotte Day Wilson, and The Weeknd.
What's your writing process like? Writing is a conversation with myself. It starts with a feeling-something stirring deep in my gut. I sit with it and let it rise to the surface. My best ideas come when I give them space. They visit in the quiet moments-long walks, in the middle of a conversation, or right before I fall asleep.
How do you incorporate listening to music into that process? Music sets the tone and pulls me back into memories of the past or hopes for the future. Sometimes I need silence-to hear the rhythm of the poem itself. But oftentimes I use music to set the mood.
Do you think there's a crossover between music and literature? Absolutely. Both are rhythmic. Both tell stories. A poem is a song stripped of its melody, and a song is a poem brought to life through sound. Before he started his career as a musician, Leonard Cohen was a poet and novelist. That's just one of many examples that showcase that there's so much natural crossover between the crafts.
What writer or music artist has had the biggest influence on you? Khalil Gibran taught me about duality. Audre Lorde and Bell Hooks taught me about power. In music, I return to Nina Simone, Florence Welch, and the haunting melodies of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
Your books milk and honey, the sun and her flowers, and homebody touch on love, loss, trauma, and healing. Is listening to music, podcasts, or audiobooks part of a healthy routine for you? Music, podcasts, books are all part of my healing. Some days, I need a song that holds me. Other days, I need words that remind me I am not alone.
What does it mean to you to know that your fans get to hear you read your works on the audiobook versions of your books? I write my poetry with sound in mind-the way the words flow, the rhythm of each line. Hearing me read it aloud brings that element to life. For a reader, poetry is personal and they interpret it through their own lens. For a listener, they hear it the way it was meant to be spoken.
What's your earliest memory of stories being read aloud to you? My father's voice. He would sit with me and recite Punjabi poetry, letting the words dance in the air between us. He taught me that poetry is meant to be felt, not just understood.
Press play to listen to Rupi's collection of Canadian gems in the latest edition of Local Spot:
Most recent headlines
19/03/2025
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. SMPTE, the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, today unveiled the educational presentations that will be shown at this...
19/03/2025
Six new sound stages will be built at The Gillette Factory in Hounslow
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: March 19, 2025
Six new sound stages will be built at...
19/03/2025
Mediagenix, a global leader in smart content solutions to profitably connect the right content to the right audience, today announced the integration of Spideo&...
19/03/2025
Net Insight is taking a major step forward in enhancing its internet media transport solutions by partnering with NETINT Technologies to integrate their cutting...
19/03/2025
Bitmovin, a leading provider of video streaming solutions, has announced its Multiview has been optimized to support low-latency streaming and advertisements. B...
19/03/2025
ELEMENTS will be presenting an extensive line-up of technological advancements as part of this year's NAB Show, including BLINK with fast, flexible and secu...
19/03/2025
Annual General Meeting is scheduled for 3 April 2025
Board of Director Nominees Ellen Lord and John Shaw to provide critical expertise and U.S. perspective
...
19/03/2025
NEW YORK Despite the boost provided by massive viewing of the Super Bowl on Feb. 9, a new report from Nielsen's The Gauge shows that streaming increased its...
19/03/2025
LOS ANGELES Cine Gear Expo has announced that the filmmaking exposition has chosen the world-renowned Universal Studios Lot for the location of Cine Gear Expo L...
19/03/2025
Tax Incentives Won't Solve Hollywood's Problems
Andy Marken March 18, 2025
0 Comments
Taking the wrong boy was a lucky break. In other words,...
19/03/2025
Watch Berklee Valencia Alum Wow the American Idol Judges with an Otis Redding So...
19/03/2025
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Under an agreement signed by Thales and Naval Gr...
19/03/2025
We're thrilled to invite you to follow us on Instagram, where we'll be posting exclusive content, behind-the-scenes peeks, special promotions, and so mu...
18/03/2025
Seamlessly Bridge SDI and IP with On-Ramp from Utah Scientific Transitioning to IP doesn't have to be a daunting, expensive overhaul. Utah Scientific is pro...
18/03/2025
Looking for inspiration this Women's History Month? Discover the stories of trailblazing women with audiobooks on Spotify. Our Women's History Month aud...
18/03/2025
From morning commutes to late-night listening sessions, Spotify is the essential daily companion for millions of listeners globally. Podcasts, in particular, ha...
18/03/2025
During February, audiences in Mexico slightly increased their streaming usage by 0.6 points compared to the previous month, accounting for 22.3% of TV viewing.
...
18/03/2025
February is the time of winter holidays, during which Poles often organize trips, which was reflected in less time spent in front of TV screens: on average 5 mi...
18/03/2025
Sunday, Feb. 9 becomes the second most-watched day of TV in Gauge history with o...
18/03/2025
NEW YORK The Broadcasters Foundation of America (BFOA) has elected Kristin Cantrell, Owner/CEO, Seven Mountains Media and CapCity Communications, Kate Riley, Pr...
18/03/2025
NEW YORK NBCU's streaming service Peacock continues to ramp up its sports offering with the launch of in-market streaming of four NBC Sports Regional Networ...
18/03/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission commissioner Geoffrey Starks has issued a statement saying he plans to resign from the regulatory agency this spri...
18/03/2025
Miri Technologies to Make NAB Show Debut with X510 Dual-Cellular Bonding Router
Brie Clayton March 18, 2025
0 Comments
Innovative, purpose-built hardw...
18/03/2025
Blackmagic Design Powers League of Legends and Valiant Grand Finals
Brie Clayton March 18, 2025
0 Comments
Mira! Broadcast enhances esports storytelli...
18/03/2025
Grass Valley Unveils New Solutions for End-to-End Media Production at NAB Show 2...
18/03/2025
Appear Launches the X5: Redefining Scalable Live Production at NAB Show 2025
Brie Clayton March 18, 2025
0 Comments
At NAB Show 2025 , Appear, the glo...
18/03/2025
Peakto 2.3: Keep All Your Photos and Videos Stored Locally-Yet Accessible Everyw...
18/03/2025
According to the company, the AtomTwos colour reproduction, global shutter and wide colour gamut make it simple to match to box cameras in major productions
By...
18/03/2025
Meghna Londhe, deputy head, customer delivery at Magnifi, tells TVBEurope how a fascination of the unknown led to a career in media technology
By Matthew Corri...
18/03/2025
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced that Dalet Flex, Dalet Pyramid and Dalet AmberFin are available i...
18/03/2025
Telestream, a global leader in media workflow technologies, introduced key innovations and additions to its flagship Vantage platform. The breadth and depth of ...
18/03/2025
Pebble, the leading automation, content management and integrated channel specialist, has completed the development and implementation of the playout functional...
18/03/2025
Synamedia, a leading provider of video software solutions, today announced the launch of Quortex Switch, a next-generation SaaS-based multi-CDN management tool ...
18/03/2025
In a significant step towards planning first commercial service across the European continent, the 5G Broadcast Strategic Task Force (5BSTF) comprising Media ...
18/03/2025
At NAB 2025 (#W2601), LTN will unveil live sports, channel distribution, and real-time content versioning technologies designed to drive revenue for sports leag...
18/03/2025
Mo-Sys Engineering, a leader in virtual production (VP), tracking and broadcast robotics, will be exhibiting at NAB Show demonstrating its latest innovations fo...
18/03/2025
MwareTV, a leading cloud-based multi-tenant platform provider, is bringing its new Lightning 3.0 integration to the broadcast market for the first time at NAB20...
18/03/2025
Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC), a Nikon company, is set to showcase its latest advancements in robotic camera technology and virtual production integration ...
18/03/2025
At NAB Show 2025 (Las Vegas, April 5 9, Booth: W2042), Appear, the global leader in live production technology, is unveiling the X5, a powerful and cost-efficie...
18/03/2025
New HVS-Q12 Represents a Quantum Leap in Switcher Design
In keeping with the company's theme Connecting the present, building the future, FOR-A will intr...
18/03/2025
Peres Academy, a pioneer in advanced learning techniques, has chosen a DHD SX2 audio mixer as the centrepiece of a new audio and video media production facility...
18/03/2025
Dream Chip Technologies, a world leader in miniature and point-of-view cameras, is launching its latest innovation, the AtomTwo camera, at NAB2025 (booth N1807,...
18/03/2025
LONDON and NEW YORK The sports streaming and entertainment platform DAZN has announced a global deal with LIV Golf that will give it free-to-view rights in more...
18/03/2025
CYPRESS, Calif. FOR-A will in introduce its top-of-the-line HANABI Series switcher for broadcast control rooms and live event production during the 2025 NAB Sho...
18/03/2025
manifold technologies GmbH, provider of service-oriented software solutions for Tier 1 live productions, has revealed plans to introduce several features to its...
18/03/2025
Shotoku Broadcast Systems to Bring Best of All Worlds Solutions to NAB with Intr...
18/03/2025
Mediaproxy Unveils Groundbreaking Solutions at NAB Show 2025
Brie Clayton March 17, 2025
0 Comments
New innovative tools offer cost-cutting options fo...
18/03/2025
SGO launches AI-powered deinterlacing, ACES 2.0 and Topaz Labs integration in Mi...
18/03/2025
The quick-service restaurant industry is a marvel of modern logistics, where spe...
For many people, music can serve as a reflection of their roots and upbringing. With Spotify's playlist series Local Spot, celebrated Canadians are given a cool, eclectic space to introduce fans to their favorite Canadian artists. 
