Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Spotify Invests in the Future of Ghana's Rising Creators

28/03/2023

Ghanaian creators are having a moment on Spotify. For every stream in Ghana of a local artist, there are six more streams in markets around the world. Examples include singer, rapper, and Spotify RADAR artist Black Sherif, whose hip-hop and reggae blends are finding new listeners in Nigeria and the U.K.; and Atlanta-based singer-songwriter-engineeer-producer and EQUAL artist Amaarae, who has recently seen her music soar to new heights in Chile, India, and Mexico.

EQUAL artists Moliy and Gyakie and Fresh Finds artist Kofee Bean, among countless others, are seeing listeners in markets like the U.S., Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, and France. And there's even more on the podcast side, as Sincerely Accra, a Ghanaian podcast, was named one of 13 African podcasts to receive a share of Spotify's $100,000 African podcast investment last year.

This week, we increased our ongoing commitment to artists and creators across Africa through a donation to Vibrate Space from our Creator Equity Fund. Vibrate Space, operated by Surf Ghana in Accra, is a community recording studio and music business program that offers education and mentorship for young Ghanaian artists so they can create, connect, and collaborate. Over the past six months, Vibrate has registered more than 200 studio bookings and hosted many more creators for events and classes.

We first partnered with Vibrate in September 2022 with a donation that assisted in the launch of the studio. Now, to help Vibrate achieve its robust plans to further support the creative economy in Ghana, we're making an additional donation from the fund.

At an event at Surf Ghana, Spotify's Global Head of Artist and Audience Partnerships, Joe Hadley, shared the news. Spotify is proud to continue our efforts to support and uplift creatives with our Creator Equity Fund. I'm excited to share that from that fund, we're announcing a donation to the Vibrate Space in Accra, Ghana, he said to a room full of African artists as well as the Vibrate team. They have been incredible partners to us, continually pouring into the local community and creating a space where artists can come together to grow creatively. We're looking forward to hearing the music, stories, and success that will come out of Vibrate.

The donation will be administered over a two-year period, enabling the organization to collaborate with and support even more aspiring young artists who seek to kick-start their careers.

We are happy to be partnered with Spotify, said founder and director of Surf Ghana Sandy Alibo. They're really supportive of the alternative scene, and not every brand understands that. We work with young and emerging artists and creators who are looking to make a mark in the music industry, and Spotify is a brand that speaks to young people and has played a significant role in taking African and Ghanaian music to the world.

Vibrate's plans for the additional funding include a festival, a program to support artists as they put on their own events, and the establishment of a youth hostel where young people can find affordable, short-term accommodation while also experiencing the collaborative and community aspects of Vibrate.

Since Spotify's arrival in Africa five years ago, we have worked to identify opportunities to support artists in ways that speak directly to each of our markets, said Phiona Okumu, Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The partnership with Vibrate allows us to continue supporting emerging artists and cultural entrepreneurs in Ghana in addition to the on-platform work we are doing in the country.

Vibrate is also looking to establish an artist-in-residency and exchange program to fuel creativity, collaboration, and cultural exchange, as well as a women's program aimed at supporting women's growth in the industry. The studio also intends to expand their educational offerings by extending their highly successful monthly masterclasses for another two years and introducing a three-month instrument learning program, starting with piano.

Spotify is constantly seeking new and innovative ways to promote African music and celebrate and support its creators, said Managing Director for Spotify SSA Jocelyne Muhutu Remy. We see ourselves as a global platform with a local focus, and we really drill down to understand what is happening across the continent and how we can support both artists and users in those markets. Our partnership with Vibrate is one way that we are doing this in Ghana, but we have plans and projects in place to support artists both on and off platform across the region.

After announcing the donation, Joe and Phiona facilitated an artist discussion with Black Sherif, Baaba J, M3NSA, Moses Sumney, Ria Boss, TMSKDJ, Joey B, Poetra Asantewa, Amaarae, and more on Spotify's efforts in the region, the benefits of streaming, and the importance of artist-fan connections.

NEXT
LINK: https://newsroom.spotify.com/2023-03-28/spotify-invests-in-the-future-...
See more stories from spotify

Europe Stories

04/09/2025

Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Dalet Win Prestigious 2025 NAB Show Project of the Year Award

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...

12/05/2025

A practical framework for AI integration in newsrooms

As newsrooms around the world begin to experiment with artificial intelligence, many are asking the same question: how do we move beyond isolated pilots and emb...

12/05/2025

VEON Joins GSMA Advance's People Excellence Partner Program as Founding Member to Further Professional Skills Development

12 May 2025 VEON Joins GSMA Advance's People Excellence Partner Program as ...

12/05/2025

Fox Corporation Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Results

Fox Corporation Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Results NEW YORK, NY, May 12, 2025 - Fox Corporation (Nasdaq: FOXA, FOX; FOX or the Company ) t...

12/05/2025

FOX Unveils Name of New Streaming Service FOX One

FOX Unveils Name of New Streaming Service FOX One Featuring all of FOX's Premium News, Sports and Entertainment Programming in One Dynamic Platform New ...

12/05/2025

FOX Orders Propulsive, Edge-Of-Your-Seat Thriller Memory of a Killer For 2025-2026 Season

FOX Orders Propulsive, Edge-Of-Your-Seat Thriller Memory of a Killer For 2025-20...

12/05/2025

FOX Announces Schedule for 2025-26 Season

FOX Announces Schedule for 2025-26 Season #1 NETWORK IN A18-49 DELIVERS SLATE FILLED WITH FUN, IRREVERENT CONTENT AND BOLD, SIGNATURE FOX CHARACTERS ALL-NEW ...

12/05/2025

Bernard Dunne explores the real stories behind sporting success in brand new RT Radio 1 series Dunne Talking

What is success? How is it achieved? And what does it really cost? These are the...

09/05/2025

Journalism Under Gender Apartheid: An Interview with Malala Yousafzai and Zahra Joya

At the Frontline Club in London, a venue long associated with media freedom and ...

09/05/2025

Spotify Data Reveals Eurovision 2025 Fan Favorites, With Sweden's KAJ Leading the Pack

As excitement builds for the annual Eurovision Song Contest, Spotify data offers...

09/05/2025

The Future of Consumer Engagement

In our latest blog, Laura Rognoni dives into the shifting currents of change in the digital entertainment landscape, revealing the trends that will keep viewers...

09/05/2025

Sky Original documentary The Girl Who Caught a Killer to air on Sky and streaming service NOW on 25 May

Friday 9 May 2025 Download images HERE Episodes are available on Sky Media Vil...

09/05/2025

Marquis launches Postflux for Pro Tools' audio production management software

New beta programme for Avid Pro Tools users provides versioned backup/archive M...

09/05/2025

RT Statement: Eurovision Song Contest 2025

Further to the comments from RT Director-General, Kevin Bakhurst on Wednesday 7th May included below in which he asked the EBU for a discussion on Israel&#...

09/05/2025

Tom Brady, Nadine Coyle, Joe Duffy and EMMY among guests on this week's Late Late Show season finale

Here is your host, Patrick Kielty! In the season finale of The Late Late Show, ...

09/05/2025

My Eurovision Party 2025 - join in on the fun with RT Kids and Marty Whelan avatar!

My Eurovision Party 2025 - join in on the fun with RT Kids! Eurovision launche...

08/05/2025

Expected weak market dynamics weigh on business development in the first three months 2025

As expected, continued weak demand from key sales markets and declining economic...

08/05/2025

BBC announces Agatha Christie's Endless Night, adapted by Sarah Phelps

A new three-part series is coming to BBC iPlayer and BBC One (Image: The Christie Archive Trust) The BBC has announced Agatha Christie's Endless Night, a...

08/05/2025

VEON Shareholders Re-elect Board at 2025 AGM, Founder Augie Fabela to Serve as Chairman

08 May 2025 VEON Shareholders Re-elect Board at 2025 AGM, Founder Augie Fabela ...

08/05/2025

Will Mellor & Ralf Little return to U&Dave for more Will & Ralf Should Know Better

Comedy and entertainment channel U&Dave bring back their #1 ranked programme of ...

08/05/2025

TenneT Relies on Arvato Systems for Market Communications

TenneT relies on Arvato Systems for market communication Energy industry: Impressive market communication know-how and system integration expertise G tersloh...

08/05/2025

2025-05-08

When Taiki Hamamoto, 22, came across a Hanafuda deck at his local game shop, he was intrigued. He had grown up playing the traditional Japanese card game with f...

08/05/2025

Joe Duffy hangs up his mic on Liveline as he confirms Retirement from RT after 37 Years

The Liveline is now open , said Joe Duffy earlier today, as he previewed this af...

08/05/2025

RT reveals first look at comedy drama The Walsh Sisters, based on novels of Marian Keyes

RT , in association with the BBC, Screen Ireland and Cineflix Rights has reveale...

07/05/2025

Experience a New Dimension of Music Discovery With More Controls and Enhanced Tools

Discovering music should feel effortless and fun. That's why Spotify continu...

07/05/2025

FOX Doubles Down on the Laughs Renewing Comedies Animal Control, Starring Joel McHale, and Going Dutch, Starring Denis Leary

FOX Doubles Down on the Laughs Renewing Comedies Animal Control, Starring Joel M...

07/05/2025

VEON's QazCode Signs MoU with Seekr to Develop AI-Powered Solutions to Drive Digital Growth

07 May 2025 VEON's QazCode Signs MoU with Seekr to Develop AI-Powered Solut...

07/05/2025

U&GOLD commissions feature-length documentary celebrating the life of Victoria Wood

UKTV has ordered a feature length documentary celebrating the life of Britain...

07/05/2025

Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom to join Sky Original film slate in 2026

Wednesday 7 May 2025 Shaun the Sheep fans are in for a baaaarilliant treat in 2...

07/05/2025

Rohde & Schwarz to highlight innovative broadcast technologies at CABSAT 2025

Rohde & Schwarz to highlight innovative broadcast technologies at CABSAT 2025 Rohde & Schwarz will showcase its latest energy-efficient transmitters and 5G Br...

07/05/2025

MPTS. London. May 14-15, 2025

The Importance of Workflow Efficiencies in Post-Production Wednesday, 14 May 14:40 FilmLight sits down with Sam Lempp, head of business development for Nara, ...

07/05/2025

RT Announces Fergal O'Brien as new Business Correspondent

RT News is pleased to announce the appointment of RT journalist, Fergal O'Brien, as its new Business Correspondent. In his new role, Fergal will be repor...

06/05/2025

Spotify Amplifies Colombia's Booming Local Music Scene With Sbele a Eso' Initiative

In Colombia, music isn't just background noise-it's center stage. It'...

06/05/2025

La nueva apuesta de Spotify para destacar la msica local en Colombia: Sbele a Eso'

En Colombia, la m sica no suena de fondo: es el centro del escenario. Es el cora...

06/05/2025

Spotify Introduces Plays, a New Way To See What Content Is Resonating With Podcast Fans

At Spotify, we always seek ways to connect users with their next favorite podcas...

06/05/2025

In Mumbai, Our Public Affairs Chief, Dustee Jenkins, Spotlights the Role of Spotify in the Growth of India's Music Industry

Since Spotify's 2019 launch in India, the growth of the country's local ...

06/05/2025

Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida Enhances Intercom Infrastructure with Clear-Com and...

eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...

06/05/2025

Comscore Reports First Quarter 2025 Results

Comscore Reports First Quarter 2025 ResultsRESTON, Va., May 6, 2025 Comscore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR), a trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating ...

06/05/2025

KLA to perform live on RT Radio 1's Arena with exclusive preview of new album, Raise the Road

Live from Studio 1 at 7pm, Tuesday May 6 Iconic trad-fusion group K LA will be ...

06/05/2025

Rohde & Schwarz hosts RF Testing Innovations Forum 2025, helping design engineers elevate their RF expertise

Rohde & Schwarz hosts RF Testing Innovations Forum 2025, helping design engineer...

06/05/2025

IBM Accelerates Enterprise Gen AI Revolution with Hybrid Capabilities

LONDON, UK, May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at the company s annual THINK event, IBM (NYSE: IBM) is unveiling new hybrid technologies that break down the long...

06/05/2025

2025-03-18

Apple today introduced Tap to Pay on iPhone in Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland, enabling millio...

06/05/2025

2025-05-06

Ahead of Pride Month, Apple is introducing a new Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Band, watch face, and iPhone and iPad wallpaper to celebrate the strength and b...

06/05/2025

Tracks & Trails returns for a fresh new season

First episode airs this Friday at 8pm on RT One and RT Player with Doireann N Ghlac in presenting Guests include Barry Murphy, Brooke Scullion, Bryan Dobso...

05/05/2025

Loreen, Nemo, and More Reimagine Eurovision Anthems for Spotify Singles

As Europe gears up for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, Spotify is celebrating the spirit of unity and musical legacy with a new series of Spotify Singles. Fiv...

05/05/2025

Closure of SGL Carbon production site in Lavradio

As part of the restructuring of its loss-making Carbon Fibers business unit, SGL Carbon has decided to close its production site in Lavradio (Portugal). Lavradi...

05/05/2025

Comscore Launches Certified Deal IDs in Magnite's SSP, Bringing Trusted Content Rankings to Programmatic Buying

Comscore Launches Certified Deal IDs in Magnite's SSP, Bringing Trusted Cont...