SPOTIFY DINNER CONNECTS WITH INFLUENCERS AND CREATORS

Tuesday night was all about networking and all things streaming in Kenya with a group of influencers and press partners at a dinner hosted by Spotify’s Africa team.

The dinner served as the Kenyan launch of its VIP programme- a partnership between Spotify and local influencers. Held at Botanica, it was also an opportunity to meet with members of the Kenyan media and thank them for their support in 2023 so far. Guests were treated to a delicious three-course meal and conversation centered around music and emerging trends in Kenya.

Spotify is able to use its data to track local support for artists and also to identify key trends. One key trend to emerge in Kenya in 2023 has been older artists making a comeback this year. This nostalgia, which was evidenced in the hype around the BoyzIIMen tour to Kenya, can also be seen in data tracking artists who first released music before 1990 who are still enjoying stream-time today.

The most streamed artists in this category last month were South African artist Lucky Dube, King of Pop Michael Jackson and Congolese singer Koffi Olomide. Topping the list of artists who saw the biggest increase in their streams last month, who first released music before 1990 was Tina Turner, who saw a 454% increase in streams, following her passing in May.

Kenyan musician John Nzenze saw a 139% increase in streams of his music over the last month, as did Norwegian Pop band, A-ha. Ivorian singer Alpha Blondy registered a 128% increase in streams of his music last month, with Bill Withers rounding out the top five, also with a 128% increase in streams.

“Nostalgia is such a powerful force, and seeing how Kenyans are connecting with music and artists from all around the world is an illustration of how music acts as a  gateway to revisiting memories and different times in our lives. I was also pleased to see how Kenyans are streaming musical legends from across the continent.“ Said Monica Kemoli- Savanne, Artist and Label partnerships manager for Spotify East Africa.