Spotify is marking the fifth anniversary of its Equal initiative with a new vodcast series and events.
The DSP launched the global commitment on International Women’s Day 2021, with the aim to foster equity for women working in audio.
To mark the five-year milestone, it has today (March 19) announced the launch of Spotify Equal: The Podcast, a new artist-led video podcast that expands the message and mission out into multimedia storytelling.
The series, produced by Spotify Studios and The Ringer, provides a new space for female-identifying artists to share their stories. Hosted by music journalist Kim Taylor Bennett, the five-episode series features Equal ambassadors Juliana, Zolita, Angela Torres, Silvana Estrada and Orla Gartland (pictured).
Estrada said: “It’s really important to create spaces not only for empowering women, but also to question how things are. I think it’s important to ask questions… to not believe that this [the music industry] is what it is and there’s no way to change it. I think we need to remember that we are here to change it, and these spaces [like Equal] are exactly for that.”
This isn’t just a celebration – it’s a continued commitment to the movement we’ve been building
Bel Aztiria
Bel Aztiria, lead, global music programmes, Spotify, added: “Over the past five years, Equal has grown from a space on our platform into a global community where women connect, create, and rise together.
“Equal: The Podcast is one way we’re marking this milestone, but this isn’t just a celebration – it’s a continued commitment to the movement we’ve been building and to ensuring more women’s voices are heard everywhere.”
Since launching, Equal has expanded across more than 40 markets worldwide, supporting over 1,400 ambassadors through editorial support, marketing opportunities and sustained visibility. Equal artists have seen more than 50 billion editorial streams on Spotify in total.
Also this March, during International Women’s Month, Spotify will bring its Equal Days to Bogotá, Buenos Aires, São Paulo and Mexico City. The initiative’s flagship in-person gatherings are designed to bring women in audio together to connect, learn, build community and collaborate.
Later in the year, Equal Days will also take place in Mumbai, New York, Paris, Johannesburg and Berlin.
Meanwhile, Spotify’s Created By Women Summit will return to LA, with details to follow. The summit aims to elevate the female songwriters and producers defining today’s sound while advancing collective action toward a more equitable music ecosystem.
Additionally, Spotify is making donations to organisations that is has long collaborated with, including MEWEM, HEVA Fund, Girls Rock Camp Aotearoa, We Are Moving The Needle, and other NGOs in more than 10 countries.
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‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.musicweek.com ’
