Spotify Launches EQUAL’s Music Program ft. Saweetie, Griff, Zoe Wees and more

It’s kinda frustrating that in this day and age our women aren’t given the place they deserve as the backbone of so many communities, especially in entertainment. Music is most definitely one of the areas where recognition is lacking but the Spotify outfit is taking a leadership role in trying to rectify the shortcoming…it’s one step but massive in scope…check out the official announcement about their new EQUAL program below.

Spotify just announced its new EQUAL Music Program that debuted yesterday. The big reveal is an extension of its global commitment to fostering equity for women in music – following the EQUAL hub launch on IWD last month.

The global initiative is uniquely designed to foster gender equity in music by adapting and extending the cumulative blueprint of Spotify’s successful programs into a cohesive experience – supporting women creators of all experiences under one brand. Only 1 in 5 artists in the charts are women, a stark contrast to how integral women’s influence is to Spotify’s success today and the music industry at large. Spotify takes the responsibility of upending these disparities seriously and believes the first step towards amplifying the work of all creators identifying as women is to extend critical resources to this community to create opportunity.

Saweetie

“As a female artist working in the music, we have to work twice as hard as men just to get the recognition we deserve not to mention having to deal with societal pressures and sexism associated with just being a woman,” says Saweetie. “Increased equity in music for female creators is important to me because we contribute and give so much of ourselves to our craft and the overall industry that at minimum our voices merit equal representation on the platforms we consume. Together with EQUAL, I hope to bring more awareness to the diverse talent that women of all backgrounds bring to our lives, shedding a light and creating a stage for all our voices to be heard.”

Griff

“I started properly working in music when I was around 15 and I became so used to walking into meetings with labels and publishers and most times the A&R or executive was a guy. And walking into writing sessions and every time the producer was a guy. This programme isn’t just another box ticking thing. The gender inequality in music is real and needs to be spoken about and I feel super proud and excited to be part of it,” says Griff.

The full program includes:

EQUAL local playlists: Each playlist will reflect the 35 markets spanning 50+ countries – from Japan to Argentina, from Malaysia to the UK.
EQUAL Global Playlist: The “best-of” flagship playlist will contain music from EQUAL artists from all around the world, as the ultimate listening experience amplifying the EQUAL class of each month beyond borders. You can listen to the playlist HERE.
EQUAL Artists of the Month: One artist from each participating market will be featured on the cover of their respective, local playlist.
Artist marketing: Each EQUAL Artist of the Month will be supported with organic and on-platform promotion throughout the Spotify editorial space – which has proven to propel significant growth on platform in both artists’ home countries and beyond.
Created By Women Playlist: The co-branded EQUAL + NOTEABLE playlist is the first of its kind, which will feature 40 songs100% written, produced, and performed exclusively by women songwriters, producers, and artists from around the world. The new playlist will give fans a new dedicated place to discover music from a host of talented creators with diverse perspectives. EQUAL Board: A network of organizations joining forces with Spotify to empower women around the world including: She’s the Music (US), Girls Rock Australia Network (Australia), She Said So (Italy), MEWEM Europa (Europe), Girls Connected (Canada), Music Women (Germany).
EQUAL Directory re-launch: Spotify is partnering with SoundGirls, to relaunch the EQUAL Directory, formally EQL Directory. The Directory allows women of all experiences and gender nonconforming creators to create a profile and claim their space in the community of women changing the game in audio. You can search The EQUAL Directory by region and audio discipline to find suitable candidates to hire for your next tours and events, studio projects, Film and TV Production, Game Audio, Post Production, Podcasts, and more.

Spotify’s inaugural class of EQUAL artists kicking off the program include: Saweetie (US), DUDA BEAT (BR), Griff (UK), Natalia Lafourcade (MX), and Zoe Wees (DE/UK) – Global Artist of the Month.

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Tags: Celebrity, Duda Beat, Equal, Griff, International, Music, Natalia Lafourcade, playlist, Saweetie, Spotify, Zoe Wees

About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.