Spotify’s Monica Kemoli-Savanne on the Globalisation of African Music
Photo Credit: Monica Kemoli-Savanne
Monica Kemoli-Savanne is Spotify’s Artist & Label Partnerships Manager in East Africa and the founder of Tangaza Magazine, an online publication dedicated to highlighting East Africa's urban, contemporary and alternative music scene. In this interview, she shares stories about her foray into music, what she’s learnt since being in the music industry, and her thoughts on the role of Afro Gen Zs in the globalisation of African music.
What drew you to music, Monica?
This is going to sound very cliche but I’ve been in love with music from as long as I can remember. Throughout my primary and secondary school years, I learned to play 4 instruments and was heavily involved in any musical related activities. In another life, I’m most likely a background singer. Somewhere along the way, I became fascinated with the process that goes behind getting a song from the studio to radio. This prompted me to seek out music industry focused courses for my undergraduate degree and I was fortunate enough to attend The Bandier Program at Syracuse University and I went on to further specialise in Music Business Management at The University of Westminster. Furthermore, having grown up in Nairobi, I was exposed to the incredible talent present in Kenya and East Africa at large, particularly amongst new wave creatives through attending festivals such as Blankets and Wine. Therefore, due to a combination of homesickness and a strong desire to showcase the talent from my region especially as conversation about African music tended to centre West Africa, I founded an online music and culture discovery platform focused on East Africa’s contemporary creative scene called TANGAZA Magazine. That was my first foray into the music industry. I have become increasingly passionate about artist education and creating spaces for aspiring music industry professionals to hone their skills as I had the opportunity to. I’m grateful that my current role at Spotify as an Artist & Label Partnerships manager allows me to such as hosting masterclasses and spearheading our EQUAL Africa program which seeks to amplify female musicians across the continent and foster equity within the music industry
Since you took on this role at Spotify, what are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt?
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned since joining Spotify is the importance of failing forward. As a self-professed perfectionist, my preference is to have a plan A, B, C through G visualised before beginning work on a project. However, working in this fast-paced environment, which is the nature of the music industry at large, has taught me that you have to become comfortable with taking risks as well as the value of applying a scientific, experimentation and quick iteration approach to whatever you’re working on. Another key lesson I’ve learned is that of working towards establishing a healthy work life balance and taking care of your mental health. Anyone who works in the entertainment industry will tell you that whereas it has its glitzy perks, it can also be gruelling if you don’t learn how to establish boundaries and develop practises to preserve your well being.
Because Africa has such a young population, young people have the greatest influence on culture. What do you think this means for the music industry?
The youth of today play an important role in the music industry, not just globally but specifically in Africa. As a music platform, it is crucial that we understand what GenZ values and what they look for when it comes to a music streaming service or platform. Since they are our largest target audience, we have to ensure that we keep up and continually adapt to new music trends. The youth of today are different from those of decades before, in the sense that they value emotion and meaning, prefer playlists over albums, are not afraid to voice their opinions, and are innovative trendsetters. Gen Z has the ability to identify new and upcoming music through various social media platforms. Therefore, it is vital for us as a company to ensure we are on par and adapt accordingly. The same goes for other players in the music industry, they have to keep in mind the values that today’s youth hold dear.
Check out this newsletter we released regarding GenZ and how they are utilising audio to “hear and be heard”
Afrobeats, with a focus on Nigerian music, is having such a global moment. Why do you think that’s happening, especially right now?
Nigeria is the origin of Afrobeats, generating the majority of the stars who have made their way to the West in recent times. There’s a number of reasons why I believe this is happening at the moment. The world has become a global village and thanks to streaming services such as Spotify, it’s much easier for people anywhere to discover and consume content that they may not have been able to access a couple of years ago. And with the globally appealing sound and aesthetic of Afrobeats, once you get a taste of it, you will definitely want to hear more. Social media has also contributed massively to the growth and exportation of Afrobeats. You only have to think back to last year when CKay’s Love Nwantiti was the soundtrack of many dance challenges on social media. The world has become more accepting, and even curious about different cultures and ethnicities, giving Afrobeats, and other African genres such as Amapiano, the chance to become popular.The genre has become a worldwide phenomenon and will only continue to grow from here.
Additionally, collaborations between artists from different African countries (think Davido and Focalistic on champion sound) or between African artists and artists from other parts of the world (think Wizkid, Tems and Justin Bieber) might definitely be helping get our local genres abroad. These collaborations even break language barriers – think Adekunle Gold jumping on French Cameroonian singer TayC’s hit song Dodo very recently. This is a great example of what happens when we as Africans work together and join hands with others across the globe to spread love and good vibes through beautiful music.
What role do you think Gen Zs play in the globalisation of African culture through music?
Nearly everyone in Africa embraces music as a sociocultural activity. African values and beliefs are emphasised in music, which also features melodies that represent diverse customs. Music is often used to commemorate significant occasions, such as weddings and births. There are songs that tell stories of history as well as those that offer appreciation and critiques. GenZ plays an important role in the globalisation of African culture through music as they use their various social media platforms, and digital as well as creative abilities, to showcase African culture to the world.
What’s Spotify’s plan for engaging the Afro Gen Z community?
Gen Z is an important target audience for us at Spotify, especially in Africa which as you mentioned, has a mostly young population. They are the tastemakers and changemakers, and we have a number of plans, some currently happening, others coming up, in order to better engage with them. Our Fresh Finds Africa programme is for independent upcoming artists, and most of the artists featured so far are Gen Z, including Kenya’s Maya Amolo and Njeri as well as Ghana’s Kofee Bean. We are also planning events across our markets that are specifically aimed at Afro Gen Z, so keep an eye out for those.
Through what programs or channels is Spotify Africa supporting young African music talent?
I’ve mentioned our Fresh Finds Africa programme, which is aimed at upcoming artists who are not yet signed to a record label. We kicked off the programme in March this year, and have a different artist fronting the playlist every month. Spotify's RADAR Africa programme strives to promote and assist upcoming artists by introducing them to larger markets. Kenya's Buruklyn Boyz, along with DBN GOGO, Ayra Starr, Black Sherif, Victony, and BNXN, have recently joined the international set of RADAR artists. Through the RADAR Africa programme, we have also entered into a unique collaboration with COLORSxSTUDIOS, a Berlin-based music platform, to feature selected African Artists. These artists will also be showcased on the COLORSxSTUDIOS webpage, where fans can learn more about their background stories and the motivation behind their music. The first artist featured is Ayra Starr, and you can check out her COLORS performance here. In addition to these programmes, we also have masterclasses coming up where we invite artists and their teams to learn more about Spotify and the different programmes we have for artists. The first one was held in Lagos in April this year, and we have others coming up in Nairobi, Accra and Johannesburg.
In what ways do you think new technologies are changing the music streaming industry that Spotify currently leads?
The music sector has shifted significantly over the last few decades. Radio was once the most popular method for people to listen to music and learn about fresh artists.Data analysis, machine learning, and artificial intelligence are some of the tools that are progressively being used by the music sector to enhance the ultimate user experience. For Spotify to continue to be at the forefront of the music streaming industry, it is vital for us to adapt and embrace new technologies.
What’s your favourite thing about Afro Gen Zs?
My favourite thing about Afro Gen Zs is our enterprising spirit - we are a generation of hustlers who refuse to conform. Despite the harsh economic, social and political climates that we find ourselves coming up in, we are persistently finding creative ways to become successful. Furthermore, I love how passionate we are about not only getting back in touch with our roots and heritage, and proudly pushing our various cultures forward, but also our determination to change the narrative of our continent and how we are perceived globally. The successful export of African culture that is currently taking place is largely being driven by Afro Gen Zs.
What artists dominate your favourite Spotify playlist?
I’m an R&B head so I spend a lot of my listening time sifting through Spotify’s R&B hub. My go-to playlists within that hub are our very own Sizzlers, Tantalizers and Nairobae which all showcase R&B artists from across the continent. Picking favourites is tough but Manana, Maya Amolo, Titose, Njeri, Iyanah Kiragu and Preye are amongst my top picks at the moment. I also have a preference for alt-leaning artists so I listen to the Alte Cruise playlist as well. Artists that I currently have on repeat from that space are Mau from nowhere, Ogi, Obongjayar, Jinku, and Tay Iwar.
Originally published in the Kenga Magazine Music Issue
