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IN early January 2023, South African R&B singer Loyiso Gijana, known as Lloyiso, took to his Twitter account to write up his dream for the new year.
“SA I need you guys to back me because I’m about to be the biggest artist in the world.”
The 23-year-old was definitely on to something because this week a picture of the soulful singer lit up a billboard in Times Square, New York.
The billboard, paid for by Spotify, was to promote his debut EP, Seasons.
The seven-track project features productions from celebrated award-winning producers Mr Hudson (who has produced songs for John Legend and Janelle Monae) and Stargate (who produced for Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Sam Smith).
Warren Bokwe, Lead Music Strategy and Operations for Spotify Sub-Saharan Africa, said that Spotify was excited to share Lloyiso’s music with the world.
“Loyiso Gijana is one of a number of talented artists from across the continent that receives on and off-platform support on Spotify to help grow their audiences. As a young artist releasing his first EP, and a growing fanbase in the USA and elsewhere, Spotify was excited to share his music with the world,” said Bokwe.
In 2021, Lloyiso became the first South African artist to sign with the New York-based label Republic Records, where A-listers including Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift and Drake are also signed to.
In April 2022, the singer performed at the wedding of David Beckham’s eldest son. Celebrities including Venus and Serena Williams, Eva Longoria, Gordon Ramsay and the popular Spice Girls stars Mel B and Mel C attended the lavish three-day affair.
But Lloyiso is not the first African artist to appear on Times Square. Spotify works with artists on several projects to help market their music in a way that drives discovery and enables them to thrive.
“This same billboard has also featured a number of other exciting artists from the continent including Nikita Kering (Kenya), DBN Gogo (South Africa), Rema (Nigeria) and even recently, South African fashion designer Thebe Magugu who partnered with Spotify on our Fashion Forward playlist,” said Bokwe.
Besides promoting African artists on international billboards, Spotify works on various artist support programmes that help artists find and connect with audiences. These include EQUAL, aimed at raising the profile of talented female artists, RADAR, which supports emerging artists, and Fresh Finds, which is aimed at independent artists.
“Last month, Spotify strengthened its financial support for Ghana’s Vibrate Space, an organisation which provides young artists in Ghana with skills to advance their musical careers, as well as providing a recording studio space.
In the podcast space, Spotify announced the $100 000 African Podcast Fund last year, providing creators from across Africa with support to tell their own stories,” said Bokwe.
Spotify playlists, like Amapiano Grooves and African Heat, also help drive discovery, enabling listeners to find music they love and artists to connect with new fans.
Lloyiso’s Times Square spotlight has had not only South Africans beaming with pride, but fans across the continent have been sharing their excitement, congratulating the singer who became a social media sensation during the pandemic.