musicmix: Spotify introduces new upgrades

Karachi:Spotify, the global music streaming site, is routinely introducing new initiatives. After naming Grammy Award-winning Arooj Aftab as their first ‘Equal’ Pakistan Ambassador for the Month of March, they’ve selected Mehak Ali as their newest ambassador. Particularly in light of the holy month of Ramazan, the new edition is “updated its Ramadan Destination for Pakistani listeners, curated for every Ramadan moment”.

The decision to choose Mehak Ali also has thought behind it since she has released a kalaam called ‘Saleh Ala Nabi Yena’.

Noted a press statement: “As the EQUAL Pakistan Ambassador, Mehak Ali will be receiving organic and on-platform promotion across Spotify’s editorial and social spaces. This model has proven effective in propelling significant growth on the platform in both the artists’ home countries and beyond. Mehak will also be featured on Spotify’s digital billboard in Times Square later this month as Spotify continues to turn up the volume on local women creators.”

On becoming the Equal Ambassador in this glorious month, Mehak Ali noted in a statement, “It is an honor to be selected as an Ambassador for EQUAL Pakistan especially in a month as auspicious as Ramadan. This is an opportunity not just for me as a woman to inspire women in the country but provide listeners with a beautiful track for this Holy Month.”

The update includes “a wide variety of spiritual songs, Qawwalis, Recitations, Hamd-o-Naat, and more,” said Spotify in a statement.

This is not the only upgrade from Spotify.

Another feature called Blend from Spotify is also available. Noted a statement, “Blend is a unique feature that combines the best of Spotify’s personalization capabilities and collaborative playlist functionality into a single shared playlist, making it easy to get into a social listening session that is made just for you.”

The statement further noted, “Expanding the Blend family by adding two new features that give users even more ways to connect with their friends, family and even artists through music.

“Previously, users could Blend with one friend or family member at a time – but starting today on Spotify, users can create a Blend playlist with up to 10 people, receiving one playlist tailored to all of your tastes.”

Of course, all this will only make sense when users try out the upgrades. But it seems the effort to attract more fans is certainly something Spotify is constantly working on. Whether artists - through their record labels - enjoy royalties as fans stream their music and are satisfied is a question that only local labels can tell in the near future.