Spotify is making room for LGBTQ+ artists, musicians, and organizations with their new Pride Month campaign, Claim Your Space.
"This global campaign is aimed at creating space both physical and digital for the LGTBQIA+ community," the press release reads.
First, Spotify announced their Pride Hub, "a dedicated editorial hub that will promote LGBTQIA+ artists, podcasters and playlists as well as showcase exclusive Spotify Clips video content from artists including Kehlani, Hayley Kiyoko, Hope Tala, Claud, Urias, ILOVEMAKONNEN, Princess Nokia, Leland, and Kaydence all month long."
"Amplifying the voices of the LGBTQ+ community has never been more important, especially when it comes to the music industry," pop star Hayley Kiyoko reflects to PRIDE. "Queer musicians help provide our community with much needed representation simply by telling their own unique and individual stories. I’m excited to partner with Spotify this Pride Month to shine a spotlight on the wide range of extremely talented artists working towards positive change for our community through music and encouraging younger generations to live life as their truest selves, unafraid to embrace exactly who they are because they deserve it."
The streaming application is also continuing its Pride Singles program from last year. They've enlisted queer artists Dua Saleh and Lido Pimienta for a set of original Pride singles that will be drop later this month.
Spotify has also reached out to LGBTQ+ bars around the world and created signature playlists for each venue, "celebrating these essential community spaces after a brutally difficult year for nightlife." The bars include Casita del Campo in LA, Alibi Lounge in New York, A League of Her Own in DC, Homoelectric in Manchester, Pxssy Palace in London and Punka in Bristol.
And to show off what Pride sounds like to them in their own community, a few LGBTQ+ artists have also curated playlists for their cities. MUNA will have one for Los Angeles, Big Freedia in New Orleans, Fancy Hagood in Nashville, and DJ Minx in Detroit.
In a few of those cities, where "the queer community has been instrumental to the music scene, but their stories are often untold," Spotify is enlisting queer artists to create permanent murals. In collaboration with queer community spaces and The Ally Coalition, New Orleans, Nashville, and Detroit will see murals pop up over the month of June celebrating "these groundbreaking local LGBTQIA+ artists and activists." And on top of all that, Spotify is donating directly to the venues involved and local organizations BreakOUT! In New Orleans, Oasis Center in Nashville and Ruth Ellis Center in Detroit.
This is the kind of community building we like to see! Check out the Pride Hub music space here and be on the lookout for all of Spotify's Claim Your Space campaigns!
Photos courtesy of Spotify
