Tag: paris

Spotify Partners With Les Flammes Music Awards To Celebrate French Rap

April 24, 2024

Spotify is once again teaming up with Les Flammes, the only music awards dedicated to rap, R&B, Afrobeats, and popular culture in France.

Spotify helped create Les Flammes in 2023 to celebrate and highlight the French-speaking artists who are actively shaping new cultural trends. Rap is a hugely prominent genre in France—on Spotify, the top five most-listened-to artists in the country have hailed from rap, hip-hop, and R&B for the past several years.

Ahead of the ceremony on April 25, let’s take a moment to highlight the impact of last year’s inaugural event, and also spotlight the 2024 nominees.

 

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Looking back at Les Flammes 2023

Not only was Les Flammes 2023 a success, but it also impacted music consumption on Spotify in France. Rap and hip-hop have continued to gain steam since last year’s ceremony, with French artist listenership increasing by 15% among users aged 25-44 and 12% among users aged 24-29 and users over 55.

In addition, several winners saw an increase in streams in France in the past year:

    • Maureen saw her streams jump by 314%. The former RADAR artist’s track “Laptop” was awarded best Caribbean or Caribbean-Inspired Song.
    • Streams for Aya Nakamura, who won the Female Artist of the Year award, increased by 97%.
    • Hamza, winner of the best R&B Song award with Tiakola for “Atasanté,” recorded a 93% increase in streams.
    • Tiakola saw a 71% increase in streams. The artist won the New Pop Album of the Year award, as well as best Afro or Afro-Inspired Song.

Looking forward to Les Flammes 2024

A number of artists up for awards at this year’s ceremony have already made their mark. Among the male nominees, that includes Yamê, an artist supported by Spotify’s RADAR program; Favé; and Werenoi.

    • Yamê’s streams have skyrocketed by 12,883%. Nominated for Male Revelation of the Year and New Pop Album of the Year, he’s the fastest-growing male French-language rap/hip-hop artist of the year in France.
    • Favé, also nominated for Male Revelation of the Year, has seen a 561% increase in streams.
    • Werenoi’s streams are up 606%. The artist is up for Spotify Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Male Artist of the Year.

Among the female nominees:

    • Shay has seen a 65% increase in streams. Nominated for Video of the Year, she’s the third-fastest-growing female French-language rap/hip-hop artist of the year in France.
    • Nej, an EQUAL artist, has recorded a 36% increase in streams. She’s up for Female Artist of the Year.

And while this year’s ceremony will be held at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, Spotify will also host a special viewing party in Marseille. The event will reinforce the sense of unity that characterizes Les Flammes while also celebrating the city’s vibrant hip-hop scene. Photocalls, food, and DJ sets will keep the party going for more than 500 attendees as screens project the awards ceremony.

The international influence of French artists

Beyond France’s borders, French pop, hip-hop, and rap artists continue to gain notoriety, especially as Spotify helps reduce language barriers and enable local artists to gain visibility in non-French-speaking markets:

    • Gazo, Ninho, and Tiakola are all among the top 10 most-streamed French R&B/hip-hop artists outside of France.
    • Favé and Yamê are both among the top 50 most-streamed French-language R&B/hip-hop artists outside of France.
    • Indila and Aya Nakamura are the first- and second-most-streamed French pop artists outside of France, respectively.

Stream our official playlist for Les Flammes 2024 to hear this year’s nominated artists.

Michelin Star Chef Mory Sacko Serves Up His Thoughts on Food and Music for Spotify Supper

November 22, 2023

Chef Mory Sacko at Spotify Supper Paris

Is there anything more comforting than good food, good music, and good company? Non, we say, and that’s why we created Spotify Supper. 

Spotify Supper began in 2016 as a way to bring together executives with advertising and publishing partners for an evening to remember. The latest, held last month amid the fabulous lights and magic of Paris, had guests joining Chef Mory Sacko in bidding adieu to a fabulous five-part series of European culinary delights. 

Chef Mory has been rapidly rising in the ranks of French cuisine in recent years. His first restaurant, MoSuke, was awarded a Michelin star just months after it opened in 2020. He has since become the host of the hit TV show Cuisine Ouverte and has served the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Forest Whitaker, and President Emmanuel Macron. At MoSuke, Chef Mory mixes French staples with West African and Japanese cuisine. He later opened two outposts for takeaway and delivery, dubbed MoSugo, that serve comfort food.

While we’re sad to see the Spotify Supper series ending, we’re grateful for all the memories, friends, music, and good food that came from it all.

Spotify’s Soundtrack Behind The Runway Celebrates Fall Fashion Week With Inspiring Designers From New York, London, Milan, and Paris

September 7, 2023

It takes more than a little confidence to strut down a runway. It also requires the right beat to punctuate the walk and accentuate the mood. The music that accompanies the fashion helps evoke the vibe of a collection and the spirit of a designer. And music has a role long before the show, often providing inspiration during the creative process of designing. Fashion and music go hand in hand, and on Spotify, there are more than 630,000 fashion-inspired playlists created by listeners. So, as fashion month kicks off around the world, Spotify is celebrating the innovators leading the way and the music that inspires them with our new destination, The Soundtrack Behind The Runway.

The Spotify destination features takeovers of some of our top fashion and culture playlists. Across New York, London, Milan, and Paris, designers including Advisry’s Keith Herron, Luar’s Raul Lopez, MAINS London’s Skepta, Etro’s Marco De Vincenzo, GCDS’s Giuliano Calza, and Rabanne’s Julien Dossena will curate the tracks for popular playlists like Fashion Forward and Runway. Follow us around the world to learn about Spotify’s special playlist takeovers and hear from the designers and creative directors themselves.

 

Brazil’s National Breaking Team Prepares for a New Dance Battle

August 22, 2023

Incredible rhythms, fancy footwork, talented dancers, heart-pumping battles—all this makes up breaking, a form of dancing that combines complex moves with stylized dance.

Born in the Bronx’s Black and Latino communities, breaking first originated in the ’70s at the start of the hip-hop movement. The name refers to the breakbeats that defined hip-hop’s early sound and gave dancers a chance to show off their moves. Throughout the ’70s and ’80s, dance crews formed and competed against each other, introducing new techniques like the headspin, freeze, and top rock.

Music is a critical part of breaking, and the DJs that helm the turntables often mix in elements of hip-hop, jazz, disco, electro, and more to create a compelling track for the dancers, known as b-boys and b-girls, to move to.

In the early ’80s, breaking gained momentum in Brazil, providing a new way for the country’s youth to connect and interact. To this day on the streets of São Paulo, dance battles ensue as b-boys and b-girls compete to see who has the best moves.

In 2024, breaking will make its Olympic debut in Paris, and Brazil is preparing for the Games. The Brazil national team is composed of six talented breaking stars: Leony, Luan San, Rato, Toquinha, Mini Japa, and Nathana. While they train, Spotify is with them every step of the way as a team sponsor. In addition to supporting events in the breaking community, we are providing financial aid for the team as they compete at national and international events, as well as financial support for the athletes in their training.

the full Brazil breaking team posting on steps outside

For the Record caught up with team members Leony and Toquinha to learn more about breaking and where they see the future of the sport.

​​What’s your favorite part about breaking?

Leony: The part that I love the most is the freedom within breaking—the freedom of being able to do everything in my own time, to do whatever I create in my own way, to be and do what I imagine with my breaking.

Toquinha: The best part of breaking for me is the passion in people’s eyes and the adrenaline of the battles!

Is there a particular song or artist you like to break to?

Leony: I’m a fan of A Tribe Called Quest. I think they are the best rap group ever.

Toquinha: I really like Veigh‘s songs! As a DJ, especially for training, I also like Dj Batata’Killa‘s beats.

Leony performing a breaking dance move on a bridge

Leony

A lot of improvisation is required to be good at breaking. What else do you think is essential to excel at the sport? 

Leony: You have to have personality and be original. Being “unique” in breaking is for sure one of the hardest and most valuable things.

Toquinha: To stand out in breaking, you need to have style and a lot of flow. I believe that persistence in training is the key to unlocking what your body can achieve.

What was your reaction when you learned that breaking would become an Olympic sport?

Leony: I was happy. I knew this would boost the popularity of breaking in the world, and that’s what happened.

Toquinha: When I heard that breaking will be in the Olympics, I was excited, anxious, and motivated to train more!

Toquinha performing a breaking dance move on a bridge

Toquinha

The Olympics will surely help grow understanding and knowledge of breaking. What else do you hope for the future of the sport?

Leony: I hope that with all this exposure, we can reach more people and more places.

Toquinha: Since breaking has become a part of the Olympics, it has opened a lot of doors for me and also for the rest of the world. I train and dedicate myself so that things will be easier for future generations!

What’s it been like having the support of Spotify as the team embarks on this journey?

Leony: It’s been amazing, not only for us as members of the team but for national breaking. Breaking and music are inseparable, and having a company like Spotify helping to spread breaking in Brazil has undoubtedly helped a lot. This gives us recognition and the hope to achieve more.

Toquinha: For me, it was amazing to receive Spotify’s sponsorship proposal. It’s uncanny how much breaking and Spotify really go well together!

 

Seleção Brasileira de Breaking se prepara para uma Nova Batalha de Dança

August 22, 2023

Ritmos incríveis, footwork sofisticado, dançarinos talentosos, batalhas de tirar o fôlego – tudo isso compõe o Breaking, uma forma de dança que combina movimentos complexos com dança estilizada

Nascido nas comunidades negra e latina do Bronx, o Breaking se originou nos anos 70, no início do movimento Hip Hop. O nome refere-se aos breakbeats que definiram o som inicial do Hip Hop, que deu aos dançarinos a chance de mostrar seus movimentos. Ao longo dos anos 70 e 80, equipes de dança se formaram e competiram entre si, introduzindo novas técnicas como o headspin, freeze e o top rock.

Música é uma parte crítica do Breaking, e os DJs que comandam as mesas geralmente misturam elementos de hip hop, jazz, disco, electro e muito mais para criar uma faixa atraente para os dançarinos, conhecidos como b-boys e b-girls. 

No início dos anos 80, o Breaking ganhou força no Brasil, proporcionando uma nova maneira para a juventude do país se conectar e interagir. E até hoje nas ruas de São Paulo acontecem batalhas de dança, com b-boys e b-girls disputando quem tem os melhores movimentos.

Em 2024, o Breaking fará sua estreia olímpica em Paris e o Brasil se prepara para os jogos. A seleção brasileira é composta por seis estrelas de destaque: Leony, Luan San, Rato, Toquinha, Mini Japa e Nathana. Enquanto eles treinam, o Spotify está com eles a cada passo do caminho como patrocinador da equipe. Além de apoiar eventos na comunidade do Breaking, estamos fornecendo ajuda financeira para a equipe competir em eventos nacionais e internacionais, bem como em seus treinamentos.

O For the Record conversou com os membros da equipe Leony e Toquinha para saber mais sobre o Breaking e onde eles veem o futuro do esporte.

Qual é a sua parte favorita sobre Breaking? 

Leony: A liberdade, a parte que eu mais amo é a liberdade dentro do breaking, a liberdade de poder fazer tudo no meu tempo, de fazer qualquer coisa que eu criar do meu jeito. A liberdade de ser e fazer aquilo que eu imagino com o meu breaking.

Toquinha: A melhor parte do breaking pra mim é o sangue no olho e a adrenalina das batalhas!

Existe uma música ou artista em particular que você gosta de ouvir? 

Leony: Eu sou fã do A Tribe Called Quest. Pra mim o melhor grupo de rap que teve.

Toquinha: Eu gosto muito das músicas do Veigh! Como dj, em especial pra treinar eu curto os beats do Dj Batata’Killa.

Leony performing a breaking dance move on a bridge

Leony

Qual foi sua reação quando soube que o Breaking se tornaria um esporte olímpico?

Leony: Fiquei feliz, eu sabia que isso alavancaria o breaking no mundo, e foi o que aconteceu.

Toquinha: Quando eu soube que o breaking estará nas olimpíadas eu fiquei animada, ansiosa e motivada a treinar mais!

Muita improvisação é necessária para ser bom em Breaking. O que mais você acha que é essencial para se destacar no esporte? 

Leony: Ter personalidade e ser original. Com certeza ser “único” no breaking é uma das coisas mais difíceis e sem dúvidas a mais valiosa.

Toquinha: Para se destacar no Breaking você precisa ter estilo é muito flow. Acredito que a persistência nos treinos é a chave para desbloquear tudo oque o seu corpo alcança e você ainda não sabe.

Toquinha performing a breaking dance move on a bridge

Toquinha

As Olimpíadas certamente ajudarão a aumentar a compreensão e o conhecimento do Breaking. O que mais você espera para o futuro do esporte?

Leony: Espero que com toda essa exposição, possamos alcançar mais pessoas e mais lugares.

Toquinha: O breaking entrando no ramo olímpico abriu muitas portas pra mim e também pro resto do mundo. Eu treino e me dedico muito para que no futuro as coisas sejam mais fáceis para as novas gerações e é isso o que eu espero!

Como tem sido ter o apoio do Spotify enquanto a equipe embarca nessa jornada?

Leony: Tem sido incrível, não só para nós como membros da seleção mas para o breaking nacional. Breaking e música são um casal inseparáveis e ter uma empresa como a Spotify ajudando a disseminar o breaking no Brasil sem dúvidas tem ajudado muito. Isso nós dá uma notoriedade e valor para alcançar mais coisas.

Toquinha: Pra mim foi incrível receber a proposta de patrocínio da Spotify.. É bizarro o quanto Breaking e Spotify combinam!