Music streaming platform Spotify recently brought fans closer to Nigerian artistes Tems and Runtown through its Surround Sound live performance series in Lagos. The event, held at Livespot, was a two-night showcase that allowed selected premium listeners to experience the artistes and their music in an intimate setting. This format, launched in Sub-Saharan Africa, aims to bring artistes and fans together in close settings while capturing the performances as full-length music films.
The selected Spotify premium listeners were invited based on their listening behaviour to attend the event. According to Rifumo Mdaka, Spotify’s Format and Video Strategy Lead, there was no public ticket sale for the event, as premium listeners were invited directly through the platform. The format was designed to create a close artist-fan experience while keeping the room suitable for the performances and film capture.
Tems performed songs from her debut EP, ‘For Broken Ears’, including ‘Ice T’ and ‘Damages’, alongside earlier releases such as ‘Mr Rebel’ and ‘Try Me’. She also performed later songs including ‘Love Me JeJe’ and ‘What You Need’, taking fans through different periods of her music career. During her performance, Tems invited the audience to sing along, making the fans part of the experience.
Runtown performed on the second night, opening with ‘Lagos to Kampala’ and ‘Gallardo’, before delivering renditions of ‘For Life’, ‘International Badman Killa’, ‘Unleash’ and ‘Kini Issue’. His hit song, ‘Mad Over You’, became a major moment of the performance as he performed it before returning to the song a second time to close the show, with fans singing along.
Speaking ahead of his performance, Runtown said it was the first time in 10 years that he would perform with his band, adding that he looked forward to seeing his fans. This event marked a significant moment for Runtown, who has been a prominent figure in the Nigerian music scene.
The performances were filmed and will be released as ‘Surround Sound presents Tems’ and ‘Surround Sound presents Runtown,’ with release dates to be announced. This initiative by Spotify aims to provide a unique experience for fans and further showcase the talents of African artistes.
The Surround Sound live performance series is part of Spotify's efforts to bring artistes and fans closer together. With this event, Spotify continues to demonstrate its commitment to supporting and promoting African music, providing a platform for artistes to showcase their talents and connect with their fans.
Key points
- Spotify hosted an intimate concert with Tems and Runtown in Lagos as part of its Surround Sound live performance series.
- The event was only open to selected premium listeners who were invited based on their listening behaviour.
- The performances were filmed and will be released as full-length music films.
