Entertainment/Arts/Culture
Spotify Launches Ad Studio in Nigeria, Jamaica, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
Spotify, a music streaming service provider, has launched a self-serve advertising platform, Ad Studio, in Jamaica, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The innovative advertising medium has been made available to even more artists around the globe.
Christopher Li, Director of Digital Planning and Products at Live Nation and Spotify Ad Studio, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
Li said Ad Studio is a tool on the Spotify platform that allows artistes, brands and businesses to easily run audio and video adverts.
He said advertisers can create a campaign within minutes, and the platform provides flexibility and control to set up and manage campaigns in real time.
” Never made an audio ad? Spotify makes it easy, you can build a custom audio ad for free, right in Ad Studio, in as little as 24 hours,” he said.
Li said Spotify had already launched Ad Studio in other markets, including America and Europe, and looked forward to the impact this will have in emerging markets like Sub-Saharan Africa, where audio streaming is on the rise.
He noted that in order to advertise with this tool, advertisers needed to spend a minimum of N100,000.
According to him, Ad Studio provides advertisers with free audio creation tools including background music mixing, voiceover talent, audience targeting and real-time reporting.
” Reaching audiences with Spotify Ad Studio is efficient and easy, you can decide to target listeners by genre preferences, interests, and context.
“It only takes us a few minutes to create a campaign, and the free voiceover service saves a lot of effort too,” he said.
As the world leader in audio streaming, Spotify brings music and podcasts to nearly 365 million users in 184 markets, across hundreds of devices.
This is where young people are — and where young people go, marketers follow, 71 per cent of Spotify free listeners are under 35 and the median age of podcast listeners is 27.
In Nigeria alone, over 100 million citizens are active internet users. Of this number, 57.9 per cent use music apps- up from 54 per cent last year.
The median age in this market is 18, meaning that the majority of smartphone users are Gen-Z.
Similar to Ghana and Kenya, the Gen-Z market is increasing, and many young people are streaming audio.
The launch of Ad Studio is another way Spotify is leading the way in audio innovation globally, and providing advertisers with the opportunity to grow their audiences in these emerging markets. (NAN)
Entertainment/Arts/Culture
Nigerian Men Scared of Bold, Confident Women, Phyna Claims
Former Big Brother Naija winner, Josephine Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, has claimed that she is still single because Nigerian men are scared of confident and independent women.
Speaking during a recent livestream on Twitch, the reality star claimed that most Nigerian men prefer women they can control when choosing a life partner and avoid independent women.
Phyna explained that expressive women like her are the worst hit because most men judge them by their social media rhetoric and decide to avoid them even before meeting them.
The actress said she is, however, not bothered by the trend, stressing that she can’t change herself to fit into a man’s expectations.
“I am a ten over ten. The thing is just that men are scared of bold and confident women. There are someone women that by mere looking at them you know that you can’t control them. But our Nigerian men like women that they can control.
“They don’t want women who have says or are exposed. So, we that are very loud about how we are, even without they meeting us, they are already scared and forming assumptions. But I really don’t care,” she expressed.
Entertainment/Arts/Culture
How God Changed My Story after 16 Years in Music, Says Spyro
Afrobeats singer Spyro has revealed that 16 years of perseverance and struggle in the music industry finally paid off three years ago, attributing his success to divine intervention.
In a social media post, Spyro shared his testimony, recalling a period of profound struggle and disappointment that preceded his breakthrough.
He explained that it was at this critical juncture that his fortunes changed.
Following his past struggles, the singer now encourages others facing similar challenges, urging them to hold on to their dreams and never give up.
He attributes his turnaround to God, who transformed his life and propelled him to success three years ago.
Spyro wrote, “If someone had told me 3 years ago that I would become this fly, I would have argued it, and now I look at my life, and all I can say to someone reading this is please don’t give up…
“I have been in the industry hustling for 16 years, and I was at my lowest when JESUS changed it all, and that same JESUS is still in the business of changing lives, JUST BELIEVE.”
Entertainment/Arts/Culture
Asake Reaffirms Loyalty to Olamide, Downplays Split Rumours
Afrobeats star Asake has reiterated his unwavering loyalty to his former label boss and mentor, Olamide, amid speculation of a fallout between the two artists.
Despite removing YBNL from his Instagram bio and unfollowing Olamide in December 2024, Asake in a recent interview with YouTuber Korty EO, emphasised that his perception of the rapper remains unchanged, stating, “Till the world ends, Baddo will always be Baddo.
The way I saw Baddo yesterday is the same way I see him today, and that will be the same way I will see him tomorrow, even if I become the president of America or Zimbabwe. Baddo will always be Baddo”.This development followed reports that Asake’s contract with YBNL may have expired, with the singer opting for independence rather than renewing the deal.
While neither Asake nor Olamide has publicly addressed the situation, industry insiders believe the split was amicable.
Asake has consistently credited Olamide for changing his life, and his latest comments reaffirm their enduring professional and personal bond.

