From SoundCloud’s new artist development initiative to the Spotify EQL Studio Residency Program, here are this week’s top headlines in tech:
SoundCloud Ups Artist Development Efforts With Bacardi and Major Lazer Partnership
SoundCloud is teaming up with Bacardi and Major Lazer to offer content creators the opportunity of a lifetime through their ‘Music Liberates Music’ initiative. Initially launched by Bacardi and Major Lazer last year, the campaign was created to support and nurture the careers of up-and-coming Caribbean artists. Now, with the addition of SoundCloud, the ‘Music Liberates Music’ initiative is expanding by offering SoundCloud creators a new competition to have their music reviewed by the hottest EDM trio in the industry, Major Lazer!
In order to enter the competition, creators from U.S., Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas can submit their hottest tracks exclusively through the SoundCloud website. After a review period, the top 12 finalists will be chosen and will have their music critiqued by Major Lazer via SoundCloud’s new commenting functionality. From there, 4 finalists will be crowd-selected and the track with the highest engagement (i.e. the most plays, likes, and shares on SoundCloud) will win the grand prize: a music video shot and paid for by Bacardi. This one-time competition has the potential to lead to further artist development, signing, or even a brand partnership with Bacardi down the road. While the ‘Music Liberates Music’ is beneficial for artists looking to get discovered, it also has its perks for leading sponsors, Bacardi, to get to tap into SoundCloud’s coveted demographic while the music streaming network continues to grow its reputation as a tastemaker and artist development platform.
Introducing New Spotify EQL Studio Residency Program For Women
Spotify has partnered with Berklee College of Music and Electric Lady Studios to pave the way for emerging female producers and engineers to enter the music industry with the launch of the new Spotify EQL Studio Residency Program. The initiative will offer participants paid 6-month residencies in which they will have hands-on experiences with studios while gaining access to coveted networks and mentorship opportunities to nurture their careers. Residencies will be available in 3 major music cities including Nashville, London, and New York, however, Spotify will look to expand this program as Spotify’s Director of Cultural Impact, Kerry Steib, declares, “This is just the beginning.”
The Spotify EQL Studio Residency programs will kick off this Fall, so if you are interested, apply to Nashville, New York, and London to start the process.
Giphy Gets New Stories Feature
The popular Stories format has made its way to your favorite Gif sharing service with the introduction of Giphy Stories. The new Giphy Stories will populate the site’s homepage and will feature curated content selected by Giphy’s editorial team. Stories will reflect the day’s trending topics told through GIFs and will be divided into different sections including Entertainment, Spots, and Reactions. The Stories will also vary in content type from episode recaps (i.e the recap of the “Bachelorette” finale) to more general collections (i.e. “the best Gifs for your summer out of office email”). Giphy Stories will also be available on both desktop and mobile. This new feature marks the beginning of Giphy’s shift away from just a GIF database to a more editorial role.
For more of technology’s top news, make sure you check back next week!