Spotify has named Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist, songwriter and playwright Somi as its EQUAL Africa Artist for August, the streaming company said in a media statement dated August 7, 2026, in Nairobi.
The announcement coincides with the release of Somi’s 13-track album, What Does It Take to Bloom?, which Spotify said was released on August 7 under Salon Africana. The project is co-produced by Somi and Benjamin James of Nigerian highlife duo The Cavemen., and includes guest appearances by The Cavemen. and jazz saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin, according to the statement.
Spotify said the album was recorded across Dakar, Lagos, Paris and New York City. The company also cited “We’re All Falling” as the project’s lead single.
The selection places Somi—born in Illinois to parents from Rwanda and Uganda—within Spotify’s EQUAL Africa programme, a platform the company says is aimed at highlighting women artists from the continent. In the statement, Spotify described Somi’s music as blending pan-African rhythms with contemporary jazz and noted that she became “the first African woman ever nominated in a Grammy jazz category,” with a nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album for her live album Holy Room.
Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa, said the artist’s recognition aligns with the programme’s focus. “Somi's artistry is a powerful testament to the rich, transcendent legacy of African jazz and storytelling,” Okumu said. “As a barrier-breaking artist who continues to carve out space for African women on international stages, she perfectly embodies the spirit of the EQUAL programme.”
Somi said the programme’s focus on women creators reflects industry realities. “To make music as a woman to lead bands, build a label, and hold onto your own voice, is to work in rooms that weren't designed for you. That work is often invisible and rarely without cost,” she said. “EQUAL matters to me because it insists that women's voices don't just belong here; they shape what this industry becomes.”
Why it matters for Kenya’s music and streaming economy
Spotify’s Africa-facing initiatives are increasingly relevant to Kenya’s creative economy, where artists and labels are seeking wider distribution and improved monetisation through digital platforms. While the company did not provide Kenya-specific metrics in the statement, it positioned the EQUAL Africa programme as a route to “connecting” women artists with audiences “across the continent and beyond.”
For Kenyan music businesses—artists, managers, publishers and event promoters—such platform-led editorial programming can influence discovery and streaming performance, which in turn can shape touring demand, brand partnerships and cross-border collaborations. Somi’s album production credits and multi-city recording footprint also reflect the growing regional and global networks that African artists tap into as streaming platforms expand their playlists and artist-marketing programmes.
Spotify’s scale
Spotify said it has 751 million monthly active users globally, including 290 million Premium subscribers, and is available in 184 markets. The company attributed these figures to its own corporate information included in the statement.
What comes next
Spotify indicated it conducted an interview and Q&A with Somi as part of the EQUAL Africa feature for August. The company and the artist did not disclose any financial terms linked to the selection, nor did the statement outline additional campaign dates beyond the August programme window.