Spotify is rolling out audiobooks in Kenya from 14 Oct 2026 as part of its global expansion into more than 180 markets.

The company said eligible Free and Premium users in Kenya will have access to a catalogue of more than 350,000 titles at launch.

Spotify said its Audiobooks+ plan offers 15 hours of monthly listening for Ksh489 alongside options to purchase additional hours or individual books.

“Books change how we see the world” said Owen Smith, Spotify’s vice president of audiobooks.

The launch gives Kenyan publishers and self-published authors another distribution channel through Spotify for Authors under partnerships the company said are non-exclusive.

Spotify said these authors can upload audiobooks and reach listeners in more than 180 markets through the service.

The platform also provides insights into who listens to their work.

For Kenyan publishing businesses the service offers a route to audiences beyond the domestic market without requiring exclusive audiobook partnerships.

Spotify said its Kenyan catalogue will grow as new partners join and local authors upload their work.

Listeners who exhaust their monthly allowance can buy a 10-hour top-up for Ksh589 or purchase an individual title to keep.

The release does not specify individual book prices or the financial terms available to authors and publishers.

Those terms remain an information gap for Kenyan businesses considering audiobook distribution through the platform.

Spotify said the app includes a dedicated Audiobooks section for searches and browsing alongside recommendations based on listening across music, podcasts and books.

Its Page Match feature lets readers move between print, ebook and audio versions by scanning an ISBN barcode and entering page numbers.

Spotify said more than one million readers have used Page Match and the feature supports over 30 languages.

The company said listening progress is saved across more than 2,000 supported devices so users can continue a book on another device.

Listeners can also download audiobooks for offline use and set a sleep timer to stop playback.

The Kenyan rollout forms part of an expansion from 22 audiobook markets to more than 180 by the end of 2026.

Spotify said the wider rollout will make the catalogue available to more than 750 million people.

The company said monthly audiobook listeners grew nearly 40 per cent over the past year and listening hours rose more than 30 per cent.

Audiobooks+ has gained more than one million subscribers since launching just over a year ago according to Spotify.

The company introduced audiobooks into Premium three years before the Kenyan launch.

Spotify said further catalogue additions in Kenya will follow as publishers join and local authors submit their audiobooks.

Kenyan artists Calvo Mistari and Naiboi on September 2, 2026 released two singles—“Nataka Nikujue” featuring Nessa DeDiva and “Give Me Your Love” featuring Nessa DeDiva and Sydney 125—under their publishing imprint Room 308, as they build momentum toward a forthcoming joint album titled 308.

In a media statement dated September 2, 2026, the duo said producer Jegede handled production for both songs, with Musyoka credited for mixing and mastering. The release package also includes official video links for both tracks, according to the statement.

The move adds to a growing trend of Kenyan musicians building in-house publishing and release structures to manage rights and distribution as streaming becomes central to music consumption. While the statement did not disclose the commercial terms of Room 308 or distribution arrangements, it frames the imprint as the vehicle through which the duo will roll out additional material from the album.

Calvo Mistari and Naiboi positioned the two singles thematically around dating and new connections. “Nataka Nikujue” focuses on “the excitement of meeting someone new and making a connection,” while “Give Me Your Love” “explores love, attraction and the confidence to put yourself out there,” the statement said.

Speaking on the release, the duo said the tracks are intended to reflect the early stages of romantic connection. ““Nataka Nikujue” and “Give Me Your Love” captures the spark of meeting someone new and wanting to truly connect. It’s about bringing back the essence of dating: real connection, attraction and the courage to make the first move. Both songs have a vibe you can dance to and enjoy,” Calvo Mistari and Naiboi said in the statement.

The statement also detailed how Nessa DeDiva came to feature on both songs. “Nessa DeDiva came in the studio to initially work on ‘Give Me Your Love’ but after hearing ‘Nataka Nikujue’ track she felt her vocals would be a great fit for the track. She joined the session and added her touch to the song,” the statement said, describing the collaboration as a spontaneous studio decision.

The duo has been releasing singles together in recent years, citing earlier songs including “Rudisha”, “All My Dreams”, “Zama”, “The Prize” and “Baddest” as part of the run-up to the album. They first teamed up on the 2021 track “Situation,” according to the statement.

For Kenya’s music business, the release under a dedicated publishing imprint highlights how established acts are increasingly packaging music projects with clearer ownership structures—an approach that can influence royalty collection, licensing opportunities and cross-border monetisation, especially as artists seek audiences beyond the domestic market. Calvo Mistari and Naiboi said they are splitting time between Kenya and the US while exploring “new ventures and opportunities,” though they did not provide specifics.

Next steps are expected to include additional singles and collaborations ahead of the full album release. The statement said the project will include more collaborations as the duo prepares to “unveil more music” from 308.

Kenyan artists Calvo Mistari and Naiboi have released a new single titled “Baddest” on June 17, 2026, positioning it as the fifth release from their forthcoming joint album “308”, according to a press release issued the same day. The track is being released under their publishing imprint, Room 308.

In the statement, the duo said “Baddest” follows earlier singles from the project—“Rudisha”, “All My Dreams”, “Zama” and “The Prize”—as they build toward the full album rollout. The release adds to a growing trend in Kenya’s music economy where artists are increasingly organising distribution and rights management through their own imprints, a move that can strengthen control over publishing revenues in a streaming-led market.

According to the press release, “Baddest” was produced by Dillie, with assistance from Musyoka, who mixed and mastered the track. The song includes live guitar arrangements by Benjamin Kabaseke and bass guitar contributions from Sedar Malaki, with additional background vocals from Amileena.

Calvo Mistari and Naiboi framed the single as an upbeat afro-pop record centred on a confident female character. “Baddest is all about good vibes. It's about that person who walks into a room and immediately captures everyone's attention,” the duo said in a joint quote. “We wanted the song to feel fun, uplifting and make people want to dance. More than anything, we want listeners to enjoy the energy and feel-good spirit behind it.”

The artists also disclosed details of the writing process, describing how the track emerged in an informal setting while they were at home. “We were actually cooking dinner when the song happened,” Calvo Mistari said. “Naiboi had the beat playing on loop and we just started feeding off each other's energy. We laid the intro, then my verse and from there the song began taking shape.”

While the announcement focuses on creative elements, the business subtext is the continued formalisation of independent music operations. The press release describes Room 308 as a collaborative venture backing the duo’s output as they prepare to release more music from the “308” album. For Kenyan artists, such structures can support monetisation through publishing, neighbouring rights and licensing—revenue lines that are becoming more important as digital consumption expands across East Africa.

The duo’s cross-border presence is also part of the strategy. The statement noted that Calvo Mistari and Naiboi have been “living between Kenya and the US”, as they pursue new ventures and opportunities. That positioning may broaden market access for collaborations, touring, and diaspora-facing distribution, while still anchoring their brand in Kenya’s urban music scene.

Calvo Mistari and Naiboi first collaborated on the 2021 song “Situation”, according to the press release. Their latest single adds to a pipeline of releases intended to precede the full “308” album, with the pair signalling that additional music and collaborations linked to the project are expected ahead of the album’s unveiling.