Spotify has concluded a two-day recording and education programme in Nairobi, held in partnership with global music business firm ONErpm, aimed at supporting emerging artists from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, according to a media statement dated May 4, 2026.
The workshop, run under Spotify’s Fresh Finds initiative, brought together a cross-section of artists, producers, mentors and songwriters for collaborative studio sessions and professional development. The participating artists named in the statement were We Are Nubia, Zaituni, Ila Nia, Kahuti, Genes1s, Hood Boyz, Phany Love, Vyroota and Hildah Watiri. Producers included SoFresh, Run, ODZZ and JAE5, while mentors were Watendawili and Joshua Baraka. Songwriters listed were Watendawili and Savannah.
The event forms part of Spotify’s wider strategy in Sub-Saharan Africa to identify and develop early-stage talent, as streaming platforms play a growing role in how music is distributed, monetised and marketed. For Kenya’s creative economy, such initiatives are increasingly tied to export potential, IP monetisation and the broader digital economy value chain, including studio services, live events and brand partnerships.
The organisers said the Nairobi sessions combined creative production with business training. According to the statement, the programme included “Creative Masterclasses” built around collaborative recording sessions, alongside media training focused on storytelling and brand positioning. The workshops also addressed commercial aspects of the music industry, including platform analytics and fan engagement strategies.
Victor Okpala, Fresh Finds Africa Lead for Spotify Sub-Saharan Africa, said the programme is designed to support artist development beyond distribution. He said Spotify’s focus is on “artists who can tell African stories in an African voice” and then be supported towards global audiences.
“At Spotify, our goal is to equip creators with the required toolkit that balances creative output with commercial intelligence. The focus remains on sustainable growth, ensuring that when Kenyan, Ugandan, and Tanzanian artists step onto the world stage, they do so with a solid professional foundation,” Okpala said.
Osagie Osarenkhoe, Director of A&R & Operations (Africa) at ONErpm, said the partnership aligned with ONErpm’s focus on emerging artists and pointed to rising global attention on music from the region.
“Supporting emerging artists is central to what ONErpm stands for, so partnering with Spotify on this edition of Fresh Finds was exactly the kind of initiative we believe in,” Osarenkhoe said. “What made this experience even more meaningful was seeing artists, producers and songwriters, come together to connect, create, learn from one another, and make incredible music.”
A notable component of the sessions, according to the statement, was guidance on Spotify’s editorial processes. Maxwell Nguku, Spotify Editorial Lead for East Africa, addressed concerns around playlist manipulation and said Spotify has “a strictly meritocratic foundation” for editorial decisions and “zero-tolerance” for pay-for-play practices. He cautioned that legitimate entities should not solicit payment in exchange for playlist placement, framing organic discovery as a priority.
For Kenya and the wider East African market, the emphasis on editorial integrity and platform literacy reflects a growing need for transparency as more independent artists rely on digital distribution. Industry observers have increasingly linked creator education—covering rights management, audience analytics and marketing—to stronger revenue outcomes for artists and the service providers that support them.
Joshua Baraka, who participated in the sessions, said the workshop offered practical insights beyond studio work, including how to build a brand for international markets. He also cited direct access to Spotify staff as significant for independent artists, according to the statement.
Looking ahead, Spotify said Fresh Finds is positioned as part of its ongoing discovery and development efforts in the region, while ONErpm pointed to its continued expansion across Africa. The companies did not disclose financial commitments or the timeline for the next East Africa edition of the workshop.