SPOTIFY AMPLIFIES WOMEN'S VOICES WITH EQUAL PROGRAM

Spotify is celebrating International Women's Day (3/8) by amplifying EQUAL, a program dedicated to lifting women creators. The streaming giant's global campaign involves such artists as Alicia Keys, Janelle Monaé, Pitty, LU KALA and The Blessed Madonna, who will co-curate EQUAL playlists to tell their stories through music.

Spotify is also collaborating with activists like #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, journalist Shar Jossell and social justice advocate Favianna Rodriguez on “Behind the Movement” content for social media.

In partnership with UN Women and Calling All Crows, the DSP has vowed to continue championing gender equality and giving women a platform for their voices to be heard.

"Music has always been on the forefront of social change and when we launched our EQUAL program in 2021, we committed to supporting gender equality year-round," Spotify Global Lead of Social Equity Music Programs Bel Aztiria said. "So for International Women’s Day, we’re reflecting on the progress made amplifying and supporting the voices of women creators.”

Spotify is expanding its global reach, too; for the first time, the company has launched EQUAL in Ukraine, to celebrate the winner of 2016's Eurovision Song Contest, singer-songwriter Jamala. This follows recent launches in Hungary and Romania.

To date, Spotify has added roughly 5,000 women artists to EQUAL playlists and supported more than 700 EQUAL ambassadors around the world. The artists received nearly half a billion editorial streams in their first month of participating in the program and have been included in more than 4,000 Spotify playlists.

Pictured rocking fiery orange hair is Canadian EQUAL ambassador LU KALA; brandishing a blue balloon is U.K./Ireland ambassador The Blessed Madonna, looking way better in a crewneck than we ever could. For more information, click here while we dig up our pink pussyhats and clamor for change.