In a new episode of Spotify's "Masterclass" video series, execs break down the various, multiplying ways in which artists can monetize their profiles and better connect with their audiences. The latest tool is the "live audio room" feature on the Spotify Live app.

In these rooms, artists can host virtual listening parties with their super-fans. "What's incredibly exciting about this is that, for the first time, artists will be able to directly interact with their most passionate fans on Spotify," Camille Hearst, Head of Spotify for Artists, says on camera. "I've personally heard this directly from friends of mine who are musicians or managers; they know their biggest fans are listening to them on Spotify, but they have no way to reach them. Now, using our unique understanding of who your top listeners are, we're able to bring them together in an intimate, live setting to chat, connect and celebrate exciting moments like a new release—and open up new revenue streams with merch, concert tickets and fan tipping all inside the room."

Spotify has been testing this feature over the last year, getting feedback from artists, according to Hearst, who introduces indie electropop musician Elohim to back her up. "The experience was flawless," Elohim says of the album-release huddle she hosted on the app last year. "I'd been doing a lot of livestreams throughout the pandemic, but this felt really intimate."

Elsewhere in the 20-minute clip, Hearst and Bryan Johnson, Head of Artist & Industry Partnerships International, discuss Loud & Clear, Spotify's transparency initiative dedicated to sharing royalty data and educational resources, and Fan Support, the platform's mechanism for allowing fans to tip artists and for artists to otherwise raise funds.

Additional details can be found here. In unrelated news, photos of a dog with a butterfly on his nose can be found here.