Outside Voice
Our acclaimed playlist series celebrating creative leaders fighting for diversity and inclusion.
Spotify is committed to amplifying diverse creators. It's a place where all voices can be heard, no matter who's talking. Outside Voice—an annotated playlist series that celebrates and amplifies BIPOC voices within the global creative community—is our demonstration to that commitment.
Whether you're a professional in the creative, advertising and marketing industries, or represent a brand or agency that's striving to build a more inclusive culture and create authentic equity-focused initiatives and campaigns, we hope you'll find inspiration in these original playlists that combine music with thoughtful spoken-word annotations.
Why DEI should matter to your brand:
- 66%
66% of Gen Zs and Millennials say brands need to promote more progressive values and play a more meaningful role in society.
Source: Spotify 2019 Culture Next Report - 56%
56% of employed adults in the U.S. agreed focusing on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion at work is mainly a good thing.
Source: “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace”, Pew Research Center. Feb 6–12 2023
Season 4
Myke Towers drops his Outside Voice playlist to honor Hispanic Heritage Month
Outside Voice and Retrospect CEO celebrate Black Businesses
Outside Voice celebrates WACL milestone with Season 4 launch
To kick off season four, we’ve partnered with leading advertising organization WACL in celebration of the organization’s 100th anniversary.
Season 3
Beauty influencers on the importance of visible representation
Season 3 closes with two beauty influencers who are challenging tokenism and championing BIPOC-led brands within the industry.
Stand-up comedians use their voices to deliver impact, as well as punchlines
Introducing Subhah Agarwal and Clark Jones: two comedians who inject some much-needed joy into the cultural conversation around race and gender.
Designers empower their communities through their creative work
High-flying designers talk authenticity, the importance of self-confidence, and how to keep pressing forward against societal and creative headwinds.
Leading BIPOC creatives use their voice as a vehicle of expression
Journalist and podcaster Jemele Hill and author/ voice actor Joan Baker kick off season 3 of Outside Voice, ahead of their panel at Spotify Beach, Cannes Lion 2022.
Season 2
Outside Voice partners with Target for new Christmas-themed playlists
Plug into a trio of holiday-themed playlists from Black, U.S.-based creatives who use their platforms to help bring joy and a sense of belonging to their communities.
Creators of color use music and audio storytelling as a platform for connection
Meet two young, inspiring creatives carving their own paths in different fields — both keeping audio at the center of their journey.
Meet two Brazilian creatives advocating for representation
Hailing from São Paulo, Felipe Silva and Jéssica Gomes shar how they’re using their platforms to bring more opportunities to the next generation of Brazilian creatives.
Introducing two creatives who design physical spaces with representation in mind
Outside Voice drops new playlists from Aki Carpenter and Jonathan Jackson: two U.S. creatives who use design to create narrative environments celebrating underrepresented voices.
UK-based creatives on battling racism and music’s power to create cultural understanding
To wrap up season 2 of Outside Voice, we’re joined by two UK-based creatives who share their perspectives on racism and representation in their home country and the ad industry.
Outside Voice returns to celebrate and amplify the voices of BIPOC creatives
We kick off Season 2 with two U.S.-based curators who use their platforms with a purpose — Nwaka Onwusa and Mike Shum champion the power of film and music as forces for social change and progress.
Season 1
BIPOC creators from Brazil & New Zealand share new playlists
Hear from Samantha Almeida and Raymond McKay, two trophy-toting creatives who bring their authentic selves to their work in highly personal ways.
London-based creatives speak up on the power of diverse perspectives
Outside Voice heads across the pond to hear stories (and favorite songs) from two creatives about their experiences navigating the advertising industry in the U.K.
Outside Voice: Amplifying the voices of BIPOC creatives
The debut episode of Outside Voice invited Nike’s Brand Narrative Director, Juan Reyes, and Alyza Enriques of VICE Media to speak to the challenges faced by members of their community—and why being an outside voice creates opportunities for greater impact.