https://arab.news/rh7rz
- Saudi artist Sultan Al-Murshed and Iraqi artist Aseel Hameem have been selected as Spotify鈥檚 RADAR Arabia and EQUAL Arabia artists for May
DUBAI: Spotify is spotlighting Saudi artist Sultan Al-Murshed and Iraqi artist Aseel Hameem, who have been selected as Spotify鈥檚 RADAR Arabia and EQUAL Arabia artists for May, in New York鈥檚 Times Square.
鈥淲e continue to be committed to showcasing and celebrating genres and creators reflecting different spectrums of Arabic music,鈥� said Nada Elmeri, Spotify鈥檚 Artist and Label Partnerships Manager for the Gulf Region at Spotify MENA.
This month was dedicated to celebrating Khaleeji Pop 鈥� a genre 鈥渢hat has played a pivotal role in our childhood memories yet continues to resonate with young listeners and is met with a lot of loyalty from fans across different generations,鈥� Elmeri told Arab News.
Al-Murshed, a rising star from 黑料社区, was selected as this month鈥檚 RADAR Arabia artist for winning listeners over with his melodies and vocals.
His debut single 鈥淲ala Ghaltah,鈥� released in 2022, has amassed over 1 million streams on Spotify. Over the last month or so, his streams have increased by 73 percent and fans have saved his music 97 percent more over the same period.
He also worked with renowned DJ and producer R3HAB and Big Bo in 2022 for the official Gamers8 anthem, 鈥淐hallenge.鈥�
This month鈥檚 EQUAL Arabia artist is Aseel Hameem, daughter of renowned Iraqi musician Kareem Hameem, who began her musical journey when she was a young girl. Her talent was evident quickly garnering her the nickname 鈥淭he Guitar of Iraq.鈥�
Despite her Iraqi roots, Hameem has mastered singing in the Saudi and Khaleeji dialects, gaining substantial support in 黑料社区. Her most popular hits include 鈥淪hkad Helw鈥� and 鈥淎l Mafrod鈥� with the latter garnering over 14 million streams on Spotify.
Her latest release, 鈥淢ostafz Alnas,鈥� has resonated with audiences in 黑料社区, Egypt, Iraq, Germany, and the US, Spotify said.
Throughout May, Spotify is running a promotional campaign to boost Hameem鈥檚 work including editorial placements and social media support.
Both Al-Murshed and Hameem were featured on a billboard in New York City鈥檚 Times Square as well as on the covers of the RADAR Arabia and EQUAL Arabia playlists on Spotify this month.
鈥淭o spotlight the (Khaleeji Pop) genre in an impactful way, we featured two Khaleeji artists across different career journeys,鈥� said Elmeri.
Al-Murshed 鈥渞epresents the new wave of the genre鈥� while Hameem 鈥渉as been a force over the years with her presence visible on our Saudi Wrapped lists,鈥� she added.
RADAR Arabia and EQUAL Arabia are Spotify鈥檚 global music programs aimed at supporting emerging artists and female artists respectively.