Music streaming platform, Spotify, has brought fans closer to Nigerian artistes, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, and Douglas Agu, popularly known Runtown, through its Surround Sound live performance series in Lagos.
In a statement on Monday, the streaming platform said Surround Sound is a live performance format launched from Sub-Saharan Africa to bring artistes and fans together in close settings while capturing the performances as full-length music films.
The streaming platform said that the selected Spotify premium listeners were invited based on their listening behaviour to experience the artistes and their music in an intimate, in-the-round setting at the two-night event held at Livespot.
According to Rifumo Mdaka, Spotify’s Format and Video Strategy Lead, there was no public ticket sale for the event, as selected premium listeners were invited directly through the platform based on their listening behaviour.
Mdaka said the format was designed to create a close artist-fan experience while keeping the room suitable for the performances and film capture.
Tems performed songs from her debut EP, ‘For Broken Ears’, including ‘Ice T’ and ‘Damages’, alongside earlier releases such as ‘Mr Rebel’ and ‘Try Me’.
She also performed later songs including ‘Love Me JeJe’ and ‘What You Need’, taking fans through different periods of her music career.
During her performance, Tems invited the audience to sing along, making the fans part of the experience.
An attendee, @tmdmrv, also took to X to describe Tems’ performance of ‘Burning’ as a standout moment.
“Tems’ performance of Burning at Surround Sound is forever imprinted in my heart.
“That touched me,” @tmdmrv wrote on X.
According to Spotify, Runtown performed on the second night, opening with ‘Lagos to Kampala’ and ‘Gallardo’, before delivering renditions of ‘For Life’, ‘International Badman Killa’, ‘Unleash’ and ‘Kini Issue’.
The platform said his hit song, ‘Mad Over You’, became a major moment of the performance as he performed it before returning to the song a second time to close the show, with fans singing along.
Another attendee, @wysdavidd, shared the experience on X, describing Runtown’s return to ‘Mad Over You’ as a memorable moment.
“When Runtown came back and performed it for the second time to close out the show, it meant something to me,” @wysdavidd wrote.
Speaking ahead of his performance, Runtown said it was the first time in 10 years that he would perform with his band, adding that he looked forward to seeing his fans.
Spotify said that the performances were filmed and would be released as ‘Surround Sound presents Tems’ and ‘Surround Sound presents Runtown,’ with release dates to be announced.
