The world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service Spotify, global concerts powerhouse Live Nation, and Gold House, the leading Asian and Pacific Islander changemaker community, are introducing the inaugural cohort of their Futures Music Guild initiative to uplift rising Asian music artists: Ruby Ibarra, Anik Khan, and Thuy Tran.
Chosen by a selection committee of industry API titans, these musicians will showcase their talent by participating in Spotify masterclasses and recording Spotify Singles—a series of original artist recordings made in Spotify’s in-house studios—that will be released globally on the platform for streaming.
“Spotify is proud to partner with Gold House as part of our continued investment to amplify & support emerging API artists. Our Asian employee resource group, SPACE, has had a long standing relationship with Gold House. This includes our support for initiatives including Gold Open, collaborating on editorialized API playlists ‘Gold Beats’, and amplifying the importance of diversity & allyship. We’re excited to build on this work and usher in a new generation of talent through the Music Guild,” says Priscilla Chan, Spotify’s Associate Director of Consumer Business Development, and Co-Lead of SPACE.
After recording their songs, these artists will have the chance to take them to the stage. Gold House has partnered with Live Nation to present the “Gold Nation Showcase,” a concert on May 19 to celebrate and exhibit the work of these rising API music artists during Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Taking place at The Peppermint Club, a Live Nation venue in Los Angeles, the artists will perform in front of industry decision-makers, luminaries, and fans in an intimate setting.
“Live Nation is dedicated to using our influence to support diversity and unlock opportunities, from growing our hiring pipeline to diversify our workforce, to finding ways to help artists break through industry barriers and play on stages around the world,” says Michael Chua, VP at Live Nation Entertainment and Co-Lead of Asian Nation, the company’s API-focused ERG which is spearheading this initiative. “Gold House is doing some amazing work for creators and we look forward to expanding mentorship, growth and success opportunities for API artists within the live business.”
The Futures Music Guild is a crucial pillar of Gold House Futures, a program to advance the success of emerging API leaders. Those selected receive direct investment, skill-building mentorship, and brand-building promotion.
“Despite being the majority of the world and the fastest-growing population in the United States, Asians and Pacific Islanders have been long-omitted and misrepresented in music and media. Investing in the most promising API musicians enables us to further see ourselves in even more spaces to inspire new generations in our community–and in every community,” says Mikkoh Chen, Gold House’s Head of Futures.
