Philip Ashon is a an award winning multimedia journalist with over 16 years of audio visual storytelling experience and is  based in Accra, Ghana. He is a graduate of Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies (JOMEC).

Hackathons, pitch competitions and the tech ecosystem

14 Apr 2024  |  podcasters.spotify.com  |  English  |  Digital Economy

CitiTrends features discussions on various aspects of the tech ecosystem, including insights from founders of tech companies like Mak Apps and SolarTaxi, the role of online platforms in the digital economy, the impact of automation, and the regulation of online labor markets. The episode also covers the expansion of eCampus in Senegal, the implications of Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter, and the official adoption of SnooCode as the property addressing system in Liberia. Additionally, it addresses the challenges of job skills mismatch, the tourism potential of Ghana, the evolution of mobile devices, the SIM card re-registration directive in Ghana, and the Electronic Transaction Levy. The show concludes with conversations on the meta verse, the Nigerian government's ban on Twitter, and the experiences of female tech entrepreneurs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Spotify Ghana Meteorological Agency Ghana Tech Lab Soronko Solutions GhanaThink Foundation Ministry of Communications and Digitalization of Ghana IMANI Centre for Policy and Education

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Vicenç Batalla is a journalist based in Lyon, France.

The Yasification of Politics

13 Dec 2023  |  catalunyaplural.cat  |  Spanish  |  Cultural Phenomena

The article discusses the phenomenon of 'yasification' in politics, a trend where political figures are glamorized on social media to appeal to younger voters. Originating from a meme that beautified public figures, it has been adopted by political parties like Podem-Sumar to create a friendly and relatable image of politicians. The trend, which includes using filters and music from pop divas on platforms like TikTok, aims to connect with the Gen Z electorate. The article mentions Spanish politicians Irene Montero and Yolanda Díaz as examples of this strategy, and also references international instances such as Milei in Argentina.

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Spotify Podem-Sumar

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Yessi Bello Perez is a journalist based in London, United Kingdom.

Pay transparency: Who’s leading the way and what role is tech playing?

01 Oct 2023  |  UNLEASH  |  English  |  Racial Pay Gap

The article discusses the growing importance of pay transparency in the post-pandemic era, driven by remote working and the need to address gender and racial pay gaps. It highlights that while large companies are hesitant, fast-growing tech firms like Buffer, Gitlab, and Whereby are leading the way with open wage systems and transparent compensation methodologies. Experts like Ruth Thomas and Jessica Hayes emphasize the need for a shift in mindset among HR professionals to enable effective pay decisions. The article also notes that legislation may be required to drive widespread adoption of pay transparency practices.

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Spotify Deloitte Amazon Gartner Microsoft Facebook Accenture EY Slack Salesforce Twitter Trello Loom Adobe Dropbox Upwork Ford Siemens Shopify

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Pedro Carvalho is a Photographer and Cinematographer based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Ronnia Cherry is a creator, writer and producer living and working in Kingston & Miami. She holds a Bachelor of Art in Advertising with experience in blogging, journalism, copywriting, public relations and content marketing. Her opinions on travel and culture have been published in Buzzfeed, Forbes,...

Meet Chicago-bred Mamii, the 19-year-old singer-songwriter radiating honesty

13 Mar 2021  |  lamboxtra.com  |  English  |  Entertainment & Celebrity

Mamii, a 19-year-old singer-songwriter from Hammond, Indiana, has released her debut EP Black Phoeniix, which showcases a blend of acoustic and electronic soundscapes. The EP, featuring executive production from 1Mind and creative direction from Mihailo Andic, reflects her Midwest upbringing and spiritual awakening. Her single “Jamie” explores themes of unrequited love and self-questioning. Mamii's music has been recognized by artists like Jacob Collier and featured on Spotify and Apple playlists. She discusses her musical journey, inspirations, and the transformative message behind Black Phoeniix, hoping to resonate with listeners and evoke strong emotions.

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Spotify Apple

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Ruth Doris is a journalist based in Dublin, Ireland.

Audio startup aims to read out the newspaper business news on the go

02 Jun 2019  |  Irish Examiner  |  English  |  Media

Noa, an audio startup, allows users to listen to narrated news articles, focusing on business stories for the financial, corporate, and legal industries. The company collaborates with newsrooms to select articles and uses narrators from Ireland, the UK, and the US. Founded by Mr Hickey and Mr Ennis, Noa launched in May 2017 and has since narrated over 12,000 articles from publishers like Bloomberg and The Economist. Noa offers a mobile app and website with free and premium versions, and it plans to allow publisher clients to offer audio files to their readers. The startup received a €600,000 investment in early 2018 and is exploring audio opportunities in the car market.

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Spotify Audible Google Home Alexa

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Aysegul Frame is a journalist based in İstanbul, Turkey.

Nine Tips to Have a Mindful, Peaceful Journey

05 Oct 2019  |  Yabangee  |  English  |  Lifestyle

The article discusses the concept of 'mindful travel' and offers nine tips for travelers seeking a more peaceful and purposeful experience. The author emphasizes the importance of preparation, minimalism, sensory engagement, kindness, solitude, journaling, technology breaks, authenticity, and regular mindfulness practice. The tips range from using travel resources like TripAdvisor and Google Map to reduce stress, to prioritizing needs, taking time to enjoy the senses, being kind, spending time alone, keeping a journal, limiting phone use, not focusing on appearance, and incorporating mindfulness into daily life. The author suggests that these practices can enhance travel experiences and also be applied to everyday life for greater peace and comfort.

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Spotify TripAdvisor Pinterest Google Map maps.me

Peter Guest is a writer, editor, producer and photographer, based in Southeast Asia. His work has appeared in Nikkei Asian Review, the Atlantic, Newsweek, the Financial Times, Wired, the Guardian, the Wall Street Journal and others. He has reported from more than 40 countries across five continents,...

The technology sector in Ukraine resists amid the bloody war

30 Sept 2023  |  WIRED  |  Spanish  |  Startup Resilience

Despite the devastating Russian invasion, Ukraine's tech sector has shown remarkable resilience and growth. In 2022, IT exports increased by nearly 7%, even as the economy contracted by almost a third. The article profiles four Ukrainian startups—Djooky, Awesomic, Howly, and BetterMe—that have adapted and thrived amid the war. Djooky, a music platform, has continued to connect fans with artists. Awesomic, a design and development service, has expanded its operations and moved its headquarters to Silicon Valley. Howly, an online concierge service, has diversified its offerings and maintained operations despite infrastructure attacks. BetterMe, a health and wellness app, has increased its workforce and revenue by 20% in 2022 and has provided free mental health resources to Ukrainians. The tech sector's cooperation and solidarity have been pivotal in sustaining the economy and supporting the war effort.

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Spotify Y Combinator Google Universal Music World Health Organization

Megy Karydes is a journalist based in Chicago, United States of America. Her byline has appeared in USA Today, Fortune, Forbes, Rodale's Organic Life, National Geographic's The Plate, The Atlantic's CityLab, Sierra, Midwest Living magazine, Travel + Leisure, Chicago Tribune, among others.

Why Social Media Matters to Brands I Business & Marketing I Retailing Insight Magazine

14 May 2021  |  Retailing Insight Magazine  |  English  |  COVID-19 Impact on Business

The article discusses how Melrose International utilizes various social media platforms such as Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Spotify to engage with retailers and customers. It highlights the company's success in connecting with nearly three million subscribers on YouTube. The article also notes the shift in marketing strategies by retailers due to COVID-19, with many turning to Facebook Live events to entertain and interact with customers in real-time. The use of video and personal stories has made store owners more relatable to their audience. The author, Lempa, suggests that businesses can benefit from enhancing their social media presence and offers advice on observing competitors to understand what content appeals to followers.

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Spotify Facebook Pinterest YouTube

Julia Kim is a journalist based in Chuo City, Japan.

BTS Jungkook Dominates 2023: Tops K-Pop Solo Album Sales with 'GOLDEN'

02 Jan 2024  |  www.btimesonline.com  |  English  |  Music Industry

Jungkook's debut solo album 'GOLDEN' has become the top-selling K-pop solo album in 2023 with over 2.7 million units sold. It achieved 'Double Million Seller' status within 5 hours of release and set a record for the highest first-week sales by a K-pop solo artist. 'GOLDEN' debuted at 2nd on the Billboard 200 and remained in the top 50 for seven weeks, marking the highest ever UK chart position for a K-Pop solo album. It was included in the New York Times' and UPROXX's best albums of 2023 lists and is the first K-pop solo album to sell over 500,000 units in the U.S. in 2023. On Spotify, it surpassed 2 billion streams in 42 days, and on YouTube Music, it reached 1 billion streams, both records for a K-pop solo album.

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Spotify Circle Chart Korea Music Content Association Billboard UK Official Albums New York Times UPROXX YouTube Music

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For over 20 years I was an English-language journalist based in Moscow. Following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, I left Russia. However, I continue to closely monitor developments in Russia (and my homeland, Belarus), contributing articles on Russia-related topics. My focus lies ...

The Deals: Grouplove Signs With Glassnote; Marathon Strikes Distribution Pact With FUGA

26 Jan 2023  |  Billboard  |  English  |  Business Deals

Grouplove has signed with Glassnote Records for their upcoming sixth album. FUGA, part of Downtown Music, entered a distribution agreement with Marathon Music Group. Spotify licensed Rotana Music's catalog, adding over 10,000 Arabic songs for Middle Eastern and North African regions. Premier Music Group secured a second round of financing led by MEP Capital. Boeing renamed ASM Global's Tech Port Center + Arena in San Antonio to Boeing Center at Tech Port and partnered with the Kelly Heritage Foundation for STEM initiatives. Orfium acquired Soundmouse, a music cue sheet reporting and audio recognition company. RECORDS Nashville signed the James Barker Band. Décibels Productions took a majority stake in French talent agency Les Visiteurs du Soir. Santa Anna signed a distribution deal with indie label Listen to the Kids. Big Loud Records artist Mackenzie Porter signed with CAA, and Riser House Records artist Meghan Patrick signed with WME and Make Wake Artists. Compass Records Group signed Robbie Fulks, Curb Records signed Kelsey Hart, and Nettwerk signed several artists including Donovan's Playground.

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Spotify ASM Global Kelly Heritage Foundation Sony Music Entertainment CAA WME Make Wake Artists

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Freelance journalist. Covered the 2019-2020 uprising and broke news on the protests from the ground, including live blogging the 2020 Women's March for The Guardian. Covered the 2020 referendum results and 2021 constituent assembly elections. Focus on women's and LGBT rights.

Have written ...

gal-dem selects: ones to watch 2023

09 Apr 2024  |  gal-dem.com  |  English  |  Artist Spotlight

gal-dem introduces a selection of emerging music artists to watch in 2023, highlighting their recent achievements and upcoming projects. The article features artists such as Rachel Chinouriri, Nia Archives, Hemlocke Springs, Olivia Dean, KYE, Bloody Civilian, Somadina, and Alemeda, detailing their unique sounds and the anticipation for their new music. The piece also references past successes in promoting artists like FLO, Koffee, Sudan Archives, and Nova Twins. The article is accompanied by an extended Spotify playlist.

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Olga Mecking is a writer, journalist, and translator. Originally from Poland, Olga lived in Germany and is now based in The Netherlands. Olga's interests include:

Hidden Features and Third Party Programs That Make Spotify Work for You

11 Oct 2017  |  www.vice.com  |  English  |  Technology

Spotify, with its extensive music library and AI-driven tech, offers numerous native and third-party tools to enhance user experience. Tools like Smarter Playlists, Sort Your Music, and Organize Your Music allow users to create and customize playlists based on various parameters such as tempo, energy, and mood. Acrostify enables users to send secret messages through playlists, while the Spotify Artist Network and Artist Explorer help discover new artists. Spotlistr integrates Last.fm listening history into Spotify, and Forgotify highlights unplayed songs. Despite some user frustrations with Spotify's search function, effective operators and keyboard shortcuts can improve navigation.

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Spotify Artist Network The Echo Nest

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Karen Pereira is a journalist based in Madrid, Spain.

10 records Jung Kook broke ahead of GOLDEN album launch

10 Oct 2023  |  Times of India Blog  |  English  |  K-Pop

Jung Kook has set multiple records ahead of his 'GOLDEN' album launch, including being the first K-Pop soloist with No. 1 hits on the Hot 100, the K-Pop act with the most monthly listeners on Spotify, and achieving the longest-running No. 1 hit by an Asian act on the Billboard Global 200 US singles chart with 'Seven'. He has also sold over 1 million units of 'Seven' in the US, tied with PSY for the most top 10 hits in Hot 100 history, and broke a 20-year record held by Beyonce for the fastest debut album to score multiple top 10 hits on Billboard Hot 100.

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Spotify Billboard

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Max Pringle is a journalist based in San Francisco, CA, United States. I've produced thousands of long form and spot radio packages; hosted and produced public affairs programs and written dozens of articles for print and online publications. That means I'm able to step in, research and write ...

20 Something Blues (EP)

26 Mar 2022  |  WORDPLAY  |  English  |  EP Release

i.am.afiya, a South London-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, releases her second EP '20 Something Blues', exploring themes of life in one's 20s, including depression, break-ups, and dating apps. Known for her genre-bending style and self-production, she draws inspiration from artists like King Krule, Lianna La Havas, and Hiatus Kaiyote. Her latest work expands her sonic library and experiments with production and sampling. Since her 2020 EP, she has been featured on Wordplay Magazine's 'Wordplay Sessions', BBC Introducing London, BBC Introducing Norfolk & Suffolk, and Spotify's 'Our Generation' playlist, leading to performances across London and at the Wild Paths Festival in Norwich.

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Spotify Wordplay Magazine BBC Introducing London BBC Introducing Norfolk & Suffolk

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Mina Rzouki is a European Football journalist based in London, United Kingdom.

Serie A Chronicles Season 3: An update from Nicky & Mina

12 Aug 2023  |  serieachronicles.com  |  English  |  Serie A

Nicky Bandini and Mina Rzouki announce changes to the Serie A Chronicles Podcast for Season 3, including weekly voice notes published ad-free on Patreon and later compiled into longer episodes. They will record fewer joint episodes due to time constraints but will offer more content on the free podcast feed with ads. Subscribers on Patreon can access content faster, ad-free, and with additional features. Spotify users can now connect their Patreon accounts to access the Tifosi feed in the Spotify app.

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Gladstone H Taylor is an author/journalist living and operating out of the creative industries of Kingston, Jamaica. He has been writing professionally for over eight years. He’s reported on the environment, culture, music, film, and tech through platforms such as Mongabay, The Fader, Sole DxB, ...

7 Reggae/Dancehall Songs Worth Streaming This Month

29 Apr 2022  |  DancehallMag  |  English  |  Playlists

The article is a curated list of seven Reggae and Dancehall songs that the author, a seasoned music journalist, recommends for streaming. The selection is not based on popularity or release dates but on the quality of the music. The playlist, which can be found on DancehallMag's Spotify, includes tracks from established and emerging artists, highlighting their talents and the depth of their music. The author emphasizes the importance of conscious consumption of music and the role it plays in shaping the culture. By promoting songs with substance and storytelling, the author aims to counteract the prevalence of violent imagery in the genre and support artists who are intentional about the truth in their music.

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Spotify DancehallMag The Fader The Face Magazine Riddim Magazine

Day Woods is a based in Louisville, United States of America.

How to Apply Agile to Your Marketing and SEO

09 Oct 2017  |  www.business2community.com  |  English  |  Agile Methodology

Agile methodology, traditionally used in web development, is increasingly being applied to other business areas, including marketing and SEO. The article discusses the continuous nature of SEO due to frequent changes in Google's algorithm and suggests integrating Agile principles to improve marketing strategies. It provides examples of how Agile can be adapted for marketing, such as responding to changing requirements at a trade fair, and emphasizes the benefits of Agile for achieving better and more efficient results in business.

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