Spotify is deepening its engagement with Kenya’s fast-growing youth audience by taking its streaming experience offline through Greasy Tunes, a two-week cultural festival in Nairobi that combined music, fashion, food, podcasts and live entertainment.
Held from July 15 to 26 at Heltz House, the event targeted Nairobi’s young creators and listeners as Spotify seeks to strengthen its connection with one of Africa’s fastest-growing music markets.
Internal Spotify data from June 2026 showed listeners aged 18 to 24 generated 53.7% of all music streams in Nairobi, the highest Gen Z share among Nairobi, Lagos and Johannesburg. Listening peaked at 6 p.m., while evening listening between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. accounted for 20.9% of daily streams from the age group, equivalent to 25.3 million streams.
“Greasy Tunes brings the energy people experience on Spotify into a shared physical space,” said Agnes Opondo, Spotify East Africa’s Artists & Labels Partnerships Lead. “The programme reflects how music already connects Nairobi’s young listeners, whether through food, conversation, creativity or community.”
The festival was split into two themed weeks. The first, Starters, explored how music intersects with everyday life through events spanning fashion, podcasts, food, gospel music and football. Highlights included Studio 18’s Karibu Night, performances by BURUKLYN BOYZ and Coster Ojwang, podcast recordings, and Smocha Sundays, which combined gospel performances with a football watch party.
The second week, The Mains, shifted toward creative collaboration, featuring a Premium Fan Event with Nyashinski, the EQUAL Workshop and Showcase with Ongeza Volume, Gufy’s Room, Fresh Finds and Nakili Sessions, comedy performances, podcast recordings and the Strictly Soul closing party.
The festival also promoted Spotify’s Made In Kenya editorial playlist, with its cover artwork changing daily to feature artists linked to each event, extending the physical experience onto the streaming platform.
The initiative reflects Spotify’s broader strategy of complementing digital music discovery with in-person cultural experiences that deepen artist engagement and strengthen local creative ecosystems. Kenya has become one of Spotify’s priority African markets as consumption of local music and creator-led content continues to grow among younger audiences.
