Nigeria: Joyce Olong named Spotify EQUAL artist for May

Renowned for her genre-defying sound and fierce artistic independence, Olong is celebrated for blending alternative styles with African rhythms and dub textures, creating a sonic identity that defies conventional classification. Her selection as EQUAL Africa’s spotlight artist highlights her growing influence as a multi-talented creative shaping a new direction for African music.

“It’s elite music. Different on this side,” Olong said, speaking on her distinctive approach. From writing and singing to producing and engineering her own tracks, Olong maintains full creative control over her work, an uncommon level of artistic ownership that has resonated strongly within the continent’s alt music community.

Born and raised in Nigeria, Olong is known for building immersive musical experiences. Her work is described as layered, intentional, and unapologetically original, characteristics that align with the EQUAL Africa programme’s mission to amplify the voices of women artists across the continent.

Launched by Spotify, the EQUAL initiative aims to foster gender equality in audio by celebrating influential female creators. Olong joins a growing list of African artists honoured through the programme for their contributions to music and culture.

Her selection as the May 2025 honouree signals a bold new chapter not just for her career, but for African alternative music as a whole.