The city of Lagos came alive on Tuesday night as Spotify officially unveiled its Greasy Tunes Café, an immersive three-week pop-up experience that blends music, food, and Nigerian culture.
The high-energy launch took place at Fired & Iced in Lekki Phase 1, where an audience of media personalities, podcasters, influencers, artists, and fans gathered to celebrate Spotify’s latest cultural initiative.
According to the streaming giant, the Greasy Tunes Café was inspired by new data revealing that for Nigerian Gen Z, music and food form two inseparable pillars of daily life, with Afrobeats dominating their playlists from morning to night.
Through this activation, visitors can order local dishes and instantly receive a personalized Spotify playlist or podcast curated in real-time based on their meal selection, blending flavor and rhythm into one seamless cultural experience.
The evening opened with two fireside chats, offering guests an inside look at Spotify’s strategy for connecting with young Nigerian audiences. Bea Theron, Experiential Marketing Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, and Victor Okpala, Artist and Label Partnership Manager for West Africa, led the discussions.
Theron described the café as a forward-looking model rooted in authenticity.
“Tonight proves the power of the youth: they build the culture here in Nigeria. The Greasy Tunes Café is our future-facing model, blending the force of Afrobeats with the authenticity of local cuisine. This isn’t just a party; it’s a strategic move to establish the new cultural future of Lagos,” she said.
Okpala, expanding on the initiative’s programming, revealed that the café would serve as both a launchpad for emerging talent and a learning hub for creatives.
He mentioned upcoming events, including an October 11 screening of a documentary exploring Afro-Nigerian Afro-funk and the Eyo masquerade, noting Spotify’s mission to celebrate the country’s deep musical heritage.
“This space is not only about vibes; it’s about education, collaboration, and amplifying voices that define our sound,” Okpala said.
The spotlight then turned to two rising stars — Fola, one of Nigeria’s fastest-rising Afrobeats artists, and Thakzin, a Spotify RADAR act from South Africa. The pair shared their creative journeys in an honest conversation about resilience, artistry, and growth.
“You have to put in the work; that is my truth,” Fola said. “Nothing about my journey is overnight. The love I’m receiving fuels me, and my goal is clear: I’m going to take Afrobeats to the next level.”
Thakzin echoed similar sentiments, stressing emotional authenticity in music-making.
“For me, music is about translating real-time feelings into rhythm,” he explained. “If you’re going to push new sounds, you have to go harder, always, because that’s how you break through and move people.”
After the discussions, DJ Dami Osinubi took over the decks, transforming the space into a lively dance floor. Guests mingled, shared moments online, and enjoyed local delicacies — a true celebration of Lagos’ creative heartbeat.
Okay.ng reports that the Greasy Tunes Café will remain open for three weeks, offering a rotating lineup of live performances, culinary sessions, and cultural conversations, all designed to amplify the synergy between Nigerian music, food, and identity.
