Backstage intro - Meet Vincent

[Nikola]

Hey folks, 

October is here, time sure flies fast 🍁🍂

Hope everyone is having a good day, no matter what the weather is 😄  And after this mandatory meteorological intro - we would like to introduce you to the newest addition to the Spotify Star Program.

To find out more about the Spotify Star Program click here

But wait, he’s not exactly 'new'. @Ximzend used to be a part of the constellation a while ago and has returned to join the Star ranks again. He returned to the Program in July & now we have the chance to get to know him a little better.

Let’s give a big warm welcome to Vincent a.k.a @Ximzend  

Hey Vincent, you’ve been with us for a while but we would like to welcome you once again. Can you tell us a bit more about yourself?

Hello! I’m Ximzend, but you can call me Vincent - that’s my real name, and it’s much easier to pronounce. I’m 30 years old and still live in my hometown, where I also work.

When was the first time you came across Spotify?

My journey with Spotify began back in Q2 of 2010 when I read a tech news article about its launch in the Netherlands. At that time, you could only listen to 20 hours of music per month for free, so it wasn’t my main source for music. However, I’ve since come to appreciate the platform, especially its features.

That’s interesting!

What has your experience been in the Spotify Community? We'd love to know why you wanted to join the Stars Program again?

I’ve been actively participating in the Spotify Community, primarily assisting users with their questions about programming with the Spotify API. When the Developers section is quieter, I enjoy exploring other areas to see where I can lend a hand and support fellow members. My current goal is to expand my knowledge so I can better assist users across different sections of the Community, which is why I decided to rejoin the Star Program.

And it's wonderful to have you back!

What kind of music do you enjoy listening to? Why don’t you share a couple of your favorite tracks with us? 🙂

I enjoy a diverse mix that fits my mood. My favorite genres include relaxing styles like chill house and tropical house, as well as upbeat tracks in pop dance, EDM, and slap house. I also love local flavors like Dutch pop and Nederpop. A few songs I keep coming back to are:

“Dupwoofer Substep” by Omnitica: I love the combination of a peaceful instrumental melody with the intense sound of dubstep.

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“Titanium (feat. Sia)” by David Guetta: The powerful lyrics and beat make me feel energized and strong.

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“Delicate” by Taylor Swift: This song’s soothing lyrics and melody bring a sense of calm and introspection.

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Great choices! Do you have a favorite Spotify feature?

Yes! Aside from the API, one of my favorite features is the playlist folders. They help me organize similar types of playlists, and with a limited number of pins available, they’re a handy way to keep everything neat. I also use Smarter Playlists to automate my playlists by combining and shuffling them on a daily or weekly schedule. A tip for using this tool: press the ALT key before copying a share link to get the playlist URI. Just keep in mind that it has a 1,000-track limit, and sometimes the server may fail, which can affect scheduled programs or result in losing parts of larger playlists.

Quite practical!

What do you like to do in your personal life? Do you enjoy traveling?

I haven’t traveled alone yet, but I love visiting theme parks abroad with my older brother. A few years ago, we spent two days at Phantasialand and a week at Universal Resort in Orlando, Florida.

That sounds like a lot of fun! Lastly we often ask this, do you have a favorite snack?

Definitely! If I had to choose, it would be candy - it comes in so many different flavors!

Thank you for sharing, Vincent!
It’s been great getting to know you.

Stay tuned for the next Backstage Intro coming soon. If you're also a new Star wanting an introduction, feel free to reach out to someone from the Community team and let us know. We'd love to find out a bit more about you 🙂