Spotify Star Jam 2023: The summary blog

[Luan]

If you don't know by now, Spotify Stars (like me!) are Spotify fans who engage here in the Community forums helping users, driving discussions, and much more. 

This month, we attended the Spotify Star Jam, an annual event where we all get together and celebrate. The event has been virtual since 2021 for a number of reasons, but this year, 8 of us are back together in-person again, and we're super happy about it! As we meet in the heart of Stockholm at the Spotify office, our fellow Stars are hanging out together virtually back home too. So this is the first time, in our history, that a Jam is happening both virtually and in-person.

In this blog, I wanted to capture some of the essence of this incredible event that was placed between August 22nd and 26th, and let you all know what we've been up to! We've had three amazing days getting together at different events at the Spotify HQ, whilst having the opportunity to experience some fun activities in the city. I can definitely say that we are together again (in-person) and I have no words to express how cool it is. Here is what we've done...

Wednesday:
We arrived in Stockholm throughout the day and slowly settled in. To our surprise, there was a swag package in our hotel rooms waiting for us, with a hoodie showing off our 'Together Again' slogan, and some other cool treats. Once we got everyone together (and refreshed with some coffee!) we started the activities at the office. We managed to even sync up with our Star friends back home virtually, by dialing into a listening party hangout they were having. With some introductions to follow, accompanied by pizza and lots of games, you can't go wrong with an ice-breaker session. It felt surreal to think that almost all of us had never met before this! With jet lag creeping in (Stars arrived from Brazil, India, Mexico, Spain, and the USA!) we then headed back to get ready for the next day.

Thursday:

On Thursday, we started our activities earlier, after all, there was so much to do and a so many Spotifiers to meet. We kicked off with an office tour, including things like the games room, and all the nice places everyone hangs out! It was very cool to see the secrets the Spotify rooms and halls keep, but we also met so many folks from different teams. Getting insights into their roles and how important everyone's part is in the functioning of Spotify never gets old. We then visited the incredible Spotify Studio, with the most beautiful modern tech space. 

After the studio meet-up, we met with Tamara from the User Research team and had a rich conversation about how they work to connect the users' thoughts with the other internal teams of Spotify, improving the products and developing new solutions.

Later, we got together for a special group photo on the terrace, where we were left speechless by the views of Stockholm below. It was a moment to reflect that we’re really here, together, and not just hanging out online like usual.

Luan, Amay, Bittencourt, José, Matt, Billy, Oscar and Adam

After this nice moment, it was time to gather once more to hear from… Gustav Söderström and Martin Lorentzon in two 'Fireside Chat' style sessions! The relaxed, knowledgeable, intimate sessions were truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It's not often you can say you were in the front row, one of 8 people exclusively chatting with Spotify co-founders and co-presidents.

As if this wasn't already enough, we still had a chat with some of the leads within Customer Service, before we headed to Aifür for a traditional and very Viking Swedish food experience. Have you ever eaten your dinner with an enormous two-pronged fork, as a 'Viking' announces to you with a giant horn? Sounds fun right? Because it was! 

Friday:
Our final day was already here. How was the jet lag at this point, you might be wondering? We were having too much fun to worry about that. We split into two groups for our Community Roundtable events (having the opportunity to use one of the amazing Spotify HQ conference rooms - it was nice!), where we deep-dived into the Star Program and Community. The collaboration and in-depth discussions are integral to the future of the Community and the program, and having chats like this in person really helps you to believe that our feedback is heard.

We also had a conversation with our folks from the desktop team, where we could understand a little bit more about how they're working to improve the platform and we also had a sneak-peak of some great news, which I definitely bet everyone is waiting for, but I can't say anything else, let's keep the secrets...

And if you think we were done, you're wrong... After our last day visiting the Spotify HQ, it was time to say goodbye to it and we were already missing it after the last activities. We prepared ourselves for a nice evening at Gröna Lund, an amusement park where we spent our last hours together having so much fun, laughing a lot, and sharing some exciting moments at the adventurous rides and the nice concert. And getting the opportunity, the bravest member prize goes to @Loneliest_Cabin (after all, going three times, and smiling, in the Fritt Fall isn't for newbies).

I'd like to share with everyone all the photos we took and all the memories we had in this amazing Jam, however, it would take, probably more than a day to share with you all the details. I can just say that it was one of the best experiences of my life and meeting everyone in-person was the golden apple of it.

And now you probably are wondering about the virtual Jam. To say more about it, ladies and gentlemen, here is @Noah...

The virtual Jam:

Hello again, Spotify Community! It's @Noah here, fellow Spotify Star. While @Luan took you on an incredible journey through the vibrant streets of Stockholm and the heart of Spotify HQ, I'm here to plug you into our equally electrifying virtual Jam, which was nothing short of stellar (pun intended!). Even though we couldn't be there in person, that doesn't mean we didn't Jam to the same beat, living the same values, and getting to know each other better virtually from across the world. Without further ado, let's dive right in!

Taking our Jam Swag on an adventure:

From the 21st to the 27th of August, Spotify Stars had the opportunity to showcase their Spotify swag in the quirkiest of ways and places! Whether up a mountain, on a beach, or even in your backyard, the point was to get creative and snap a fun picture. And, to raise the stakes, if your pic got the most likes, there was some surprise Spotify swag waiting for you! 

Questions of the day:

Throughout the week, we all indulged in answering some fun and quirky questions. From sharing our go-to morning song to discussing our childhood food aversions, it was a lovely blend of memories, music, and nostalgia. Check out some of these QOTDs below, and drop your own answers in the thread!

• Monday, August 21: "What's your go-to song to start the day?" By Spotify staff, @Nikola 
• Tuesday, August 22: "Is there a type of food that you couldn't eat as a kid, but learned to love when you grew up?" By Spotify Star, @Maxim 
• Wednesday, August 22: "You're given the power to instantly make any song go viral on all streaming platforms. Which hidden gem would you spotlight?" By Spotify Star, @Noah (me)
• Thursday, August 23: "If you could hang out with any cartoon character, who would you choose and why?" by Spotify Staff, @Kiril 
• Saturday, August 25: "Headphones, Earbuds or Speakers: How do you listen?" by Spotify Rising Star, @Prague 
• Sunday, August 26: "What's your theme song?" by Spotify Rising Star, @Prague 

"What does the Spotify Star program mean to you?"

The Star program isn't just about music; it's also about the community. On August 23, a touching blog post made its way to the community. Thanks to our blog master, @Joan, Stars from around the world got the opportunity to share what the Star Program truly means to them. If you haven't read it yet, make sure to give it a read here: What does the Spotify Star Program mean to you? 

Listening Party:

Being Spotify Stars, music is the lifeblood of our community. So, what's a Jam without a listening party? Curated by our amazing Spotify staff member, @Kiril, we all shared our favourite tracks to create an exclusive Star Jam playlist. This segment was all about grooving together, thousands of miles apart but connected by one playlist.

Fun, Games, and Among Us!:

For this year's Virtual Star Jam, I was back in the hosting seat. Though I typically lead team-building sessions for our stellar crew, I decided to change things up with a round of "Among Us" - a game that's always a hit at my university! It certainly didn't disappoint, and believe me, it won't be the last time we're hunting for an imposter in our midst. Here's hoping I'll get the chance to host another thrilling Among Us game with the whole band in the near future!

Double Points Days:

To wrap up the virtual Jam, we had a rewarding Friday and Saturday where every contribution earned double points!

While we weren't in Stockholm, I felt every bit a part of the celebrations. The magic of music, camaraderie, and virtual engagements made the distance seem trivial. A massive shoutout to every Star and staff member who made the virtual jamming session so memorable. Looking forward to more melodies, moments, and memories in the next Star Jam!

If you want to join our band and be able to take part in our next Jams and some other amazing activities, don't waste more time... The Spotify Stars Program is just a one-step ahead. See if you have what it takes to be a Star in this For The Record article.