Spotify expands artist storytelling with new video series ‘The Come Up: Center Stage’
Spotify’s launches new video series. See how the platform is showcasing emerging talent with ‘The Come Up: Center Stage’.
Spotify continues to increase its role in artist development with the launch of its latest original video series, The Come Up: Center Stage. Building on the momentum of its social media-focused series The Come Up, this new project marks a deeper investment by Spotify in video content that highlights the journeys of emerging artists.
The debut episode, now live on Spotify’s platform, features 19-year-old New York-based artist Sombr. Known for his emotionally raw songwriting and viral tracks like “Back to Friends” and “Undressed,” Sombr represents the kind of rising talent that Spotify increasingly seeks to spotlight across its platform.
The Come Up: Center Stage offers an intimate look at Sombr’s trajectory, from recording songs in his bedroom to reaching significant milestones on Spotify. The episode captures moments of personal reflection, including how Sombr crafted his debut single “Nothing Left to Say” and what it meant for him to see his image featured prominently on a Times Square billboard, a promotional effort driven by Spotify’s artist marketing team.
Throughout the video, Sombr discusses his creative process, the emotional themes that drive his work, and his aspirations for future collaborations, naming Billie Eilish as a dream partner. The episode offers a blend of performance footage, personal anecdotes, and behind-the-scenes moments, an approach Spotify hopes will foster a stronger connection between emerging artists and their audiences.
In recent years, Spotify has steadily expanded its video offerings, with artist-focused projects like RapCaviar Presents and behind-the-scenes podcasts such as Spotify Singles Studio Diaries.
With The Come Up: Center Stage, Spotify adds another layer to its creator support, giving developing artists not just playlist placements and editorial features but now also longform, visual storytelling that lives directly within the Spotify platform. The series also reflects Spotify’s broader investment in video as a storytelling medium, a trend that continues to grow across the music industry.
For Spotify, initiatives like this serve a dual purpose: offering compelling content for listeners while providing artists, especially those in the early stages of their careers, with new ways to share their stories and reach wider audiences.
Future episodes of The Come Up: Center Stage will feature a diverse lineup of artists, with each episode focusing on pivotal career moments and creative breakthroughs. The series is available for streaming within the Spotify app, alongside additional short-form promotional clips shared across Spotify’s social media channels