Spotify and New York’s legendary Electric Lady Studios have expanded their partnership to include a series of live EPs, starting later this month. The series builds from their existing partnership for Spotify Singles and will feature high-quality live audio recordings, distributed exclusively on Spotify.
The first “Live at Electric Lady” EP will be from jazz pianist and “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” musician Jon Batiste and will arrive on July 29, with upcoming EPs from Japanese Breakfast (pictured above), Patti Smith, Dominic Fike, Faye Webster, Bleachers, Remi Wolf, and Natalie Bergman, with more to come.
Designed and founded by Jimi Hendrix shortly before his death in 1970, Electric Lady, located in New York’s Greenwich Village, is the oldest operating recording facility in the Northeast and has hosted legendary recordings by the Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, the Clash, David Bowie and countless others. One of the few remaining traditional recording studios in New York, Electric Lady still features the famous artwork that Hendrix commissioned for the facility on the walls of its downstairs lobby and main studio (one example of which can be seen reflected in the glass in the photo above).
“It was an absolute dream to get to record at Electric Lady,” says Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast. “The rooms are filled with good, ancient vibes and the engineers there are unparalleled, so it’s no wonder it’s such an iconic studio that holds a place in so many legends’ hearts.”
For the EP series, the participating artists are encouraged to play their own compositions as well as cover songs of artists connected to the studio’s history.
The studio’s General Manager and Partner, Lee Foster, says, “The idea for ‘Live at Electric Lady’ dates back to as early as the mid-70’s, done typically for various radio stations throughout the years. This, however, is the first time that it’s had a dedicated partner and a concrete plan forward. Having Spotify, its staff, and its know-how has given us the big engine we needed to make this program a success. The Spotify relationship is a big step forward in our evolution and we look forward to being a great partner to them for many years to come.
Stream a Spotify playlist of songs recorded at Electric Lady.