Spotify has announced Toronto-based indie pop artist Katherine Li is representing Canada as its EQUAL Global Ambassador for May, in honour of Asian Heritage month.
Throughout the month, the music platform is highlighting the contributions, achievements and stories of Asian-Canadian creators in Canada.
“Katherine perfectly personifies the values and essence of the EQUAL brand. Her audaciousness, powerful messages of empowerment, undeniable talent, and unique perspective as a proud Asian-Canadian creator are precisely what the brand was created for,” Spotify said in a media release Thursday.
Li is a 19-year-old indie pop sensation who has always had a passion for performing. As a young child, she started taking piano lessons and putting on shows for friends and family but it wasn’t until 2019 when Li decided it was time to pursue music professionally.
During the height of the pandemic in November 2020, Li uploaded her first TikTok where she sang a medley of Bruno Mars hits. To her shock, the video received overwhelmingly positive comments which encouraged her to post more.
Li is known for her original songs which touches on the topics of heartache and romantic woes. The young artist gained millions of fans who felt deeply connected to her lyricism. Her first body of work was her EP Crush(ed), which focuses on the infatuation of having an unrequited love.
Li grew up inspired by numerous female artists in the industry, such as Taylor Swift and Julia Michaels, who have motivated her to share her music with the world.
“As a woman in music, I’ve seen the lack of representation first-hand. I’m extremely lucky to have a platform where I’m able to share my journey, and I hope my story is told in a way that inspires other women in the industry, like how my childhood idols did for me,” Li said to Spotify.
“Equity in music means seeing more and more women being represented in the industry. Music is a huge part of everyday life, and prioritizing equity in such a big industry is so important. Seeing women in music should become a normal, instead of a rare occurrence,” she added.
Fans can find Li on the cover of the EQUAL and EQUAL Canada playlists with her song “If I Weren’t Me” found on each playlist.
She will also be on a billboard in Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square from May 19 to 21 and on a billboard in New York City’s Time Square for EQUAL on May 23 and 24.
Spotify’s EQUAL Global Music Program started in 2021 with a mission to promote gender equity in the music industry by amplifying and celebrating the work of female creators around the world.
