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Special Backstage Intro: Meet co-founder Martin!

MichaelW

Our Community Rock Stars with the Wordsmith role can submit blog posts to be published on the Spotify Community Blog. To find out more about the Rock Star Program click here.

 

Hey, you! It's me!

It's time for a brand new Backstage Intro! And this time, with a very special person! 

Meet Spotify's co-founder and chairman; Martin Lorentzon!

 

Hey there, Martin. Nice to meet you! Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am the co-founder and the chairman of Spotify. As the chairman I lead the board work of the company, for example to handle the vision and the overall goals. When I don't work I will do a lot of sports like squash, paddle tennis, floor ball, MTB, skiing and running. I also do some gaming in our brand new gaming room and the favourite games right now are Hearthstone, Diablo III and Counterstrike.

 

What music are you into?
I more or less listen to everything! Every genre has its pros and cons, and music is really for everyone. One of our mantras is "Everyone loves music!". Right now I am very much into Mexican classical guitar, hardcore rock and rough and tough techno! It can sound like:
2 lovely Mexican guitar players - Diablo Rojo - Rodrigo y Gabriela
Hardcore rock from UK - Destabilise - Enter Shikari
Rough and tough from Berlin - Techno Rock (Fettes Geschmeide Cut) - Heiko & Maiko

Martin Lorentzon

 

What do you love most about Spotify the company?
I think our company culture and the people are the best. We have so much fun together! Every office feels like a playground!

 

How does your day at the Spotify Office look like as co-founder?
I work a lot together with our CEO Daniel Ek. It feels like we have a board meeting every day.


Desert Island Discs (stolen from the radio show of the same name): if you lived on a desert island, what eight records would you bring?
That is a tough question. Almost impossible to answer. But here is at least 8 great songs:
Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
One (Your Name) feat. Pharrell - Swedisch House Maffia
Adagio In G Minor - Tomaso Albinoni
Over The Hills And Far Away - Gary Moore
Painted Black (Syntone Remix) - Alex Fakey
Tamacún - Rodrigo y Gabriela
Chandelier - Sia
Faded - Zhu


If there's one thing you've learnt from founding Spotify, what is it?
Motivation always beats skills. The business idea is 3% and execution is 97%. That's why motivation is so important!


Thanks for taking time to share your moments. Before we go, what joke always makes you laugh?
Jokes with suits and masks are always great.

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