There are few feelings that match someone sending a ‘hey, this song made me think of you’ text. Reminiscent of every cringe yet comforting early 2000s romcom, where the main protagonist gets a mixtape with doodles and a handwritten ‘For You’ note, it is the ultimate subtle yet heartwarming way to show how much you know someone. Even if in 2023 personalised mixtapes have died – along with romance, apparently – the act of sharing music still remains the unspoken sixth love language. 

Over the years, Spotify has become the go-to destination both lurking through other people’s playlists and finding songs to soundtrack every possible mood. With everything from personalised, ‘Discover Weekly’ playlists curated to provide listeners with brand new music tailored to their taste, to playlists such as ‘Main Character Vibes’ and ‘Songs To Sing In The Car’, Spotify’s playlist category is vast and ever-growing. 

As Spotify’s Senior Editor of Indie & Developing, Lizzy Szabo is in charge of curating and updating the platform’s ‘Lorem’, a playlist committed to remaining a reliable destination for artists and music lovers looking to find new music. First released in 2019, the playlist is filled with the likes of Clairo, Boygenius and Dominic Fike. “Four years ago, playlists were pretty straightforward. They were traditionally categorized to serve moods, moments, and genres,” Szabo explains, discussing the process of curating ‘Lorem’. “While we didn’t want to completely disrupt the system, we aimed to relate more to the listeners and the artists. Could we playlist in a way that more accurately mirrored how people naturally listened to music – jumping around from new to old, varying genres, major artists and developing? We wanted to have a little more fun with it.”

Describing the playlist as “a safe space” that is “loyally human curated”, Szabo is dedicated to using ‘Lorem’ as a means of championing the humanity of artists and looking beyond simply viral songs that get lost in numbers and charts. Instead of taking the algorithmic approach many playlists do, ‘Lorem’ is carefully updated with its listeners' needs and wants remaining at the heart of the curation process. Speaking on her approach to the playlist, Szabo explained she looks for ”a song or artist that deserves more momentum or recognition, that our team or the listeners (may it be a big or small group) are truly excited or curious about.” 

Intentional at every stage, every detail of the playlist is thoroughly thought through. “We love to craft a narrative in the sequencing, to put two artists together that inexplicably make sense, to highlight a new scene or style, to find the right moment to place an artist on the cover,” Szabo explained.

To inaugurate our series celebrating ‘Lorem’, its talent and its community, we called upon a few Dazed team members to bring the Lorem world to life. Specialising in internet subcultures, Günseli Yalcinkaya is our features editor and one of three members of our team to tap into ‘Lorem’. She is joined by Halima Jibril, our features writer and Percy Cobbinah our marketing assistant. 

Below, Halima, Günseli and Percy talk to Lizzy about their relationships with music, favourite ‘Lorem’ songs, joining Lana Del Rey as a waitress at Waffle House and songs they wish they wrote.

GÜNSELI YALCINKAYA

Lizzy Szabo: You have to spend a day with one ‘Lorem’ artist, who would it be and what would you do with them? 

Günseli Yalcinkaya: Go to the abandoned Mr Blobby theme park with 100 gecs.

If the ‘Lorem’ playlist could take you anywhere (real or fictional) where does it transport you to? 

Günseli Yalcinkaya: An eternal road trip on a sunny day. 

If you were to curate your own playlist, who would be on it? What would be the theme? 

Günseli Yalcinkaya: That’s a hard one! Right now, I’d create a playlist titled ‘songs for deep listening’ and include some of my favourite artists bringing a spiritual dimension into electronic music, such as Caterina Barbieri, Evita Manji, Marina Herlop, and many more… 

When you are working, what type of music do you listen to? 

Günseli Yalcinkaya: Breakcore because I like to be in a constant state of fight or flight, lol. 

How important is the concept of genre to you? Do you gravitate towards the feeling of music or a specific scene, era, or genre? 

Günseli Yalcinkaya: I think the internet (and remix culture) has made it difficult to define a song by any one particular genre. When I listen to music, I go by mood or artist – I’ve been getting back into listening to choosing one artist and going through their discography, album by album. 

You’ve gone down a rabbit hole and found a great song… what’s the first thing you do?

Günseli Yalcinkaya: Listen to it on repeat until the dopamine stops hitting 100 per cent.

Do you feel your personal style is linked to your music taste? Why/why not? 

Günseli Yalcinkaya: Definitely! I like to think of my dress sense as an amalgamation of my tastes and interests at any given time, and obviously the music I listen to is a big part of that… 

What song feels ultra-personal to you, like it was made for you? 

Günseli Yalcinkaya: There are too many to choose from, but one song I always return to is ‘The Hedgehog Song’ by Incredible String Band.

What is the most cinematic, all-encompassing, lose-yourself-in type track you’ve heard this year? 

Günseli Yalcinkaya: ‘It’s A Dream (feat. Lil Uzi Vert)’ is fire. 

HALIMA JIBRIL

Lizzy Szabo: Which song on the ‘Lorem’ playlist feels like a Monday or a Friday to you?

Halima Jibril: Touching Yourself by The Japanese House feels like a Monday. But Not Kiss by Faye Webster feels like a Friday  

You have to spend a day with one ‘Lorem’ artist, who would it be and what would you do with them?

Halima Jibril: Lana Del Rey! I’d join her as a waitress at Waffle House.

If the ‘Lorem’ playlist could take you anywhere (real or fictional) where does it transport you to?

Halima Jibril: To a beautiful beach with the bluest of water.

If you could’ve written one song on the playlist, which one would it be and why?

Halima Jibril: ‘Not Strong Enough’ by Boygenius. I love their new album so deeply. It makes me cry every time I listen. I’m so envious of how they capture such raw emotions in their lyrics and melodies.   

If you were to curate your own playlist, who would be on it? What would be the theme? 

Halima Jibril: Alex G (Theme: sadness!)

When you are working, what type of music do you listen to?

Halima Jibril: Sad music - it helps me concentrate. 

How important is the concept of genre to you? Do you gravitate towards the feeling of music or a specific scene, era, or genre?

Halima Jibril: Era, for sure. When I was writing my undergraduate history dissertation, I was obsessed with protest music from the 60s and 70s because my dissertation was based around the 70s. I love what they tell us about history. 

Do you feel your personal style is linked to your music taste? Why/why not?

Halima Jibril: It used to be, for sure! Especially when I used to listen primarily to older music. Now, not so much. My music taste is a little all over the place, and so is my style. So actually… maybe my personal style is linked to my music taste. 

Who is an artist you were early on, or that you think more people should know about? 

Halima Jibril: I discovered Omar Apollo really early into his career. I met my best friend in the whole world at his very first concert in London. 

What is your go-to throwback to play with your friends on a Saturday?

Halima Jibril: ‘Real Girl’ by Mutya Buena <3 I never pretend to be something I’m not!!

What song feels ultra-personal to you, like it was made for you?

Halima Jibril: ‘Into Blue’ by Dayglow. I heard it on the Cha Cha Real Smooth soundtrack; it makes me cry every time I listen. It's a brilliant reminder that even when you break up with someone, a partner or a friend, the love you felt was real, and the memories you made together were something good. Even if it ended badly, I’m still better because I knew those people. 

What is the most cinematic, all encompassing, lose yourself in type track you’ve heard this year?

Halima Jibril: ‘Love Song’ by Dionne Warwick

PERCY COBBINAH

Lizzy Szabo: Which song on the Lorem playlist feels like a Monday or a Friday to you?

Percy Cobbinah: ‘Drive ME crazy!’ by Lil Yachty is a Friday. 

You have to spend a day with one ‘Lorem’ artist, who would it be and what would you do with them?

Percy Cobbinah: Charli XCX, we’d get a flight somewhere hot but not too far away, go to the beach, have a few cocktails, eat loads of seafood and soak up the sun - she’d be paying for the flights though.

How important is music in your line of work?

Percy Cobbinah: So important! A lot of our events feature emerging and established DJs and artists, they contribute heavily to whether a night is successful or not for us and our guests. Events without music would be nothing! 

If you could’ve written one song on the playlist, which one would it be and why? 

Percy Cobbinah: ‘Nothing Matters’ by The Last Dinner Party, it’s a really well-written pop song with a euphoric chorus ready to be sung by crowds

If you were to curate your own playlist, who would be on it? 

Percy Cobbinah: b4u, cityboymoe, John Glacier, meat computer. 

What would be the theme? 

Percy Cobbinah: Nighttime energies.

When you are working, what type of music do you listen to?

Percy Cobbinah: I try to listen to things that aren’t too wishy washy. At the same time, I won’t listen to things that are too moody or emotionally and sonically heavy because it would be too distracting

How important is the concept of genre to you? Do you gravitate towards the feeling of music or a specific scene, era, or genre?

Percy Cobbinah: The concept of genre is obsolete to me! I definitely think I gravitate more towards feeling and mood. Obviously, certain aspects of certain genres are good as a marker, a touchstone or starting point but I think it’s cool to take what you like from different genres and go wherever you want with it

You’ve gone down a rabbit hole and found a great song…what’s the first thing you do? 

Percy Cobbinah: Listen to it nonstop until I’ve ruined it, obviously.

Do you feel your personal style is linked to your music taste? Why/why not?

Percy Cobbinah: Not particularly, I feel like personal style is something to be curated and refined a bit more than music taste - my playlists are erratic as hell, I wouldn’t wanna step out in the same erratic vein.

Who is an artist you were early on, or that you think more people should know about? 

Percy Cobbinah: b4u is sick but I don’t know anything about them and not many people do, big Vegyn vibes on the production in a good way.

Best place to listen to a song:

Percy Cobbinah: Depending on the song, in the club, on speakers in the park or in headphones on a walk.

What is your go-to throwback to play with your friends on a Saturday?

Percy Cobbinah: ‘Look What The Cat Dragged’ In by Giggs.

What song feels ultra personal to you, like it was made for you?

Percy Cobbinah: The last time I had that feeling was listening to ‘Yeah I Know’ by The 1975 when it first came out, it felt like everything I wanted to hear at that exact moment in time. 

What is the most cinematic, all encompassing, lose yourself in type track you’ve heard this year? 

Percy Cobbinah: Wednesday Overcast by King Krule, lyrically and sonically it takes you to a very specific place - the strings are gorgeous.

Listen to the Lorem playlist here.