Spotify is venturing into the world of beauty products.
The streaming service is expanding an existing partnership with Merchbar, a service that allows artists to sell merchandise like T-shirts through their Spotify profiles. Makeup artist Pat McGrath and musician Maggie Lindemann are collaborating to allow listeners to “shop the look” of Spotify artists through Merchbar.
SHOP #LiquiLUST007 Singles EARLY on @MaggieLindemann@Spotify now!! See the full video on https://t.co/YbyGE7Ocgf!🖤🖤🖤https://t.co/ql5G1UQwCVpic.twitter.com/VFxr0rYXV9
— Pat McGrath (@patmcgrathreal) November 13, 2017
“In this digitally-empowered, digital era of make-up, where fans crave instant glamour gratification I always want to reach fans where they’re most engaged. That’s why this relationship with Spotify is absolutely major, because it merges beauty and music in a whole new way, that’s never been done before,” said McGrath in a statement. “I’m thrilled to see it finally come to life.”
As the $16 billion digital music startup moves toward a direct listing IPOlater this year or early in 2018, the company is working to diversify its services.
Honored to be the latest #McGrathMuse 💋 shop my @patmcgrathreal look on @Spotify, the first ever beauty brand to be sold through the platform 😘 and listen to a preview of my new single Obsessed in the clip below! 💄 👉 https://t.co/VhPQVBlaLt#SoObsessedpic.twitter.com/2lkIvQArif
— MAGGIE LINDEMANN (@MaggieLindemann) November 13, 2017
But Spotify won’t actually profit from these beauty sales. Instead, the new way to shop gives artists another reason to partner with Spotify and make money through the platform aside from minuscule streaming royalties.
This isn’t the first move by the startup to leverage the buying power of its 140 million users. The McGrath-Lindemann partnership comes after the announcement of events marketed around popular Spotify playlists such as RapCaviar Live and Who We Be, which sold out of tickets in the United Kingdom today.