There's no denying Atlanta is the musical hub of the southeast where hip hop and rap reign. Now, a ride-hailing giant has entered the music scene to put a spin on the track.
Lyft has opened a recording studio that is free for drivers on its platform. In an effort to be a resource to local Lyft drivers, many of whom moonlight as musicians, Lyft launched the studio in Berkley Park in June, according to Sam Bond, general manager of Lyft southeast.
"We wanted to create an opportunity for them to share their interests and talents outside of driving for Lyft," he said. "And this just seemed like a really natural extension for that. We have a lot of artists in our community and Atlanta has a phenomenal music scene and heritage, and we just thought it made a lot of sense."
Lyft's customer support location in Atlanta, where the studio is located, has become a hub for answering questions, lending assistance and learning customer needs for drivers in the southeast, Bond said. With the studio, Lyft has another way of connecting with their drivers, he said.
"Our drivers represent an incredible cross section of the communities that we operate in and it’s been really amazing to see in my two and a half years in Atlanta the diversity of talent and interest in that driver community," he said.
Gallery
Approved drivers for Lyft in Atlanta can access a link in the app to reserve times and book a session with the studio, Bond said. Since its opening, the studio has seen a variety of artists, though hip hop seems to be the most popular genre, he said.
"It’s really cool to see kind of the breadth of style coming through the city," he said.
Team members at the studio will assist with initial setup and teach drivers how the studio works, but many have noticed drivers using apps, SoundCloud and other tools to make the most our of their recording session, Bond said. Lyft has no claims to the music created in the studio.
"This is entirely at the artists/drivers discretion what they want to do with anything they record in the studio," he said.
The company continues to look for other ways to celebrate their driver artists and acknowledge the talent among their community, Bond said. Following the launch event in June, which featured a few of the first artists to use the studio, the Lyft team has been excited to expand the program.
In addition to the studio, Lyft has also launched music efforts in other markets, such as free rides for musicians to their gigs in Austin, a special Spotify playlist in Chicago featuring only Chicago Lyft drivers and an intimate concert space for the Lyft community and another recording space in Detroit.
"We’re in the process of developing a calendar in a bunch of different potential events to take it further," he said.
Since opening the studio, Bond said his team members have noticed a boost in moral among the drivers involved, which they expect to continue.
"We’re really proud of this initiative and excited to not only continue to provide this opportunity, but we’re going to continue to find ways to provide more opportunities like it," he said. "We are also excited to look not just to our markets but to other markets to showcase their talents. We’re really just getting started with this initiative."
