Spotify is bringing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander into its editorial team, naming the NBA star its first-ever guest editor. Launching November 12, Heat Check by SGA is a new 50-track playlist curated entirely by the Oklahoma City Thunder guard, giving listeners access to the music he currently enjoys and the artists he believes deserve attention.
The project marks a new approach to Spotify’s editorial programming, placing a guest curator alongside some of the platform’s most established playlists, including RapCaviar, Taste and Today’s Top Hits. Rather than serving as a one-time collaboration, Gilgeous-Alexander’s role will continue throughout the year, with the playlist receiving a fresh update every month.
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Each edition will reflect his changing listening habits, bringing together household names and emerging acts across different genres and musical styles. The selection is designed to move between slower tracks and high-energy records.
“People can expect versatility in the music, up and coming, obviously household names, different types of music, slow, fast, different genres,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Music for every vibe, every part of the day, every mood, and really good music, above all.”
To introduce the collaboration, Spotify also released an exclusive interview in which the basketball star discussed his relationship with music, his favorite artists and the influences behind his selections. He described the opportunity to become the platform’s first-ever guest editor as a “surreal feeling,” while explaining that his ability to memorize songs began long before his professional basketball career.
Gilgeous-Alexander recalled how he used to turn his school notes into lyrics and rhymes to help remember information. That habit eventually developed into an ability to learn songs quickly, something his friends would regularly notice when he knew the words to tracks that had only just been released.
Spotify’s decision also reflects the artist-discovery element behind the project. Carl Chery, the platform’s Creative Director and Head of Urban, highlighted Gilgeous-Alexander’s knowledge of music across both underground and mainstream scenes, as well as his interest in supporting emerging talent.
“Making him our first-ever guest editor is a natural next step,” Chery said, adding that the platform is excited to give him a space to share what he is listening to and discovering with audiences around the world.
The first edition is available to stream now on Spotify.
Photo: Spotify
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