Making a Scene Presents – What Is Spotify Canvas and How Indie Artists Can Use It to Add Videos to Their Music

Have you ever listened to a song on Spotify and noticed a short looping video playing on your screen instead of the usual album cover? That’s called a Spotify Canvas. It’s like a tiny music video that plays in a loop—kind of like a GIF—that shows up when people listen to your song on the Spotify mobile app.

For independent artists, Spotify Canvas is a super cool way to catch a listener’s eye and give your music more personality. Instead of just hearing your song, fans get to see a creative visual that makes the experience more fun and memorable.

Let’s break down what Spotify Canvas is, why it matters, and how you can add it to your own music, even if you’re not signed to a big label.

So, what exactly is Spotify Canvas?

Spotify Canvas is a feature that lets you upload a short, looping video (between 3 to 8 seconds long) to go with any of your songs. It plays on repeat in the background when someone listens to your song on the Spotify mobile app.

This little video doesn’t have to be a full-blown music video. It can be anything that matches the feeling of your song—like slow-moving visuals, animations, moody shots of you playing your instrument, or even cool effects showing your album art in motion.

Why does this matter? Because music with Canvas tends to get more plays, more shares, and more saves than songs without one. It gives people something extra to connect with—and it makes your music look more professional and polished.

How indie artists can use Spotify Canvas

If you’re an independent artist, you can use Spotify Canvas as long as you’ve claimed your Spotify for Artists profile. Here’s how you can do it, step by step:

First, go to the Spotify for Artists website and log in. If you haven’t claimed your artist profile yet, you’ll need to do that first. It’s free, and once you’re in, you’ll have access to cool tools like analytics, pitch-to-playlist features, and Canvas uploads.

Once you’re inside your Spotify for Artists dashboard, click on “Music” and then go to the song you want to add a Canvas to. You’ll see an option to “Add Canvas.” Click that.

Before you upload anything, you’ll need to make sure your video is the right format. It should be a vertical video, kind of like a TikTok or Instagram Reel. The size needs to be 9:16 and the length should be between 3 and 8 seconds. It also needs to be in MP4 format.

If you don’t have a video yet, don’t worry. You can use apps like CapCut, Splice, InShot, or even AI tools like Runway ML, Flow, Sora  , Kling or Kaiber to create a simple looping animation or stylized video that matches your song. You can even film yourself in a cool setting and loop that clip. Just keep it smooth and make sure the loop doesn’t look jarring when it starts over. You can use cyanite.ai to find the mood of your song and use that mood as the basis of you prompt for ai generated video.

After you upload your video, you’ll see a preview of how it looks with your song. If everything looks good, hit “Save,” and that’s it! Your Canvas is now live, and anyone who listens to your song on mobile will see your video loop as they hear your music.

Tips for making a great Canvas

Even though it’s short, your Canvas should feel like part of your song’s story. Think about the emotion or energy in your track. Is it calm? Sad? Wild? Try to match that feeling with your visuals.

Don’t use text or logos that are hard to read or that take up the whole screen. Keep it clean and focus on motion, not messages. You can always use your Instagram or TikTok for more detailed content—Canvas is more about the vibe.

And most importantly, test how it loops. A smooth, endless loop feels magical. A clunky one feels awkward. You want it to feel like the video could play forever and still look great.

Why it matters

Using Spotify Canvas might seem like a small thing, but it can make a big difference. It helps your music stand out in a sea of other songs. It adds a visual layer to your brand. And it shows fans that you care about your presentation.

For indie artists trying to build a fanbase, this kind of detail can help you rise above the noise. You don’t need a giant budget or a record label—you just need a song, a vision, and a few seconds of video to make your music shine in a new way.

So the next time you release a song, don’t just hit upload and forget about it. Add a Canvas. Let your visuals dance with your music. Give your fans something to remember.

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