The Playlist is one of those programs that provide viewers with a multi-layered watching experience. One of the show’s most intriguing storylines is that of Petra Hansson (Gizem Erdogan), who, for the most part, ensured that Spotify secured its agreements. Petra Hansson was a Spotify executive and top legal figure. She worked for the music streaming service for nearly a decade, and because of her experience, she helped them achieve several milestones.
As shown in The Playlist, nothing is known about Petra Hansson prior to her partnership with Spotify.
In Episode 3 of the Netflix miniseries, titled The Legal, Hansson is introduced as an up-and-coming lawyer in a large Scandinavian law firm. In truth, Petra Hansson was a promising employee at Mannheimer Swartling, the biggest company in the Swedish legal market. A year before Spotify’s debut, Hansson was much sought after, and she finally joined them as their legal counsel and agent. She later represented the then-fledgling streaming service during its discussions with big musical labels and corporations, as accurately depicted in The Playlist. While Hansson did accompany Niklas Ivarsson on all legal matters, she came up with something that actually aided Spotify’s growth.
While Spotify’s creator, Daniel Ek, was tempted to make the service free for everybody, Hansson was able to see through the holes. She eventually devised a strategy that secured long-term viability. Petra Hansson, as shown beautifully in The Playlist, was instrumental in the invention of an ad-free idea that we now know as Spotify Premium.
She also played an important role in Spotify’s worldwide success, negotiating with other legal experts to help it establish a presence in the United States. In 2009, Hansson negotiated an agreement with Warner Music Group’s then-CEO, Edgar Bronfman Jr, to make Warner’s full music collection accessible on Spotify in Europe.
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What happened to Petra Hansson?
The Playlist only follows her up to the advent of Spotify. Her connection with the corporation, however, evolved over time, and her positions spanned from General Counsel to Head of Business Affairs. Hansson and Spotify finally split up in 2017, putting their decade-long relationship to an end. Following her departure, she worked as an adviser and investor for a number of companies and non-profits.
Hansson and Spotify’s former Global Head of Licensing, Niklas Ivarsson, joined the advisory board of Tracklib, a Stockholm-based sample licensing business, in February 2019. Tracklib CEO Pär Almqvist praised her contributions and efforts in aiding the firm with its legal and commercial difficulties in 2020.
Petra Hansson has managed to live a private life since then, and nothing is known about her post-Tracklib pursuits. Her actual location is unclear, however, she is thought to live in Sweden’s Greater Stockholm Metropolitan Area. She is not active on any social media network.
