Three days later, at 19 King Street in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.
An all-black Volvo XC90 turned off the main road and pulled up to the Spotify headquarters.
It was a twelve-story office building, designed primarily in a minimalist Northern European style and blended with modern architectural concepts.
It looked rather unassuming, seemingly at odds with Spotify's market position as a leading music app in Europe and America.
Daniel Ek was wearing a custom-tailored blue suit over a white shirt, with a royal blue tie. His attire was crisp and exceptionally formal.
In Stockholm, the daytime temperature in October was only 8 degrees Celsius. He had wanted to wear a woolen trench coat, but to maintain a respectable appearance, he steeled himself and stood waiting downstairs without one.
"Boss, he's just a Chinese guy. Even though the Alexa Smart Speaker has brought the company three million paying users, I don't think he deserves this kind of reception.
