diff --git a/resources/window.blp b/resources/window.blp
index 6182185..a3d7f49 100644
--- a/resources/window.blp
+++ b/resources/window.blp
@@ -41,24 +41,28 @@ template $AudreyUiWindow: Adw.ApplicationWindow {
           child: Box {
             orientation: vertical;
 
-            $AudreyUiAlbumCarousel carousel1 {
+            $AudreyUiAlbumCarousel {
               title: _("Explore from your library");
               type: random;
+              client: bind template.client;
             }
 
-            $AudreyUiAlbumCarousel carousel2 {
+            $AudreyUiAlbumCarousel {
               title: _("Newly added releases");
               type: newest;
+              client: bind template.client;
             }
 
-            $AudreyUiAlbumCarousel carousel3 {
+            $AudreyUiAlbumCarousel {
               title: _("Recently played");
               type: recent;
+              client: bind template.client;
             }
 
-            $AudreyUiAlbumCarousel carousel4 {
+            $AudreyUiAlbumCarousel {
               title: _("Most played");
               type: frequent;
+              client: bind template.client;
             }
           };
         };
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 2431a46..f755a07 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ use gtk::{gio, glib};
 pub mod mpv;
 
 pub mod util;
+pub mod wrappers;
 
 fn init_tracing() {
     #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
diff --git a/src/model/song.rs b/src/model/song.rs
index 027805a..7109ad8 100644
--- a/src/model/song.rs
+++ b/src/model/song.rs
@@ -74,8 +74,7 @@ glib::wrapper! {
 }
 
 impl Song {
-    pub fn from_child(window: &crate::ui::Window, song: &subsonic::schema::Child) -> Self {
-        let api = window.api();
+    pub fn from_child(client: &crate::wrappers::Client, song: &subsonic::schema::Child) -> Self {
         let song: Self = Object::builder()
             .property("id", &song.id)
             .property("title", &song.title)
@@ -84,20 +83,20 @@ impl Song {
             .property("genre", &song.genre)
             .property("duration", song.duration as i64)
             .property("track", song.track.map(i64::from).unwrap_or(-1))
-            .property("stream-url", api.stream_url(&song.id).as_str())
+            .property("stream-url", client.stream_url(&song.id).as_str())
             .property("cover-art", &song.cover_art)
             .build();
 
         song
     }
 
-    pub fn need_thumbnail(&self, window: &crate::ui::Window) {
-        let api = window.api();
+    pub fn need_thumbnail(&self, client: &crate::wrappers::Client, scale_factor: u32) {
+        let api = client.clone();
         let mut thumbnail_loading = self.imp().thumbnail_loading.borrow_mut();
         if thumbnail_loading.is_none() {
             let id = self.id();
             let song_weak = self.downgrade();
-            let scale_factor = window.scale_factor() as u32; // NOTE: assumed constant
+            let scale_factor = scale_factor; // NOTE: assumed constant
             *thumbnail_loading = Some(glib::spawn_future_local(async move {
                 let _permit = SEM.acquire().await.unwrap();
 
diff --git a/src/ui/album_carousel.rs b/src/ui/album_carousel.rs
index 069854b..3f2cd05 100644
--- a/src/ui/album_carousel.rs
+++ b/src/ui/album_carousel.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ use adw::subclass::prelude::*;
 use adw::{gio, glib};
 use glib::subclass::InitializingObject;
 use std::cell::{Cell, OnceCell, RefCell};
-use std::rc::Rc;
 use std::sync::OnceLock;
 use tracing::{event, Level};
 
@@ -29,10 +28,10 @@ mod imp {
     #[derive(gtk::CompositeTemplate, Default)]
     #[template(resource = "/eu/callcc/audrey/album_carousel.ui")]
     pub struct AlbumCarousel {
-        pub api: RefCell<Option<Rc<crate::subsonic::Client>>>,
         title: RefCell<String>,
         model: OnceCell<gio::ListStore>,
         r#type: Cell<Type>,
+        client: RefCell<Option<crate::wrappers::Client>>,
     }
 
     #[glib::object_subclass]
@@ -61,6 +60,7 @@ mod imp {
                     glib::ParamSpecObject::builder::<gio::ListModel>("model")
                         .read_only()
                         .build(),
+                    glib::ParamSpecObject::builder::<crate::wrappers::Client>("client").build(),
                 ]
             })
         }
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ mod imp {
                 1 => self.title.borrow().clone().into(),
                 2 => self.r#type.get().into(),
                 3 => self.model().into(),
+                4 => self.client.borrow().clone().into(),
                 _ => unreachable!(),
             }
         }
@@ -83,6 +84,10 @@ mod imp {
                     self.r#type.replace(value.get_owned().unwrap());
                     self.update_model();
                 }
+                4 => {
+                    self.client.replace(value.get_owned().unwrap());
+                    self.update_model();
+                }
                 _ => unreachable!(),
             }
         }
@@ -102,13 +107,13 @@ mod imp {
         pub fn update_model(&self) {
             self.model().remove_all();
 
-            let api = self.api.borrow();
+            let api = self.client.borrow();
             let api = match api.as_ref() {
                 Some(api) => api,
                 None => return,
             };
 
-            let api = Rc::clone(&api);
+            let api = api.clone();
             let carousel = self.obj().downgrade();
 
             let type_ = match self.r#type.get() {
@@ -145,10 +150,3 @@ glib::wrapper! {
         @extends adw::Bin, gtk::Widget,
         @implements gtk::Accessible, gtk::Buildable, gtk::ConstraintTarget;
 }
-
-impl AlbumCarousel {
-    pub fn set_api(&self, api: Option<&Rc<crate::subsonic::Client>>) {
-        self.imp().api.replace(api.map(Rc::clone));
-        self.imp().update_model();
-    }
-}
diff --git a/src/ui/play_queue/song.rs b/src/ui/play_queue/song.rs
index ee00b82..5a47508 100644
--- a/src/ui/play_queue/song.rs
+++ b/src/ui/play_queue/song.rs
@@ -200,7 +200,10 @@ impl Song {
         self.set_position(position);
         self.set_playlist_pos(window.playlist_pos());
 
-        song.need_thumbnail(window);
+        song.need_thumbnail(
+            window.client().as_ref().unwrap(),
+            window.scale_factor() as u32,
+        );
     }
 
     pub const fn unbind(&self) {}
diff --git a/src/ui/window.rs b/src/ui/window.rs
index 32b10e1..29d7468 100644
--- a/src/ui/window.rs
+++ b/src/ui/window.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 use crate::model::Song;
-use crate::ui::AlbumCarousel;
 use crate::util::buffering::BufferingPulseController;
 use crate::{mpris, mpv};
 use adw::prelude::*;
@@ -49,7 +48,8 @@ mod imp {
 
         pub(super) setup: crate::ui::Setup,
 
-        pub(super) api: RefCell<Option<Rc<crate::subsonic::Client>>>,
+        #[property(get, set, nullable)]
+        pub client: RefCell<Option<crate::wrappers::Client>>,
 
         pub(super) mpv: mpv::Handle,
         #[property(get)]
@@ -91,15 +91,6 @@ mod imp {
         refreshing_albums: Cell<bool>,
 
         css_provider: gtk::CssProvider,
-
-        #[template_child]
-        pub carousel1: TemplateChild<AlbumCarousel>,
-        #[template_child]
-        pub carousel2: TemplateChild<AlbumCarousel>,
-        #[template_child]
-        pub carousel3: TemplateChild<AlbumCarousel>,
-        #[template_child]
-        pub carousel4: TemplateChild<AlbumCarousel>,
     }
 
     impl Default for Window {
@@ -131,7 +122,7 @@ mod imp {
                 background: Default::default(),
                 _song: (),
                 setup: Default::default(),
-                api: Default::default(),
+                client: Default::default(),
                 mpv,
 
                 playlist_model: gio::ListStore::new::<Song>(),
@@ -162,11 +153,6 @@ mod imp {
                 refreshing_albums: Cell::new(true),
 
                 css_provider: gtk::CssProvider::new(),
-
-                carousel1: Default::default(),
-                carousel2: Default::default(),
-                carousel3: Default::default(),
-                carousel4: Default::default(),
             }
         }
     }
@@ -416,11 +402,11 @@ mod imp {
             self.set_pause(false);
 
             let api = {
-                let api = self.api.borrow();
-                Rc::clone(api.as_ref().unwrap())
+                let api = self.client.borrow();
+                api.as_ref().unwrap().clone()
             };
             for song in api.random_songs(50).await.unwrap().into_iter() {
-                let song = Song::from_child(&self.obj(), &song);
+                let song = Song::from_child(&api, &song);
                 self.mpv
                     .command(["loadfile", &song.stream_url(), "append-play"])
                     .unwrap();
@@ -757,7 +743,7 @@ mod imp {
             if let Some(handle) = self
                 .loading_cover_handle
                 .replace(Some(glib::spawn_future_local(async move {
-                    let api = window.imp().api.borrow().as_ref().unwrap().clone();
+                    let api = window.imp().client.borrow().as_ref().unwrap().clone();
                     let image = match api
                         .cover_art(&song_id, Some(800 * scale_factor)) // 800px times ui scale
                         .await
@@ -1032,14 +1018,15 @@ impl Window {
 
         self.set_can_click_shuffle_all(true);
 
-        self.imp().carousel1.set_api(Some(&api));
-        self.imp().carousel2.set_api(Some(&api));
-        self.imp().carousel3.set_api(Some(&api));
-        self.imp().carousel4.set_api(Some(&api));
-
-        if self.imp().api.replace(Some(api)).is_some() {
+        if self
+            .imp()
+            .client
+            .replace(Some(crate::wrappers::Client::new((*api).clone())))
+            .is_some()
+        {
             unimplemented!("changing the api object");
         }
+        self.notify("client");
     }
 
     pub fn playlist_next(&self) {
@@ -1153,8 +1140,4 @@ impl Window {
         self.imp().mpv.command(["stop"]).unwrap();
         self.playlist_model().remove_all();
     }
-
-    pub fn api(&self) -> Rc<crate::subsonic::Client> {
-        Rc::clone(self.imp().api.borrow().as_ref().unwrap())
-    }
 }
diff --git a/src/wrappers.rs b/src/wrappers.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..79286a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/wrappers.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+pub mod client;
+pub use client::Client;
diff --git a/src/wrappers/client.rs b/src/wrappers/client.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..97e86c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/wrappers/client.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+// simple wrapper class so we can use the client object as a glib property
+
+use crate::subsonic;
+use glib::subclass::prelude::*;
+use std::cell::OnceCell;
+use std::ops::Deref;
+
+mod imp {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[derive(Default)]
+    pub struct Client(pub OnceCell<subsonic::Client>);
+
+    #[glib::object_subclass]
+    impl ObjectSubclass for Client {
+        const NAME: &'static str = "AudreyClient";
+        type Type = super::Client;
+    }
+
+    impl ObjectImpl for Client {}
+}
+
+glib::wrapper! {
+    pub struct Client(ObjectSubclass<imp::Client>);
+}
+
+impl Client {
+    pub fn new(inner: subsonic::Client) -> Self {
+        let client: Self = glib::Object::new();
+        client.imp().0.set(inner).map_err(|_| ()).unwrap();
+        client
+    }
+}
+
+impl Deref for Client {
+    type Target = subsonic::Client;
+
+    fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
+        self.imp()
+            .0
+            .get()
+            .expect("tried to deref uninitialized client object")
+    }
+}