diff --git a/package/contents/config/main.xml b/package/contents/config/main.xml
index d9b11eb..0f73b03 100644
--- a/package/contents/config/main.xml
+++ b/package/contents/config/main.xml
@@ -13,5 +13,33 @@
             <label>Font family</label>
             <default>Noto Sans</default>
         </entry>
+        <entry name="labelVisibilityMode" type="String">
+            <label>Now Playing label visibility mode</label>
+            <default>auto</default>
+        </entry>
+        <entry name="labelPlacement" type="String">
+            <label>Now Playing label placement</label>
+            <default>left</default>
+        </entry>
+        <entry name="backgroundStyle" type="String">
+            <label>Background style</label>
+            <default>custom</default>
+        </entry>
+        <entry name="backgroundColor" type="String">
+            <label>Background color</label>
+            <default>transparent</default>
+        </entry>
+        <entry name="backgroundRadius" type="Int">
+            <label>Background radius</label>
+            <default>0</default>
+        </entry>
+        <entry name="foregroundColor" type="String">
+            <label>Foreground color</label>
+            <default>white</default>
+        </entry>
+        <entry name="textShadowEnabled" type="Bool">
+            <label>Enable text shadow</label>
+            <default>false</default>
+        </entry>
     </group>
 </kcfg>
diff --git a/package/contents/ui/Representation.qml b/package/contents/ui/Representation.qml
index efba567..14ba7ee 100644
--- a/package/contents/ui/Representation.qml
+++ b/package/contents/ui/Representation.qml
@@ -7,7 +7,35 @@ import org.kde.plasma.components as PlasmaComponents
 MouseArea {
     id: mediaControlsMouseArea
 
+    property string configuredFontFamily: "Noto Sans"
+    property string configuredLabelVisibilityMode: "auto"
+    property string configuredLabelPlacement: "left"
+    property string configuredBackgroundStyle: "custom"
+    property string configuredBackgroundColor: "transparent"
+    property int configuredBackgroundRadius: 0
+    property string configuredForegroundColor: "white"
+    property bool configuredTextShadowEnabled: false
     readonly property double buttonSize: 16
+    readonly property string effectiveLabelVisibilityMode: configuredLabelVisibilityMode === "always" || configuredLabelVisibilityMode === "never" ? configuredLabelVisibilityMode : "auto"
+    readonly property bool labelsOnRight: configuredLabelPlacement === "right"
+    readonly property bool hideNowPlayingArea: effectiveLabelVisibilityMode === "never"
+    readonly property bool usesCustomBackground: configuredBackgroundStyle === "custom"
+    readonly property int hideModeHorizontalPadding: 8
+    readonly property int labelRailWidth: 100
+    readonly property int separatorPadding: 4
+    readonly property string effectiveBackgroundColor: configuredBackgroundColor || "transparent"
+    readonly property int effectiveBackgroundRadius: Math.max(0, configuredBackgroundRadius)
+    readonly property string effectiveForegroundColor: configuredForegroundColor || "white"
+    readonly property bool hasTrackInfo: player.ready && (((player.title || "").trim().length > 0) || ((player.artists || "").trim().length > 0))
+    readonly property bool nowPlayingLabelsVisible: {
+        if (effectiveLabelVisibilityMode === "always")
+            return true;
+
+        if (effectiveLabelVisibilityMode === "never")
+            return false;
+
+        return hasTrackInfo;
+    }
 
     focus: true
     hoverEnabled: true
@@ -25,13 +53,25 @@ MouseArea {
         }
     }
 
+    Rectangle {
+        anchors.fill: parent
+        visible: mediaControlsMouseArea.usesCustomBackground
+        color: mediaControlsMouseArea.effectiveBackgroundColor
+        radius: mediaControlsMouseArea.effectiveBackgroundRadius
+    }
+
     RowLayout {
         anchors.fill: parent
+        layoutDirection: mediaControlsMouseArea.labelsOnRight ? Qt.RightToLeft : Qt.LeftToRight
 
         ColumnLayout {
             id: leftColumn
 
+            visible: !mediaControlsMouseArea.hideNowPlayingArea
             Layout.fillHeight: true
+            Layout.minimumWidth: visible ? mediaControlsMouseArea.labelRailWidth : 0
+            Layout.preferredWidth: visible ? mediaControlsMouseArea.labelRailWidth : 0
+            Layout.maximumWidth: visible ? mediaControlsMouseArea.labelRailWidth : 0
             states: [
                 State {
                     name: "buttonsVisible"
@@ -63,29 +103,34 @@ MouseArea {
             ColumnLayout {
                 id: nowPlayingLabels
 
-                Layout.alignment: Qt.AlignRight
+                Layout.alignment: mediaControlsMouseArea.labelsOnRight ? Qt.AlignLeft : Qt.AlignRight
                 spacing: 0
+                visible: mediaControlsMouseArea.nowPlayingLabelsVisible
 
-                PlasmaComponents.Label {
-                    Layout.alignment: Qt.AlignRight
+                ShadowedLabel {
+                    Layout.alignment: mediaControlsMouseArea.labelsOnRight ? Qt.AlignLeft : Qt.AlignRight
+                    shadowEnabled: mediaControlsMouseArea.configuredTextShadowEnabled
                     text: "NOW"
                     lineHeight: 0.8
                     font.pixelSize: 16
                     font.bold: true
-                    // qmllint disable missing-property
-                    font.family: plasmoid.configuration.fontFamily
+                    font.family: mediaControlsMouseArea.configuredFontFamily
+                    color: mediaControlsMouseArea.effectiveForegroundColor
+                    horizontalAlignment: mediaControlsMouseArea.labelsOnRight ? Text.AlignLeft : Text.AlignRight
                 }
 
-                PlasmaComponents.Label {
+                ShadowedLabel {
                     id: nowPlayingLabel2
 
-                    Layout.alignment: Qt.AlignRight
+                    Layout.alignment: mediaControlsMouseArea.labelsOnRight ? Qt.AlignLeft : Qt.AlignRight
+                    shadowEnabled: mediaControlsMouseArea.configuredTextShadowEnabled
                     text: "PLAYING"
                     lineHeight: 0.8
                     font.bold: true
                     font.pixelSize: 16
-                    // qmllint disable missing-property
-                    font.family: plasmoid.configuration.fontFamily
+                    font.family: mediaControlsMouseArea.configuredFontFamily
+                    color: mediaControlsMouseArea.effectiveForegroundColor
+                    horizontalAlignment: mediaControlsMouseArea.labelsOnRight ? Text.AlignLeft : Text.AlignRight
                 }
 
             }
@@ -93,9 +138,9 @@ MouseArea {
             RowLayout {
                 id: mediaControls
 
-                Layout.alignment: Qt.AlignHCenter
-                opacity: mediaControlsMouseArea.containsMouse ? 1 : 0
-                visible: opacity > 0
+                Layout.alignment: mediaControlsMouseArea.labelsOnRight ? Qt.AlignLeft : Qt.AlignRight
+                opacity: mediaControlsMouseArea.containsMouse && mediaControlsMouseArea.nowPlayingLabelsVisible && !mediaControlsMouseArea.hideNowPlayingArea ? 1 : 0
+                visible: opacity > 0 && mediaControlsMouseArea.nowPlayingLabelsVisible && !mediaControlsMouseArea.hideNowPlayingArea
 
                 QQC2.Button {
                     Layout.preferredWidth: buttonSize
@@ -109,6 +154,7 @@ MouseArea {
 
                     contentItem: Kirigami.Icon {
                         source: "media-skip-backward"
+                        color: mediaControlsMouseArea.effectiveForegroundColor
                     }
 
                 }
@@ -127,6 +173,7 @@ MouseArea {
 
                     contentItem: Kirigami.Icon {
                         source: player.playbackStatus === 2 ? "media-playback-pause" : "media-playback-start"
+                        color: mediaControlsMouseArea.effectiveForegroundColor
                     }
 
                 }
@@ -140,6 +187,7 @@ MouseArea {
 
                     contentItem: Kirigami.Icon {
                         source: "media-skip-forward"
+                        color: mediaControlsMouseArea.effectiveForegroundColor
                     }
 
                 }
@@ -173,39 +221,95 @@ MouseArea {
         Rectangle {
             id: separator
 
+            visible: mediaControlsMouseArea.nowPlayingLabelsVisible && !mediaControlsMouseArea.hideNowPlayingArea
             Layout.fillHeight: true
-            width: 1
+            Layout.leftMargin: visible ? mediaControlsMouseArea.separatorPadding : 0
+            Layout.rightMargin: visible ? mediaControlsMouseArea.separatorPadding : 0
+            Layout.topMargin: visible ? mediaControlsMouseArea.separatorPadding : 0
+            Layout.bottomMargin: visible ? mediaControlsMouseArea.separatorPadding : 0
+            Layout.minimumWidth: visible ? 1 : 0
+            Layout.preferredWidth: visible ? 1 : 0
+            Layout.maximumWidth: visible ? 1 : 0
+            color: mediaControlsMouseArea.effectiveForegroundColor
         }
 
         ColumnLayout {
             id: infoColumn
 
             Layout.fillWidth: true
+            Layout.minimumWidth: 0
+            Layout.leftMargin: mediaControlsMouseArea.hideNowPlayingArea ? mediaControlsMouseArea.hideModeHorizontalPadding : 0
+            Layout.rightMargin: mediaControlsMouseArea.hideNowPlayingArea ? mediaControlsMouseArea.hideModeHorizontalPadding : 0
 
-            PlasmaComponents.Label {
+            ShadowedLabel {
                 Layout.fillWidth: true
+                shadowEnabled: mediaControlsMouseArea.configuredTextShadowEnabled
                 text: player.title
                 font.pixelSize: 28
                 font.bold: true
-                // qmllint disable missing-property
-                font.family: plasmoid.configuration.fontFamily
+                font.family: mediaControlsMouseArea.configuredFontFamily
+                color: mediaControlsMouseArea.effectiveForegroundColor
                 lineHeight: 0.8
                 elide: Text.ElideRight
+                horizontalAlignment: mediaControlsMouseArea.labelsOnRight ? Text.AlignRight : Text.AlignLeft
             }
 
-            PlasmaComponents.Label {
+            ShadowedLabel {
                 Layout.maximumWidth: 300
                 Layout.fillWidth: true
+                Layout.alignment: mediaControlsMouseArea.labelsOnRight ? Qt.AlignRight : Qt.AlignLeft
+                shadowEnabled: mediaControlsMouseArea.configuredTextShadowEnabled
                 text: player.artists
                 font.pixelSize: 26
-                // qmllint disable missing-property
-                font.family: plasmoid.configuration.fontFamily
+                font.family: mediaControlsMouseArea.configuredFontFamily
+                color: mediaControlsMouseArea.effectiveForegroundColor
                 lineHeight: 0.8
                 elide: Text.ElideRight
+                horizontalAlignment: mediaControlsMouseArea.labelsOnRight ? Text.AlignRight : Text.AlignLeft
             }
 
         }
 
     }
 
+    component ShadowedLabel: Item {
+        id: shadowedLabel
+
+        property alias text: foregroundLabel.text
+        property alias font: foregroundLabel.font
+        property alias lineHeight: foregroundLabel.lineHeight
+        property alias elide: foregroundLabel.elide
+        property alias horizontalAlignment: foregroundLabel.horizontalAlignment
+        property alias verticalAlignment: foregroundLabel.verticalAlignment
+        property alias color: foregroundLabel.color
+        property bool shadowEnabled: false
+
+        implicitWidth: foregroundLabel.implicitWidth + (shadowEnabled ? 1 : 0)
+        implicitHeight: foregroundLabel.implicitHeight + (shadowEnabled ? 1 : 0)
+
+        PlasmaComponents.Label {
+            id: shadowLabel
+
+            visible: shadowedLabel.shadowEnabled
+            x: 1
+            y: 1
+            width: foregroundLabel.width
+            height: foregroundLabel.height
+            text: foregroundLabel.text
+            font: foregroundLabel.font
+            lineHeight: foregroundLabel.lineHeight
+            elide: foregroundLabel.elide
+            horizontalAlignment: foregroundLabel.horizontalAlignment
+            verticalAlignment: foregroundLabel.verticalAlignment
+            color: "#99000000"
+        }
+
+        PlasmaComponents.Label {
+            id: foregroundLabel
+
+            anchors.fill: parent
+        }
+
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/package/contents/ui/configGeneral.qml b/package/contents/ui/configGeneral.qml
index fa61994..64ff334 100644
--- a/package/contents/ui/configGeneral.qml
+++ b/package/contents/ui/configGeneral.qml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import QtQuick
 import QtQuick.Controls as QQC2
+import QtQuick.Dialogs as Dialogs
 import QtQuick.Layouts
 import org.kde.kcmutils as KCM
 import org.kde.kirigami as Kirigami
@@ -9,13 +10,77 @@ KCM.SimpleKCM {
 
     property alias cfg_opacity: opacitySpinBox.value
     property string cfg_fontFamily
+    property string cfg_labelVisibilityMode
+    property string cfg_labelPlacement
+    property string cfg_backgroundStyle
+    property alias cfg_backgroundColor: backgroundColorField.text
+    property alias cfg_backgroundRadius: backgroundRadiusSpinBox.value
+    property alias cfg_foregroundColor: foregroundColorField.text
+    property alias cfg_textShadowEnabled: textShadowCheckBox.checked
     readonly property var availableFonts: Qt.fontFamilies()
+    readonly property var labelVisibilityOptions: [{
+        "text": i18n("Auto hide when idle"),
+        "value": "auto"
+    }, {
+        "text": i18n("Always show"),
+        "value": "always"
+    }, {
+        "text": i18n("Always hide"),
+        "value": "never"
+    }]
+    readonly property var labelPlacementOptions: [{
+        "text": i18n("Left"),
+        "value": "left"
+    }, {
+        "text": i18n("Right"),
+        "value": "right"
+    }]
+    readonly property var backgroundStyleOptions: [{
+        "text": i18n("Default"),
+        "value": "custom"
+    }, {
+        "text": i18n("Solid background"),
+        "value": "default"
+    }]
+
+    function syncComboByValue(comboBox, options, configuredValue, fallbackValue) {
+        const requestedValue = configuredValue || fallbackValue;
+        const requestedIndex = options.findIndex((option) => {
+            return option.value === requestedValue;
+        });
+        const fallbackIndex = options.findIndex((option) => {
+            return option.value === fallbackValue;
+        });
+        const resolvedIndex = requestedIndex >= 0 ? requestedIndex : (fallbackIndex >= 0 ? fallbackIndex : 0);
+        if (comboBox.currentIndex !== resolvedIndex)
+            comboBox.currentIndex = resolvedIndex;
+
+        return options[resolvedIndex].value;
+    }
 
     onCfg_fontFamilyChanged: {
         const index = availableFonts.indexOf(cfg_fontFamily);
         if (index >= 0 && fontFamilyComboBox.currentIndex !== index)
             fontFamilyComboBox.currentIndex = index;
 
+    }
+    onCfg_labelVisibilityModeChanged: {
+        const resolvedValue = syncComboByValue(labelVisibilityModeComboBox, labelVisibilityOptions, cfg_labelVisibilityMode, "auto");
+        if (cfg_labelVisibilityMode !== resolvedValue)
+            cfg_labelVisibilityMode = resolvedValue;
+
+    }
+    onCfg_labelPlacementChanged: {
+        const resolvedValue = syncComboByValue(labelPlacementComboBox, labelPlacementOptions, cfg_labelPlacement, "left");
+        if (cfg_labelPlacement !== resolvedValue)
+            cfg_labelPlacement = resolvedValue;
+
+    }
+    onCfg_backgroundStyleChanged: {
+        const resolvedValue = syncComboByValue(backgroundStyleComboBox, backgroundStyleOptions, cfg_backgroundStyle, "custom");
+        if (cfg_backgroundStyle !== resolvedValue)
+            cfg_backgroundStyle = resolvedValue;
+
     }
 
     Kirigami.FormLayout {
@@ -35,6 +100,109 @@ KCM.SimpleKCM {
             onActivated: configRoot.cfg_fontFamily = currentText
         }
 
+        QQC2.ComboBox {
+            id: labelVisibilityModeComboBox
+
+            Kirigami.FormData.label: i18n("Now Playing labels:")
+            model: configRoot.labelVisibilityOptions
+            textRole: "text"
+            valueRole: "value"
+            onActivated: configRoot.cfg_labelVisibilityMode = currentValue
+        }
+
+        QQC2.ComboBox {
+            id: labelPlacementComboBox
+
+            Kirigami.FormData.label: i18n("Label placement:")
+            model: configRoot.labelPlacementOptions
+            textRole: "text"
+            valueRole: "value"
+            onActivated: configRoot.cfg_labelPlacement = currentValue
+        }
+
+        QQC2.ComboBox {
+            id: backgroundStyleComboBox
+
+            Kirigami.FormData.label: i18n("Background style:")
+            model: configRoot.backgroundStyleOptions
+            textRole: "text"
+            valueRole: "value"
+            onActivated: configRoot.cfg_backgroundStyle = currentValue
+        }
+
+        RowLayout {
+            Kirigami.FormData.label: i18n("Background color:")
+            enabled: configRoot.cfg_backgroundStyle === "custom"
+
+            QQC2.TextField {
+                id: backgroundColorField
+
+                Layout.fillWidth: true
+                placeholderText: i18n("transparent or #AARRGGBB")
+            }
+
+            QQC2.Button {
+                text: i18n("Pick...")
+                onClicked: {
+                    backgroundColorDialog.selectedColor = backgroundColorField.text || "transparent";
+                    backgroundColorDialog.open();
+                }
+            }
+
+        }
+
+        RowLayout {
+            Kirigami.FormData.label: i18n("Foreground color:")
+
+            QQC2.TextField {
+                id: foregroundColorField
+
+                Layout.fillWidth: true
+                placeholderText: i18n("white or #RRGGBB")
+            }
+
+            QQC2.Button {
+                text: i18n("Pick...")
+                onClicked: {
+                    foregroundColorDialog.selectedColor = foregroundColorField.text || "white";
+                    foregroundColorDialog.open();
+                }
+            }
+
+        }
+
+        QQC2.SpinBox {
+            id: backgroundRadiusSpinBox
+
+            Kirigami.FormData.label: i18n("Background radius:")
+            enabled: configRoot.cfg_backgroundStyle === "custom"
+            from: 0
+            to: 100
+        }
+
+        QQC2.CheckBox {
+            id: textShadowCheckBox
+
+            Kirigami.FormData.label: i18n("Text shadow:")
+            text: i18n("Enable")
+        }
+
+    }
+
+    Dialogs.ColorDialog {
+        id: backgroundColorDialog
+
+        title: i18n("Select background color")
+        options: Dialogs.ColorDialog.ShowAlphaChannel
+        onAccepted: configRoot.cfg_backgroundColor = selectedColor.toString()
+    }
+
+    Dialogs.ColorDialog {
+        id: foregroundColorDialog
+
+        title: i18n("Select foreground color")
+        options: Dialogs.ColorDialog.ShowAlphaChannel
+        onAccepted: configRoot.cfg_foregroundColor = selectedColor.toString()
     }
 
 }
diff --git a/package/contents/ui/main.qml b/package/contents/ui/main.qml
index 1868611..0bc2a18 100644
--- a/package/contents/ui/main.qml
+++ b/package/contents/ui/main.qml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import QtQuick
 import QtQuick.Layouts
 import org.kde.kirigami as Kirigami
+import org.kde.plasma.core as PlasmaCore
 import org.kde.plasma.plasmoid
 
 PlasmoidItem {
@@ -10,12 +11,37 @@ PlasmoidItem {
     // "qmllint" sees `plasmoid` as QObject here, but Plasma injects `configuration` at runtime.
     // qmllint disable missing-property
     property int configuredOpacity: plasmoid.configuration.opacity
+    // qmllint disable missing-property
+    property string configuredFontFamily: plasmoid.configuration.fontFamily
+    // qmllint disable missing-property
+    property string configuredLabelVisibilityMode: plasmoid.configuration.labelVisibilityMode
+    // qmllint disable missing-property
+    property string configuredLabelPlacement: plasmoid.configuration.labelPlacement
+    // qmllint disable missing-property
+    property string configuredBackgroundStyle: plasmoid.configuration.backgroundStyle
+    // qmllint disable missing-property
+    property string configuredBackgroundColor: plasmoid.configuration.backgroundColor
+    // qmllint disable missing-property
+    property int configuredBackgroundRadius: plasmoid.configuration.backgroundRadius
+    // qmllint disable missing-property
+    property string configuredForegroundColor: plasmoid.configuration.foregroundColor
+    // qmllint disable missing-property
+    property bool configuredTextShadowEnabled: plasmoid.configuration.textShadowEnabled
+    readonly property int resolvedBackgroundHints: {
+        if (configuredBackgroundStyle === "default")
+            return PlasmaCore.Types.DefaultBackground | PlasmaCore.Types.ConfigurableBackground;
+
+        if (configuredBackgroundStyle === "none")
+            return PlasmaCore.Types.NoBackground;
+
+        return PlasmaCore.Types.NoBackground;
+    }
 
     width: Kirigami.Units.gridUnit * 25
     height: Kirigami.Units.gridUnit * 5
     Layout.minimumWidth: Kirigami.Units.gridUnit * 25
     Layout.minimumHeight: Kirigami.Units.gridUnit * 5
-    Plasmoid.backgroundHints: "NoBackground"
+    Plasmoid.backgroundHints: resolvedBackgroundHints
     opacity: configuredOpacity / 100
 
     Player {
@@ -27,11 +53,29 @@ PlasmoidItem {
         Layout.minimumHeight: Kirigami.Units.gridUnit * 5
         Layout.preferredWidth: root.width
         Layout.preferredHeight: root.height
+        configuredFontFamily: root.configuredFontFamily
+        configuredLabelVisibilityMode: root.configuredLabelVisibilityMode
+        configuredLabelPlacement: root.configuredLabelPlacement
+        configuredBackgroundStyle: root.configuredBackgroundStyle
+        configuredBackgroundColor: root.configuredBackgroundColor
+        configuredBackgroundRadius: root.configuredBackgroundRadius
+        configuredForegroundColor: root.configuredForegroundColor
+        configuredTextShadowEnabled: root.configuredTextShadowEnabled
     }
 
     compactRepresentation: Representation {
         Layout.minimumWidth: Kirigami.Units.gridUnit * 25
         Layout.minimumHeight: Kirigami.Units.gridUnit * 5
+        Layout.preferredWidth: root.width
+        Layout.preferredHeight: root.height
+        configuredFontFamily: root.configuredFontFamily
+        configuredLabelVisibilityMode: root.configuredLabelVisibilityMode
+        configuredLabelPlacement: root.configuredLabelPlacement
+        configuredBackgroundStyle: root.configuredBackgroundStyle
+        configuredBackgroundColor: root.configuredBackgroundColor
+        configuredBackgroundRadius: root.configuredBackgroundRadius
+        configuredForegroundColor: root.configuredForegroundColor
+        configuredTextShadowEnabled: root.configuredTextShadowEnabled
     }
 
 }