Spotify signs Meghan Markle & Prince Harry in exclusive podcast production

The Spotify podcast deal-making dreadnought sails on, now signing the ex-royal couple Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to an exclusive production arrangement. The model seems to be taken from the Spotify/Obamas deal which tied a new production company, Higher Ground, to Spotify (not an equity acquisition). Likewise, Harry and Meghan have fashioned a production company called Archewell Audio.

The couple previously signed onto Netflix with a different production venture. A Newsweek article speculates that Harry and Meghan will eventually be worth $10-million — not so much from media production, but from early startup investments, a different path currently being pursued as well.

Back to Spotify. The streaming behemoth calls it a “multiyear partnership,” and promises “podcasts that will inspire.” The first release will be a holiday special, made in collaboration with Gimlet Media (a Spotify subsidiary).

 

“What we love about podcasting is that it reminds all of us to take a moment and to really listen, to connect to one another without distraction,” The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a joint statement. “With the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to do so, because when we hear each other, and hear each other’s stories, we are reminded of how interconnected we all are.”

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex may live in California, but the power of their voices rests in their status as citizens of the world,” says Spotify Chief Content and Advertising Business Officer Dawn Ostroff. “That they are embracing the extraordinary capacity of podcasts on Spotify while also seeking to elevate underrepresented voices is a testament to their appreciation for the potential of audio storytelling. We are proud to partner with The Duke and Duchess and look forward to listeners hearing directly from them and the other creators that they will be elevating via our global platform.”

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Brad Hill