After Netflix Harry and Meghan also land on Spotify with a podcast series
Start point
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have signed a multi-year deal to produce exclusive content for Spotify's new audio production company, Archwell Audio, the streamer announced Tuesday.
Key facts
- Spotify has announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will produce and host podcasts with the first complete series scheduled for 2021.
- "They will elevate underrepresented voices," said Dawn Ostroff, Spotify's chief content and advertising business officer.
- The couple have been more outspoken about racism, police brutality and politics since they retired as senior members of the British royal family in January.
- Archwell Audio and Spotify's Gimlet studio will release their first project, a holiday special hosted by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, before the new year.
- The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Quote
"What we love about podcasting is that it reminds us all to take a moment and really listen, to connect with each other without distraction," the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a joint statement. "With the challenges highlighted by 2020, there has never been a more important time to do it, because when we listen to each other and learn about each other, we are reminded how interconnected we are all."
Surprising fact
The deal with Spotify comes months after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced they had formed a production company and signed an exclusive deal to make content for Netflix.
Background
Spotify has expanded its podcast range with exclusive deals with celebrities including former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, Kim Kardashian West and Joe Rogan. Spotify bought Bill Simmons' sports and culture site, The Ringer, in 2020 adding it to its previous acquisitions focused on the Gimlet, Parcast and Anchor podcasts.
In numbers
320 million. According to the company, the number refers to people who use Spotify every month.
