Since leaving the White House The Obamas haven’t missed a beat. Now, the dynamic duo has decided to jump into the podcast game by signing an exclusive deal with streaming giant Spotify to produce exclusive content.
According to Variety, the terms of the multiyear deal between Spotify and Higher Ground Productions, the couple’s production company, Barack and Michelle Obama are set to develop, produce, and even offer their voices to select podcasts that will cover on a wide range of topics. The agreement is with Higher Ground Audio, a new division of the Higher Ground production company, that is housing the Obamas’ move into podcasts.
“We’ve always believed in the value of entertaining, thought-provoking conversation,” President Obama said in a statement provided by Spotify. “It helps us build connections with each other and open ourselves up to new ideas. We’re excited about Higher Ground Audio because podcasts offer an extraordinary opportunity to foster productive dialogue, make people smile and make people think, and, hopefully, bring us all a little closer together.”
Michelle Obama added, “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to amplify voices that are too often ignored or silenced altogether, and through Spotify, we can share those stories with the world. Our hope is that through compelling, inspirational storytelling, Higher Ground Audio will not only produce engaging podcasts but help people connect emotionally and open up their minds — and their hearts.”
“President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are two of the world’s most important voices and it is a privilege to be working with them to identify and share stories that will inspire our global audience, which looks to Spotify for unique, breakthrough content,” said Spotify chief content officer Dawn Ostroff.
Spotify’s deal with the Obamas is evidence that the streaming platform intention is to invest heavily into podcasting.
