The former president and first lady are nearing the end of their deal with Spotify.
The Obamas are coming to Audible. The former president and first lady’s media company, Higher Ground, has a signed a First Look deal with Audible, officially signaling their next move after the end of their current deal with Spotify, Variety is reporting.
As theGrio previously reported, all eyes have been on Higher Ground after the company announced its departure from Spotify. Under the Spotify deal, which will officially end in October, the Obamas’ company launched “The Michelle Obama Podcast” and “Renegades: Born in the USA” (with the former president and Bruce Springsteen), both of which became huge successes for the streaming service. Now, two months after the news of their departure, Higher Ground is heading to Amazon-owned Audible.
Higher Ground’s Audible content “will reflect the companies’ shared mission to tell meaningful and entertaining stories that elevate diverse voices and experiences,” according to the announcement obtained by Variety. While the specific content being produced is still under wraps, the projects will not be exclusive to the service, unlike the Spotify deal. The plan is to make the shows available across “a wide range” of podcast platforms.
Barack Obama said in a statement about the new deal, “At Higher Ground, we have always sought to lift up voices that deserve to be heard — and Audible is invested in realizing that vision alongside us. I’m looking forward to partnering with them to tell stories that not only entertain but also inspire.”
Michelle Obama’s statement read, “We are so proud of the stories we have been able to tell at Higher Ground, and there’s no one we’d rather write our next chapter with than Audible. Together, we will keep striving to tell compelling, provocative, and soulful stories — while doing everything we can to make sure they reach the folks who need to hear them.”
In the Spotify statement obtained by Variety, a rep said, “We are incredibly proud of our partnership with Higher Ground and while we declined [to extend] our deal we are excited about the series we made together and those still to come in the months ahead.”
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