Former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle announced a multiyear deal with Spotify to produce and host exclusive podcasts.
The Obamas production company Higher Ground is expanding to include an audio division, according to a report published Thursday by The Hollywood Reporter.
.@Spotify and @BarackObama & @MichelleObama’s Higher Ground announce partnership to produce podcasts. https://t.co/gdge9i5L6z pic.twitter.com/yTf3O1JNzH
— Spotify News (@SpotifyNews) June 6, 2019
“We’ve always believed in the value of entertaining, thought-provoking conversation,” Barack Obama said in a statement. “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.” (RELATED: Obama Might Be Coming To Netflix)
Spotify announced that the Obamas will be hosting podcasts to help “inspire” Spotify’s audience.
“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,” Spotify’s Chief Content Officer Dawn Ostroff said in a statement.
“Connecting people with original and thoughtful creators — especially those with the ability to highlight underrepresented and indispensable narratives — is at the core of our mission and we are thrilled that not only will the Obamas be producing content, but that they will be lending their voices to this effort,” she added.
The new partnership comes roughly a year after the Obamas signed a multiyear deal to produce projects for Netflix. Barack and Michelle released a list of their current projects at the beginning of May.
As previously reported, the topics of the projects include death, disabilities, industrial plants, eternal life-giving flowers, and a food series.