Barack & Michelle Obama Partner With Spotify In Exclusive Podcast Deal

The Obamas are getting into the podcasting business, and Spotify has the exclusive rights.

Spotify announced Thursday that it has teamed up with Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground, to produce a new slate of podcasts that will only be available on its streaming platform.

The Obamas will “develop, produce, and lend their voices to select podcasts” that will cover “wide-ranging topics,” according to a statement from Higher Ground.

The deal comes after a similar agreement with Netflix last summer that will see the former first couple producing movies and television shows for the Hollywood streamer.

“We’ve always believed in the value of entertaining, thought-provoking conversation,” Barack Obama, 57, said in a press release. “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, 55, 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.”

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The deal with the Obamas is a major win for Spotify, too, especially as the podcast industry grows.

“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’s chief content officer, Dawn Ostroff.

It’s unclear as of now when the first podcast will premiere.