Audio company Spotify’s partnership with Barack and Michelle Obama will bring to light diverse Muslim voices in its upcoming podcast “Higher Ground: Tell Them, I Am.”
In 2019, Spotify partnered with the Obamas’ production company Higher Productions to produce podcasts exclusive to the platform.
The “Tell Them, I Am” podcast features a collection of narratives from Muslim voices including activists, artists, actors and athletes.
It is hosted by Misha Euceph, a first-generation Pakistani-American writer, podcast host and producer.
The announcement was made at the company’s Stream On event, which included a performance by Justin Bieber and was attended by the former US president, the duke and duchess of Sussex, and Bruce Springsteen, among other notable personalities.
The first season aired during Ramadan in 2019, featuring personalities such as Egyptian stand-up comedian, actor, writer and director Ramy Youssef, comedian Ahamed Weinberg, and actress Alia Shawkat from TV show “Arrested Development.” The second season will air on the first day of Ramadan this year.
“The stories are universal and the guests are all Muslim,” Euceph said during the Stream On event. “The ultimate goal is for people to feel something, for them to fall in love with the people they’re listening to without ever thinking about who they are and what they look like.”
Spotify announced a second podcast with Higher Productions titled “Renegades: Born in the USA.”
The eight-episode series features conversations between Springsteen and Barack Obama as they explore topics of race, fatherhood, marriage and the future of America.
The company also announced its expansion to 80 new markets across Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Europe and Latin America during the event.
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In the majority of these markets, Spotify will launch with its full podcast catalog. For the others, it will work with local partners to introduce more podcasts from its catalog, as well as Spotify’s proprietary creator platform Anchor.
FAST FACTS
Over $5bn paid out to rights holders in 2020.
Monthly consumption of podcasts on Spotify up 1,500 percent in 3 years.
57,000 artists represent 90 percent of monthly streams on platform.
On Spotify, artists receive over 80 percent of streams from outside home country.
Over last 4 years, number of recording artists whose catalogs generated over $1m a year up over 82 percent.
Over last 4 years, number of recording artists whose catalogs generated over $100,000 a year up 79 percent.
