Meghan Markle is returning to podcasting months after she and husband Prince Harry parted ways with Spotify.
Podcast network Lemonada Media on Tuesday announced a new creative partnership with the Duchess of Sussex. In addition to producing a new show hosted by Meghan, as part of the deal, Lemonada will distribute and oversee ad sales for the first season of her award-winning Spotify series “Archetypes” for all audio platforms.
“I’m proud to now be able to share that I am joining the brilliant team at Lemonada to continue my love of podcasting,” Meghan said in a statement. “Being able to support a female founded company with a roster of thought provoking and highly entertaining podcasts is a fantastic way to kick off 2024. Our plan to re-release 'Archetypes' so that more people can now have access to it, as well as launching a dynamic new podcast are well in the works. I’m so eager to be able to share it soon, and am overjoyed to be joining the Lemonada family.”
"Archetypes" debuted as Spotify’s No. 1 podcast in 47 countries, and has averaged nearly 1 million listens per episode. The critically acclaimed series featured discussions with notable women about navigating life, work — and expectations.
From Mariah Carey unpacking what it means to be a diva, Mindy Kaling celebrating single life, Pamela Adlon speaking on the pressure to be a wife and mother, to Issa Rae and Ziwe Fumudoh addressing the misconception that often comes with being a woman of color, the series offered dynamic cultural conversations centered on women's experiences.
“We are beyond honored that Meghan has trusted us to help democratize access to ‘Archetypes,’ and that so many more people around the world will have access to the series soon. Meghan’s talent as host, creator and conversationalist is unparalleled and we are thrilled to co-create a new series with her that fosters her approach to creating art that matters,” said Lemonada CEO and co-founder, Jessica Cordova Kramer.
“As we’ve started development with The Duchess of Sussex, we are blown away by her collaborative spirit and clear vision, along with her deep desire to build compassion and community through this work. The Lemonada team felt immediate kinship with Meghan and the Archewell Productions team, and we are delighted to be working together,” said Lemonada’s Chief Creative Officer and co-founder, Stephanie Wittels Wachs.
Lemonada is home to several other award-winning podcasts, including Apple's 2023 Show of the Year, “Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus”; “Blind Plea,” which launched to No. 1 overall on the Apple Podcast charts; and “Funny Cuz It’s True with Elyse Myers,” which launched to No. 1 in comedy on the Apple Podcast charts.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2020 announced a multi-year partnership between their production company, Archewell Audio, and Spotify, but the parties "mutually agreed to part ways" in June 2023.
Meghan, 42, and Prince Harry, 39, also launched a new website, Sussex.com, on Monday. The site features the latest news about the royal couple, along with information about their Archewell Foundation organization and Archewell Productions.
Story via TMX