Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company — Higher Ground — just announced its latest partnership with Spotify to create a series of podcasts.
The multi-year deal will be through Higher Ground Audio, an offshoot of the broader production company that focuses on podcasts.
“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,” Michelle Obama said in a statement.
Higher Ground was originally launched in 2018 with an initial partnership with Netflix that would create a number of films and series for the platform. The content would range from scripted and unscripted shows, documentaries and features with inspirational themes.
The Obamas are now carrying their inspirational content over to Spotify with their newest deal.
“We’ve always believed in the value of entertaining, thought-provoking conversation,” President Obama said in a statement. “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.”
The partnership also highlights Spotify’s efforts toward more original content. Earlier this year, the company acquired podcast companies, Gimlet and Anchor.
“The format is really evolving and while podcasting is still a relatively small business today, I see incredible growth potential for the space and for Spotify in particular,” Daniel Ek, Spotify co-founder and CEO, said in a statement following the purchases.
Ek said that Spotify’s podcast listeners spend nearly twice as much time in the app and more time listening to music.
“We have also seen that by having unique programming, people who previously thought Spotify was not right for them will give it a try,” Ek said in February.
With fan favorites and heavy-hitters like the Obamas, Spotify is sure to entice more listeners into staying on the platform.
