Recently, Meghan Markle proudly announced that she had signed a new deaI with Lemonada Media to continue her passion for podcasting.
The deal revived Markle’s presence in the space when, less than a year ago, she and Spotify “mutually agreed to part ways” after only 12 episodes of her podcast “Archetypes.”
Markle signed the deal with Spotify in 2020, worth a reported $20 million. During episodes of “Archetypes,” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would discuss with guests the topic of labels that try to hoId women back.
The podcast had a decent run, even topping podcasting legend Joe Rogan when it premiered. Despite strong viewership and a lineup of star guests, momentum died out after one season.
“Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together,” according to a joint statement from Spotify and Archewell given to Fox Business last year. DetaiIs regarding what went down behind the scenes are sparse. However, Spotify executive Bill Simmons labeled Prince Harry and Markle “f—–g grifters” upon the cancellation of their contract.
“‘The F—–g Grifters.’ That’s the podcast we shoulda launched with them,” Simmons stated on his own podcast after the deal collapsed. I gotta get drunk one night and tell the story of the Zoom I had with Harry to try and heIp him with a podcast idea. It’s one of my best stories.
Furthermore, United Talent Agency (UTA) CEO Jeremy Zimmer also criticized Markle for lacking skill in the podcasting space. “Turns out Meghan Markle was not a great audio talent, or necessarily any kind of talent,” Zimmer said. “And, you know, just because you’re famous doesn’t make you great at something.”