Meghan unveils her new Spotify podcast, titled ‘Archetypes’, which will ‘dissect, explore and subvert the labels trying to hold women back’ as the £18million deal finally gets off the ground
- Meghan will speak to historians, experts and women about typing
- Duchess of Sussex vows to ‘investigate labels that try to hold women back’
- Meghan and Harry signed a lucrative £18million deal with Spotify in late 2020
- They only released one show before today – a Christmas special starring Archie
The Duchess of Sussex has launched her first Spotify series – a podcast about female stereotypes, in which she promises to “investigate labels that try to hold women back”.
Archetypes launches this summer and will be hosted by Meghan Markle, who will speak to historians, experts and women who have experienced typography.
A trailer from the Archewell Audio project was released today as Prince Harry’s brother Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton continue their tour of the Caribbean.
In the new trailer, Meghan said: “This is how we talk about women: the words that raise our girls and how the media reflects women back to us. But where do these clichés come from? And how do they keep popping up and determining our lives?’
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit a radio station in Brixton, south London, in January 2018
Previewing the type of guests who will be performing, the Duchess adds: “This is Archetypes – the podcast where we dissect, explore and subvert the labels trying to hold women back.
“I will engage in conversations with women who know all too well how these typologies shape our narratives.
What does Meghan say in the Spotify trailer?
“This is how we talk about women: the words that raise our girls and how the media reflects women back to us… but where do these stereotypes come from? And how do they keep popping up and determining our lives?
“I’m Meghan and this is Archetypes – the podcast where we dissect, explore and subvert the labels that try to hold women back. I will engage in conversations with women who know all too well how these typifications shape our narratives. And I’m going to talk to historians to understand how we got here in the first place.
“Archetypes – coming soon. Just listen on Spotify.”
“And I will speak to historians to understand how we got here in the first place.”
The announcement of Archewell Audio’s first podcast series with Spotify comes after Meghan and the Duke of Sussex raised concerns about the misinformation about Covid-19 on the platform.
Meghan and Harry signed a lucrative deal with the audio streaming giant in late 2020 to host and produce podcasts valued at around £18million.
But they had only released one show so far – a Christmas special starring their son Archie and celebrity guests.
Spotify and Archewell Audio said today: “Spotify and Archewell Audio place a high value on responsible stewardship of the audio landscape and, as recently stated, are committed to working closely together to support transparency and strong trust and security principles.”
Neil Young reportedly gave Spotify an ultimatum in January to remove either his work or The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, which is known for spreading vaccine-skeptical views.
When the singer later left the streaming platform, Joni Mitchell announced the same move “in solidarity” with his decision.
At the time, the Sussexes’ Charity Foundation said it had raised concerns but the couple was determined to continue their work with the organisation.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Global Citizen Live: New York on September 25, 2021
This afternoon’s announcement marks Archewell Audio’s first podcast series with Spotify
Last week, a spokesman for Archewell Audio confirmed that the first series will air in the summer and that they have been working closely with Spotify to develop policies aimed at minimizing the spread of misinformation.
‘archetype’: what is the dictionary definition?
- Cambridge: ‘Typical of an original from which others are copied.’
- Oxford: ‘The most typical or perfect example of a particular type of person or thing.’
- Merriam-Webster: ‘The original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies.’
Meghan has long been an activist for women’s empowerment.
Spotify and Archewell Audio described their conversations with typed women as “uncensored” and said the Duchess would delve into the origins of stereotypes.
Former Suits actress Meghan is also an Executive Producer on the series along with Ben Browning, Head of Content at Archewell, and Rebecca Sananes, Head of Audio at Archewell.
The podcast is produced by Archewell Audio in association with Gimlet Media for Spotify.
Separately, a High Court judge ruled today that parts of some documents in Harry’s complaint against the Home Office are kept secret, as he criticized the Duke’s legal team for a “completely unacceptable” breach of court rules.
Harry is filing a lawsuit against the department after being told he would no longer receive the “same level” of personal protective equipment if he visited from the US, despite offering to pay for it himself.
The Duke would like to bring his children from the US to visit, but he and his family “cannot return to his homeland” because it is too dangerous, a representative previously said.
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