Obamas sign with Amazon after cutting Amazon ties

BARACK and Michelle Obama have signed with Amazon after parting ways with Spotify.

The former first family’s production company, Higher Ground, did not disclose terms of the deal with Amazon’s Audible, including the range of shows it will make and whether it will have flexibility to release them on multiple audio services at the same time.

In April, Spotify declined to renew a deal with the pair, following a threeyear relationship. It had paid for exclusive rights to shows, though later distributed them on rival services.

Mr Obama, the former US president, said: “At Higher Ground, we have always sought to lift up voices that deserve to be heard – and Audible is invested in realising that vision alongside us. I’m looking forward to partnering with them to tell stories that not only entertain but also inspire.”

The couple signed their first podcast deal with Spotify in 2019 and released a series of shows, including The Michelle Obama Podcast and Renegades: Born in the USA – conversation between Mr Obama and musician Bruce Springsteen. Both sides were reported to have disagreed on strategy, however, as Higher Ground wanted to feature a more diverse range of voices than just their own.