After months of rumors about the cancellation of Meghan and Harry’s ‘Archetypes’ podcast, Daniel Ek, head of Spotify, gave an interview to the BBC where he admitted for the first time why they pulled the plug on the ‘Archetypes’ project.
Ek explained that some of Spotify’s innovative ideas did not work out as expected.
What did Spotify’s CEO say about Meghan Markle’s podcast
Specifically, Spotify’s CEO revealed that they canceled the Duke and Duchess of Sussex podcast due to a lack of content and profitability.
The Sussexes’ podcast delivered only 12 episodes in two and a half years, despite an $18 million investment.
Faced with questions about profitability, the CEO diplomatically noted that some things worked and some things didn’t.
He stressed that they are learning from the experience and wished success to those who did not renew, a veiled allusion to the Dukes.
Spotify sources had already pointed to the lack of content as the main reason for the cancellation.
The Wall Street Journal had already revealed that Harry and Meghan’s lack of productivity led to layoffs on the platform.
The statements of Spotify’s top executive demolish the version of an amicable separation between the platform and the podcast of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
It is worth recalling the statements of Bill Simmons, Spotify’s director of innovation and podcast monetization, describing the couple as “f*****g grifters”.
Beyond the prestigious guests and awards garnered, the project has been tarnished by accusations about the alleged poor performance of the Sussexes.
