Duchess Meghan Announces 'Archetypes' Podcast Series About Women
While she was a working member of the royal family, it was the tabloid media’s use of stereotypes that often shaped inaccurate narratives around the Duchess of Sussex’s life. Now, Meghan is launching her first podcast series investigating the labels that impact the lives of women around the world.
Spotify and the Sussexes’ production company, Archewell Audio, announced today, March 24, a new show hosted by the duchess investigating the labels and stereotypes "that try to hold women back."
Launching this summer, Archetypes will feature "uncensored conversations" with historians, experts and women "who know all too well" about how typecasts can influence and change narratives. A Spotify statement shared with BAZAAR.com says Meghan plans to uncover the origin of these stereotypes, as well as address "the common stereotypes that have historically generalized women through the lens of popular culture and media."
In a teaser released on Spotify—the streaming platform the Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed an exclusive multi-year partnership with in 2020—Meghan gives a preview of what listeners can expect.
"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 showing up and defining our lives?" she says. "This is Archetypes—the podcast where we dissect, explore, and subvert the labels that try to hold women back. I’ll have conversations with women who know all too well how these typecasts shape our narratives. And I’ll talk to historians to understand how we even got here in the first place."
The free series will be the first offering from Archewell Audio’s content deal with Spotify and brings together talent from across Prince Harry and Meghan’s production divisions, including Ben Browning, head of content, and Rebecca Sananes, head of audio, who are serving as executive producers, alongside the duchess herself. Spotify’s chief content officer, Dawn Ostroff, head of news Courtney Holt, and Julie McNamara, head of studios and video, will also serve as executive producers. The trailer was produced in partnership with California-based podcast production house Little Everywhere.
Last week, a spokesperson for Harry and Meghan confirmed that Archewell Audio would be resuming production with Spotify after briefly pausing following widespread backlash concerning the streamer's loyalties to controversial sources—like Joe Rogan's podcast and the company's failure to prevent the spread of coronavirus misinformation. The rep added that the couple have been working directly with the company to promote a safer, well-sourced audio landscape with more reliable and accurate information.
Their collaborative efforts with Spotify include proposals for new "policies, practices, and strategies meant to raise creator awareness, minimize the spread of misinformation, and support transparency," their spokeswoman told BAZAAR on March 17. “We are encouraged by ongoing conversations we’ve had with Spotify on this shared goal and have been working closely with their team—as well as their senior leadership.”
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