Spotify is drawing influential Gen Z creator Emma Chamberlain into its podcast orbit.
Under a multi-year pact with Chamberlain, Spotify from early 2023 will become the exclusive home for her “Anything Goes With Emma Chamberlain” podcast, including all episodes from the back catalog and future installments. Additionally, select new episodes on Spotify will be featured as video podcasts, which the company says will “take Emma back to her vlogging roots.”
Chamberlain, who is 21, said he “has been listening to everything on Spotify since he was 14.”
“Spotify has played a huge role in developing my love and passion for podcasts and music, and I’m always in awe of how the platform continues to evolve,” Chamberlain said in a statement provided to Variety. “I couldn’t be more honored to be their exclusive partner and to work together to allow ‘Anything Goes’ to flourish in a way it couldn’t have anywhere else.
Chamberlain rose to fame on YouTube in 2018 with his unique personal spin on the vlog format and currently has 11.9 million subscribers to his channel. He took a six-month hiatus from YouTube in the first half of this year (saying he’s had a “difficult” relationship with the platform) before resuming uploads in July with a series of travelogues that began in New York. .
She translated her YouTube videos related to “Anything Goes,” which she released in early 2020 and is “recorded live from the comfort of her bed,” according to the podcast’s description. On the weekly show, Chamberlain talks at length about what’s on her mind, covering topics including sex, philosophy, seasonal depression, her favorite things, friendships, advice, and sometimes a random decade-long story. “Anything Goes” has been produced by Ramble, a division of Audacy’s Cadence13.
“Emma Chamberlain is one of the most influential voices fueling the creator community today, and Spotify is thrilled to be her exclusive podcast partner,” said Max Cutler, Spotify’s vice president of content and creator partnerships. “Her vulnerability of her, authenticity of her, and contributions of hers to the broader cultural conversation are truly inspiring. Our team is beyond excited to work alongside Emma to grow and amplify ‘Anything Goes’, with unique tools and resources that only Spotify can provide, and to deepen the connection with her global fan base.”
As part of its major investments in podcasts, the audio streamer has secured exclusive multi-year deals for several popular shows, including Joe Rogan’s “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy,” and Alex Cooper’s “Armchair Expert.” Dax Shepard. Spotify has also built a list of high-profile originals including “Archetypes” by Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex; “The System: The Kevin Keith Case” by Kim Kardashian; and Warner Bros./DC’s “Batman Unburied.”
At the end of the third quarter, Spotify was hosting a whopping 4.7 million podcasts overall on its platform, the vast majority of which are non-exclusive, up from 4.4 million the prior quarter.