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Spotify’s Big Bet on Harry and Meghan Fell Flat

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When Spotify signed Prince Harry and and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to an exclusive deal worth allegedly $20 million in 2020, the controversial royal couple was taking their first steps into the business world, and podcasts were thriving.

Some believe that Prince Harry and Meghan’s brand has diminished, and Spotify is lowering its reliance on major celebrity signings and expensive original content, which have hurt on its financial line.

Meghan’s podcast was one of the most high-profile losses this week when Spotify and the duke and duchess’ Archewell Audio announced a mutual decision to separate ways.

Spotify’s contract with Barack and Michelle Obama’s production firm expired last year.

Since then, Spotify has laid off hundreds of employees, primarily in its podcasting operation, which it acquired for more than $400 million just a few years ago.

During a conference call with financial analysts earlier this year, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek said the company made some mistakes during the more than $1 billion spending spree that preceded its 2019 effort to establish itself as an industry leader.

“You are correct in pointing out overpaying and over-investing,” he stated.

“We’re going to be very diligent in how we invest in future content deals,” he added. “Obviously, we will not renew those that aren’t performing.”

“And the ones that are performing, obviously, we will look at those on a case-by-case basis in terms of relative value.”

Rogan a Spotify Success

Spotify definitely has the appetite for some high-priced collaborations. It rebuffed requests last year to cut relations with its contentious star, Joe Rogan, who reportedly paid $200 million in 2020 in exchange for giving the streamer exclusive listening rights.

However, Mr. Rogan’s show features numerous multi-hour episodes each week, with an estimated audience of 11 million people.

Meghan, on the other hand, only released 12 episodes of her Archetypes podcast last year.

The Sussexes and Spotify were “proud” of the material they created together, according to the joint statement announcing the divorce.

And a slew of awards demonstrated why.

Archetypes’ debut last year topped Spotify’s rankings in six countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. Meghan’s show, in which she interviewed other celebrities like as Serena Williams, Mariah Carey, and Mindy Kaling, was also nominated for a People’s Choice Award.

However, crisis communications expert Mark Borkowski believes the show was not compelling enough when Spotify evaluated the figures.

“It’s always about the content…. Clearly, there hasn’t been a big enough audience for it,” he says. “No one will pay you if you don’t deliver your fee.”

According to Mr Borkowski, there is little doubt that the duke and duchess still have media value. However, it may no longer be what it once was.

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Prince Harry and Meghan’s popularity in decline

According to a Newsweek poll conducted earlier this year, the couple’s popularity in the United States has decreased as a result of the marketing blitz around their Netflix documentary series and the publishing of Harry’s book, Spare. “The more Prince Harry and Meghan say, the less Americans like them,” read the headline in Newsweek.

Mr Borkowski said the duo will have to “think hard” about what they can provide in whatever they do next after they step down as working royals in 2020.

“It’s a thread that’s been pulled out of the brand,” he says of Spotify’s demise. “If they want to keep it from unraveling, they’ll have to think really hard.” The greatest question is whether they will learn from this loss or dismiss it as a blip.”

This Thursday, a representative for the duchess’s new Hollywood talent agency informed the Wall Street Journal, “Meghan is continuing to develop more content for the Archetypes audience on another platform.”

According to Max Willens, senior analyst at Insider Intelligence, Spotify is not the only tech behemoth that has spent lavishly in recent years to attract talent who has failed to deliver on the promise implied by the money they were paid.

Those high days came to an end last year, as economic mood deteriorated and market prices fell.

However, Spotify shares are up nearly 90% this year as investors embrace Mr Ek’s promises to remain focused on “efficiency.” Spotify continues to acquire users and has seen its podcast repertoire grow to more than five million.

Spotify Exec Calls Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 'F*cking Grifters'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “Fucking Grifters

This month, the corporation announced the “next phase” of its podcasting business, indicating that it will welcome lower-cost, third-party artists while increasing investment in “always on” programming.

“The platforms that have gotten into [podcasting] had to take some time to figure out what constituted a good investment,” adds Mr Willens. He describes Spotify’s choice to cut ways with the Duke and Duchess as a “understandable and natural part of that process.”

“Those were big, big deals designed to create buzz and grab headlines, and they succeeded.” The question is whether they make excellent long-term economic sense.”

Meanwhile, Bill Simmons, the Ringer creator and Spotify’s head of podcast innovation and marketing, recently called Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “fucking grifters” on his podcast. Simmons’ remarks come after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced on Thursday that their production company, Archewell, had terminated connections with the audio company. In 2020, the pair signed a $20 million agreement with Spotify.

“‘The Fucking Grifters,'” says one. “That’s the podcast we should’ve started with them,” Simmons said on his self-titled programme. “I need to get drunk one night and tell Harry about the Zoom I had with him to help him come up with a podcast idea.” It’s one of my favourite stories.”

Simmons’ Ringer was sold to the audio platform for $196 million in 2020, propelling Simmons to a leadership position at Spotify.

In the January 2022 broadcast of his podcast, the podcaster also chastised the pair, saying, “Shoot this guy to the sun… I’m sick of this guy. What brings he to the table? He just whines about shit and continues to give interviews. Who gives a damn? Who is interested in your life? You weren’t even the preferred son.”

“You live in fucking Montecito and you just sell documentaries and podcasts, and nobody cares what you have to say about anything unless you talk about the royal family and just complain about them,” Simmons continued.

Geoff Brown is a seasoned staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. With his sharp writing skills he consistently delivers high-quality, engaging content that resonates with readers. Geoff's' articles are well-researched, informative, and written in a clear, concise style that keeps audiences hooked. His ability to craft compelling narratives while seamlessly incorporating relevant keywords has made him a valuable asset to the VORNews team.

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Megan Fox Says She’s Done with Machine Gun Kelly

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Megan Fox says she's is focusing on herself and her family.

Pregnant Megan Fox, despite her pregnancy with Machine Gun Kelly’s child, claims she will never live with the singer again. She stated that she would like things to remain platonic between the two.

Megan announced her pregnancy on November 12, only days before the couple divorced over Thanksgiving. She already has three children, Noah, 11, Bodhi, 9, and Journey, 7, with her ex-husband Brian Austin Green.

Megan Fox and Kelly have a long history of on-and-off dating, and suspicion immediately circulated that their current breakup was temporary.

However, a source close to Fox said that she is ready to break the cycle as she prepares to give birth to her next child.

According to a source for Us Weekly, Megan Fox is currently focusing on herself and her family. “She’s been working a lot this year, so she’s looking forward to spending time with her kids.”

Showing that she is serious about ending her chapter with Machine Gun Kelly, the insider revealed that the two “haven’t been in contact this last week,” further demonstrating that “things are not looking great between them right now.”

“She hopes that with them taking time apart right now, they will be able to have a healthy co-parenting relationship,” the insider said of Fox’s “table environment” for her baby.

Despite their no-contact condition, the source stated that Fox was “trying to focus on being positive” and looked forward to co-parenting with her ex. “No matter how she feels about MGK, she has a lot of love for him and is excited that they are going to become parents,” they told me.

“MGK is really letting Megan lead the way right now and is giving her space.”

Megan, who has stated that she believes she helped shape the rapper-turned-rocker into the person he is, has been relying on her ex-husband’s fiancée, Sharna Burgess, as she navigates the difficult breakup.

‘Sharna understands how tough it is to be pregnant and has been supporting Megan,’ a source told DailyMail.com last week.

‘She truly cares and feels for her. Breakups are terrible enough on their own, but being pregnant makes them worse.

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Megan Fox Talks About Baby No. 4 and Family

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Gypsy Rose Claims Ex Got Aroused Over Mom’s Murder

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Gypsy Rose Blanchard Says Her Ex Had "Murder Fantasies" and Found them "Arousing"

The tragic story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard continues to unearth chilling details, even years after the 2015 murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. Her tell-all book My Time To Stand offers a series of unsettling recollections.

In a recent surprising disclosure, Gipsy accused her former boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, of becoming “aroused” by dreams about her mother’s murder. This claim sheds a darker light on a case already fraught with troubling issues about deception, abuse, and twisted connections.

Gipsy Rose rose to prominence after the murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. Dee Dee suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a disorder in which a carer fabricates or causes illness in someone in their care.

For years, Dee Dee persuaded doctors, neighbours, and the general public that Gipsy was seriously ill, limiting her to wheelchairs and unnecessary medical procedures.

Behind closed doors, Dee Dee had complete control over Gypsy’s life, including her meals, social activities, and thoughts. Her physical and psychological abuse produced a toxic atmosphere from which Gipsy desperately sought to escape.

Planning the Murder

Gipsy and her then-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, planned to murder Dee Dee. Godejohn carried out the murder by stabbing Dee Dee while she was sleeping. Gipsy and Godejohn were both captured shortly after the incident.

Gipsy pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a 10-year jail sentence, while Godejohn received a life sentence for first-degree murder.

In a recent interview and previous publications, Gipsy Rose claimed Godejohn found the murder “arousing.” Gipsy claims Godejohn has a history of violent fantasies and an obsession with manipulating women.

These traits could have influenced his involvement in the crime.

Gypsy’s assertions paint Godejohn as a manipulator who exploited her vulnerability for his gain. She characterized him as ready to carry out the plan, not because he loved or supported her predicament but because it appealed to his dark desires.

The Abuse of Gypsy Rose

Their internet relationship, which began innocently, quickly evolved into something evil. Godejohn’s aggressive inclinations, combined with Gypsy’s desperate need to escape Dee Dee’s abuse, formed a dangerous situation.

In it, she described meeting Godejohn on a Christian dating service in 2012 and how the two developed an explicit relationship. Gipsy Rose wrote on how swiftly Nick supposedly exposed her to a world of “sexually perverse things,” recalling.

She described alarming moments in which he would “threaten” to take his love away from her if she did not perform what he wanted sexually.

Things climaxed when they met and discussed the prospect of living together in Nick’s home state, Wisconsin. Soon after, Gipsy recounted in her memoir, the young couple considered killing Dee Dee to stay together.

Gipsy Rose described them as “gradual,” having been “baked into an elaborate fantasy world” starring Victor and other Nick-created characters. Even creepier was her claim that he “got sexually aroused” when discussing rape and murder.

The latest claims against Godejohn have sparked renewed public interest in the case. Some interpret Gypsy’s words as an attempt to disassociate herself from the crime, while others see them as a legitimate insight into Godejohn’s character.

Whatever your point of view, it’s evident that this isn’t a simple story. The complicated relationships between Gipsy Rose, Dee Dee, and Godejohn continue to intrigue and horrify people following the case.

Nick is serving the remainder of his life in jail, while Gipsy Rose continues to market her memoir as she prepares to give birth to her first child.

Related Articles:

Gypsy Rose Talks Parenting Plans After Announcing Pregnancy

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Gipsy Rose Blanchard Opens Up Over Mother Murder

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Gypsy Rose is believed to be a victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy

Gipsy Rose Blanchard has spoken out about her involvement in her mother’s murder in 2015 by her then-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn. Godejohn. Gipsy reflects on the trauma she experienced and how it influenced her decisions.

Godejohn received a life sentence without parole plus an additional 25 years for armed criminal action. Gypsy Rose released from prison after serving time for mom’s murder. She received a 10-year sentence after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.

Gipsy Rose, a victim of years of torture linked to Munchausen syndrome by proxy, admitted working with her then-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, to organize Dee Dee’s murder.

According to the now-33-year-old, the “final straw” came a month before the murder, when her mother “tried to cut” her neck after her voice grew “high-pitched.”

She described appealing to her mother, saying that there was nothing wrong with her voice, but Dee Dee nevertheless took her to a pulmonologist, who advised “exploratory surgery of her larynx.”

Gypsy Rose Muzzled

Gipsy Rose had already tried to flee twice and shot her mother with a “BB gun” after Dee Dee allegedly “chained” her to the bed, stating she was becoming “harder to control” as she aged.

Gipsy Rose called the suggested voice box operation “completely unnecessary” and claimed it made her “truly” worry about the “scope of [her mom’s] malice.”

Gipsy said that her mother would “muzzle” her mouth at night with a CPAP machine “for my fake sleep apnoea” and use Orajel to “numb” her mouth, causing her to “drool and slur.”

She also blamed Dee Dee for her teeth falling out, which she explained as a “side effect of superfluous medications.”

“By speaking for me and scripting every interaction, she prevented me from discovering my voice. In my opinion, my literal voice, no matter how squeaky it was, could be taken away. She wrote, “Her final play.”

Dee Dee successfully persuaded multiple doctors that her daughter had a variety of medical issues, including asthma, cancer, Down syndrome, epilepsy, and more.

Second-degree murder

Gipsy revealed that her mother even went so far as to shave her head, saying, “It’s going to fall out anyway, so let’s just keep it nice and neat.”

In terms of how Dee Dee deceived so many doctors, it is believed that the drugs she gave Gipsy “induced many of the symptoms of diseases [that] doctors thought they were treating.”

Over nine years, Dee Dee admitted Gipsy to the hospital more than 100 times, citing various fictitious medical ailments.

Gipsy pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2016 after her mother, Dee Dee, died. She was sentenced to ten years and will be freed on parole on December 28, 2023, after serving 85 percent of her sentence.

Her then-boyfriend, Godejohn, who carried out the fatal stabbing in 2015 at Gypsy’s request, was sentenced to life in jail with no chance of release.

During her trial, Gipsy claimed that the reason she conspired to kill her mother was the years of abuse she had undergone, which left her feeling as if murder was her only option. She described how Dee Dee pushed her to use a wheelchair and endure numerous unneeded medical exams and treatments.

Her mother also exploited Gypsy Rose by portraying her as a terminally ill and crippled kid to garner sympathy and charitable donations from organizations such as Make-A-Wish and The Walt Disney Company, all while maintaining complete control over Gypsy’s life.

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Gypsy Rose Talks Parenting Plans After Announcing Pregnancy

 

 

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