Trevor Noah signs a deal with Spotify to start a new podcast
Trevor Noah had his own television series in which he acted moviesdid live shows and wrote books.
Now the former Daily Show host is getting his own podcast on Spotify.
The podcast, which will stream through the app later this year, will release episodes weekly and will feature conversations between Noah and “some of the most influential and interesting people in the world,” Spotify said in a statement. Noah and platform executives announced the deal Tuesday in France at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
“We’re excited to be collaborating with Trevor to create an original podcast that seamlessly combines his unique humor, insightful commentary and consummate interviewing skills on a global scale,” said Julie McNamara, Spotify’s head of podcasting, in the statement.
The announcement comes just weeks after Spotify laid off 200 employees, about 2% of its workforce. Most of the layoffs were in the podcasting division, which is currently being restructured. In January, the Swedish tech giant cut its workforce by 6%, or around 600 people.
The company, which claims to have a podcast audience of more than 100 million monthly listeners, has invested heavily in podcasts over the years, acquiring several production companies including Gimlet and Parcast. But the cuts come at a time when tech companies are scrambling to boost profits in an uncertain economic environment.
“We are launching a new podcast that will be global. That means if you’re in the world, you can listen to this podcast,” Noah said in a video posted to Spotify’s TikTok account on Tuesday. “If you’re in space I believe they have internet there too, they only have wifi, you can listen to the podcast too.”
“Add me to your playlist,” Noah said, “but I don’t sing — unless you want me to.”
During their performance at the Cannes Creative and Marketing Festival, Noah and Spotify co-founder and CEO Daniel Ek said they would “use different mediums” and use “new technologies” to engage with audiences, the statement said . However, Spotify did not specify which specific media or technology they were referring to.
Noah’s podcast appearance begins about six months after Noah aired his final episode on Comedy Central’s late-night show The Daily Show, which he has hosted since 2015, replacing Jon Stewart. The satirical political talk show is still looking for a permanent replacement for Noah. Since his departure in December, the show has rotated between various temporary hosts – including Al Franken, Wanda Sykes, Leslie Jones, Hasan Minhaj, Sarah Silverman, Chelsea Handler, John Leguizamo, Marlon Wayans, Kal Penn and DL Hughley.
Noah has remained busy, booking a stand-up comedy tour and hosting the 2023 Grammys in February. Ahead of his departure, Noah continued, “The Tonight Showwith Jimmy Fallon and teased that he’d be doing a little bit of ‘everything’ after his long-running comedy central stint.
“Produce, you know? It’s like just working behind the camera and working on different ideas,” Noah told Fallon. “Going back home and spending more family time in South Africa. All is what I will do.”
Wendy Lee, a Times contributor, contributed to this report.
