Meghan Markle’s latest foray into the podcasting realm seems to have hit a snag as her new show, “Confessions of a Female Founder,” has plummeted out of both the US and UK Spotify Top 100.
This latest development comes as a disappointment for the Duchess of Sussex, as her podcast struggles to gain traction, despite being only three episodes in.
Not only did the show fail to secure a spot on the Spotify charts, but it also did not make it to Apple’s Top 200, highlighting the uphill battle Meghan faces in the competitive podcasting landscape.
Interestingly, a rival podcast focusing on sleep meditation, “Sleep Cove,” has found enduring popularity, cruising comfortably to the 79th position on the UK Spotify chart, as reported by Mail Online.
“Confessions of a Female Founder” comes from Markle’s media venture, Lemonada Media, and is intended to spotlight the journeys of female entrepreneurs.
However, the show’s early reception has been lukewarm, and it risks being overshadowed by other content competing for listeners’ attention.
This new podcast is a follow-up to Markle’s previous project, “Archetypes,” which also fell short of making a lasting impact.
That show led to Spotify deciding not to renew the £25 million contract with Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry, when it expires in 2025.
Clearly, the digital airwaves have not been particularly kind to the Duchess of Sussex.
During the development of her podcast, Meghan reportedly reached out to numerous high-profile personalities, including big names like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, to join her discussions.
However, sources indicate that those overtures were largely left unanswered.
A well-informed insider mentioned, “No one’s picking up the phone…
The show is not landing.”
In a clear sign of her struggles, the podcast’s debut episode featured a chat with Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, and the next episode had Meghan sitting down with Reshma Saujani, the founder of Girls Who Code.
Unfortunately, the absence of buzzworthy guests may be putting a dent in the show’s perceived value.
The latest installment saw the Duchess engaging with her friend and hair stylist Kadi Lee, discussing challenges faced with her lifestyle brand, As Ever.
Meghan shared her journey with the brand’s name changes and trademark issues, revealing a candidness about her experiences in the business world.
She elaborated on her previous brand, noting, “I had secured As Ever as a name in 2022, and as everything started to evolve last year, it became interesting.”
Her confusion about the branding process translated into a conversation filled with jargon, which may have alienated casual listeners.
Ingrid Seward, editor of Majesty magazine, did not hold back in her assessment of Markle’s podcast efforts.
She described the content as “deeply dull,” voicing skepticism about Meghan’s abilities to connect with her audience in a meaningful way.
Such criticism raises questions about her effectiveness as an entertainer in this format.
Looking back at her ventures since stepping away from royal duties in 2020, Meghan has kept busy with various projects, including the Archewell Foundation, Netflix collaborations, and the Clevr Blends investment.
Despite her efforts, it seems that translating her royal appeal into a successful media presence is proving to be more challenging than anticipated.
As her new podcast continues to struggle in the charts, the challenges of building a brand outside of royal privileges become increasingly evident.
Whether Meghan can reinvent herself in the podcasting world remains to be seen, but for now, the numbers paint a telling picture of her current standing with audiences.
