Meghan Markle’s New Podcast “Confessions of a Female Founder” Faces Challenges in Initial Rankings
Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is experiencing a lukewarm reception for her new podcast venture. “Confessions of a Female Founder” is reportedly underperforming in listener charts compared to her previous Spotify series, “Archetypes.” The inaugural episode of the podcast, featuring Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, debuted last week but has not achieved the top rankings seen by its predecessor.
Podcast Chart Performance Struggles
Since its highly anticipated launch, “Confessions of a Female Founder” has not reached the number one position. As of Monday, the podcast featuring the former “Suits” actress was positioned at number 10 on Spotify’s general Top Podcasts chart in the United States. This contrasts sharply with “Archetypes,” which attained the number one spot upon its release in 2022, highlighting a significant difference in initial audience engagement.
Critical Reception Mixed to Negative
Adding to the challenges, initial critical reviews of Markle’s new podcast have been largely negative. Some critics have described the podcast as unengaging, with one reviewer deeming it “stomach-turning.”
- Concerns have been raised that Markle avoids probing questions, instead steering conversations toward her personal narratives.
- Reviewers have noted a perceived lack of insightful content and genuine revelations.
Scathing Reviews from Prominent Publications
The Times of London published a harsh one-star review titled “Meghan’s vapid lessons in self-love,” in which the columnist James Marriott expressed extreme displeasure, stating he felt “an urge to beat my head against the wall” after listening.
Similarly, The Telegraph‘s TV critic, Chris Bennion, awarded the podcast two stars, characterizing it as an “inane stream of mindless aphorisms” lacking in substantial “confessions or secrets.”
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The Guardian’s two-star review echoed the negative sentiment, labeling the “sycophantic interview podcast” as “stomach-turning,” further indicating a challenging start for the Duchess’s new audio project.
Comparison to “Archetypes” and Spotify Departure
Markle’s prior podcast, “Archetypes,” which spanned 12 episodes, previously held the top spot in podcast rankings. However, her partnership with Spotify concluded in 2023 following a reported $20 million agreement.
Following the separation, Bill Simmons, a Spotify executive, publicly criticized the Sussexes, using derogatory terms and describing them as “lazy,” amidst speculation about the reasons for the professional split.
Simmons recounted an anecdote about a meeting with Prince Harry, suggesting a degree of difficulty in collaborating on podcast concepts.
Netflix Series Also Faced Criticism
The underwhelming debut of “Confessions of a Female Founder” follows recent critical backlash against Markle’s Netflix series, “With Love, Meghan.” Released in early March, the series was also heavily criticized by reviewers, indicating a pattern of challenging reception for the Duchess of Sussex’s recent media ventures.