What has happened to Brené Brown?

Dr. Brené Brown, celebrated researcher, author, and speaker known for her insightful exploration of the emotional intricacies of human existence, is making a triumphant return to the podcasting world. After an absence of over a year from the microphone, Brown is re-launching her two acclaimed podcasts, “Unlocking Us” and “Dare to Lead,” in a fresh partnership with Vox Media.

The news of Brown’s podcast revival under Vox Media’s wing comes after the expiration of her exclusive podcast deal with Spotify at the close of 2022. In January 2023, Brown announced an indefinite halt to her podcasts without specifying the reason behind the decision. “I will not be releasing any podcasts until further notice,” she shared on X (formerly Twitter) at the time. “To our #UnlockingUs and #DaretoLead communities, I’m sorry and I’ll let you know if and when that changes.”

Commencing on February 14, 2024, all previous episodes of Brown’s acclaimed shows, “Unlocking Us” and “Dare to Lead,” became widely accessible across major podcast platforms. Vox Media is set to spearhead the sales, marketing, and distribution efforts for both podcasts as part of the newly minted partnership.

Excitingly, both shows will also unveil new seasons: “Unlocking Us,” delving into “both the magic and the messiness of being human,” will kick off with fresh episodes on February 28. Brown teased that “Unlocking Us” will feature three- or four-part series each quarter. Meanwhile, “Dare to Lead,” spotlighting conversations with “change-catalysts, culture-shifters, and as many troublemakers as possible,” is slated to make its return on March 20. Notably, Brown will be joining Vox Media at South by Southwest this year for a live recording of “Dare to Lead.”

Expressing her enthusiasm about the partnership, Brown remarked, “This is going to be so much fun! Vox Media is the perfect creative podcast partner for the relaunch of Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead. I’ve missed the learning, the unlearning, and the laughter – I think we need more of all three right now!”

Brown’s collaboration with Vox Media coincides with Spotify’s shift away from exclusive platform deals toward broad distribution strategies to maximize audience engagement. While Spotify has recently renewed podcast agreements with Joe Rogan for “The Joe Rogan Experience” and with Alex Cooper for “Call Her Daddy,” these shows will no longer stream exclusively on Spotify, with the platform handling distribution and ad sales.

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek affirmed this change during the company’s Q4 earnings call, emphasizing a focus on doubling down on successful podcast deals while exiting those that did not meet expectations.