Former First Lady Michelle Obama is returning to podcasting. Higher Ground, the production company founded by former President Barack Obama after they left the White House, will produce the series titled IMO for “in my opinion.” The new series will pair Michelle Obama with her brother, basketball executive Craig Robinson.
The show says it will bring the brother and sister duo’s “unique experiences and candid perspectives” to a range of listeners’ personal dilemmas, ranging from the everyday life challenges to more existential issues. Each week, they will be joined by guests to address audience questions with practical advice, anecdotes, and humor — covering issues ranging from dating and relationships to parenting, faith, and financial planning. Notably, politics isn’t in the focus. Instead, Higher Ground’s teaser says IMO will showcase are more “relaxed and honest” Obama.
“With everything going on in the world, we’re all looking for answers and people to turn to,” Obama says in the announcement. “My brother Craig and I launched the IMO podcast to create a space for people to come as they are, ask honest questions, give their opinions, and have thoughtful conversations about life. There is no single way to deal with the challenges we may be facing — whether it’s family, faith, or our personal relationships — but taking the time to open up and talk about these issues can provide hope.”
New episodes of IMO will be published on Wednesdays. The first two episodes of IMO will premiere this week, on Wednesday (March 12). One thing that will be different from Obama’s previous shows is that this podcast will also release video episodes. Obama and Robinson will also take the stage at SXSW in Austin on Thursday (March 13) at 1pm CT to record a special episode of their new podcast live in front of an audience.
It is not the first podcast for Obama, whose 2020 series The Michelle Obama Podcast is said to have been one of the most successful originals in Spotify history. After Higher Ground split with Spotify and inked a deal with Audible in 2023, she also produced the series Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast, which was tied to her 2023 book, “The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times.”
Robinson, who is the Executive Director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, is also an experienced podcaster. He hosted the Higher Ground podcast Ways To Win last year.
“We grew up talking through life’s big and small questions together,” says Robinson. “And now, we’re inviting listeners into that conversation, with the hope that it sparks new ideas, new perspectives, and creates the connection we could all use right now.”
Actress and writer Issa Rae will be the first guest of the podcast, joining the show to discuss the challenges of mismatched expectations in adult friendships. Other guests will include clinical psychologist Dr. Orna Guralnik, who talks about building healthy connections in a marriage. Keke Palmer, who shares her journey of finding balance between personal sacrifices and career success. Social psychologist and bestselling author Jonathan Haidt explores the rise of the phone-based childhood, while Seth and Lauren Rogen share their experiences caring for aging parents and being part of the “sandwich generation.” And Jay Shetty delves into the risks of taking career leaps while maintaining family priorities. Other guests throughout the season include Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach, Tyler Perry, Elaine Welteroth, Tracee Ellis Ross, Angie Martinez, Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union, Logan Ury, and Brian Chesky, among others.
The New York Times, which had an early listen to IMO, says it heard advertisements for brands including Rivian, Pine-Sol and Theraflu, with Robinson reading most of the ads.
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