Yahoo News Viola Davis’ Ashé Audio Ventures Inks Multi-Project Deal With Audible (Exclusive)
Ashé Audio Ventures, the newly created podcast label from Viola Davis and Julius Tennon’s JuVee Productions and Maurício and Katie Mota’s Wise Entertainment, has reached an exclusive multi-project deal with Audible.
Scripted and unscripted original audio programming from Ashé will begin releasing its first titles in 2024. The projects are expected to include genres like self-development and audio theater, with a focus on work from up-and-coming talent.
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Ashé — which comes from a Yoruba word that means “the power to make things come to life with your voice,” according to Maurício Mota — is the latest star-led production banner to strike major partnerships with Audible on original audio programming. In the past few years, Audible has closed deals with Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground, George Clooney’s Smokehouse Pictures, Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment, Kerry Washington’s Simpson Street, Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions, Daniel Dae Kim’s 3AD Productions, Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit, Charlamagne The God’s CThaGod World Inc. and Lebron James and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill, among others.
The audio pact between Ashé and Audible also follows Davis’ recent win for best audiobook at the Grammy Awards for her memoir, Finding Me, which secured the multi-hyphenate star’s EGOT status.
“After the outpouring of love for Finding Me, I’m excited for the opportunities that Ashé Audio Ventures and Audible will create for memorable stories to be both explored and celebrated in a meaningful new way — a way that spans borders and connects us to a shared human experience,” Davis said.
In a separate statement, Lennon said JuVee and Wise Entertainment spent more than two years “deep diving” into the U.S. and international audio space before selecting Audible as a partner.
“Ashé’s mission resonates and aligns deeply with Audible,” Zola Mashariki, the head of Audible Studios, added, “and we look forward to introducing original projects that reflect our collective ethos.”
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