Spotify adds Hollywood video podcast studios

The new location complements existing audio-focused Arts District campus.

- By Cerys Davies

THE NEW site will be staffed by Spotify employees, who can help produce shows.

(Spotify)

Just down the street from Roce Nation, SiriusXM and Sony Music, Spotify is joining Hollywood’s Sycamore media district with a brand-new podcast studio facility.

The new, invitation-only space will be the company’s second studio location in Los Angeles and will cater mostly to video podcasts.

When Spotify moved into its campus in the Arts District in 2021, podcasting was primarily an audio experience, and the downtown L.A. studios reflected that. But as the listening format began to evolve into a visual one, Roman Wasenmuller, Spotify’s vice president of podcast and video, said the company needed to revamp and expand its facilities to meet the growing demand.

The Arts District studios will remain open and focus on audio content while the new Hollywood location will provide a “video-first environment.” The nearly 11,000-square-foot space includes five different studio areas that can accommodate a variety of setups, including cozier interview settings and vast recording spaces for big groups. And unlike other rentable studios around L.A., the space will be staffed by Spotify employees, who can help produce shows.

“It was just clear to us that we need more facilities than we had before, but also at the same time, we just need to figure out what the right setup would be so that we can succeed in this new world of podcasting,” said Wasenmuller.