Instagram invites Ice Spice, Doja Cat to celebrity row with ‘Close Friends Only’ podcast

Instagram’s new podcast is a platform for A-listers. Rappers Doja Cat and Ice Spice are the first guests on Close Friends Only, an audio show developed by Insta and The Unwell Network.

A press release from Instagram describes Close Friends Only as a program that offers “the latest on culture — from memes and icks, to fashion and friendship — all from your favorite celebrities.” The first two celebs to appear on the show are a pair of pop stars who are currently on tour together. In a promo for the podcast, Doja and Ice get “catty and spicy” as they share their opinions on top creators (they both love Druski), viral videos, and their respective Insta feeds.

The first episode of Close Friends Only hit Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Apple Podcasts on December 7. The podcast is tied into Instagram’s Trend Talk post, in which the Meta-owned platform predicted the subjects that will captivate Gen Z in 2024.

The other company behind Close Friends Only 

also knows a thing or two about trends. The Unwell Network, which launched earlier this year, is led by Alex Cooper. The Call Her Daddy host is working with other influential women — including TikTokers Alix Earle and Madeline Argy — to develop original podcasts.

With Close Friends Only, Instagram is adapting a strategy other platforms have used to boost their cultural relevance. YouTube has kept an eye on the latest trends through the MatPat-hosted podcast Like and Describe. TikTok is building its own connections with Top 40 artists through In The Mix, a star-studded concert slated for December 10. Now, Instagram is showing the world that it also has connections to hitmakers — and insights about their feeds. You can look for new episodes of Close Friends Only across major podcast distribution platforms.