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Michelle Obama to Record Live ‘IMO’ Podcast as SXSW London Expands Star-Studded Lineup

Organizers say the additions underscore the festival’s bid to scale SXSW’s cross‑industry model in East London by mixing public conversations with TV and brand promotion.

Overview

  • SXSW London confirmed that Michelle Obama and her brother Craig Robinson will record a live episode of their podcast “IMO With Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson” at the festival on June 2.
  • The six‑day festival runs June 1–6 in Shoreditch and now features more than 300 sessions across Conference, Music, Screen and Visual Arts.
  • Organizers added a broad roster of speakers this week that includes Piers Morgan, Claire Foy, London mayor Sadiq Khan and creatives and cast from HBO’s House of the Dragon.
  • Festival leaders say the new wave of speakers was chosen to platform diverse perspectives and to combine intimate, moderated conversations with commercial TV and brand activations.
  • SXSW London is positioning itself as an East London extension of the Austin brand after a 2025 launch that drew over 25,000 attendees, a strategy that could raise the event’s industry profile and boost partnerships and ticket demand.