The All-in-One Creator Platform for Indie Artists
Client
Research, UX & UI Designer
Year
June 2023 - July 2023
Live Project
Context
SoundLust is a (conceptual) dual-sided platform designed for the modern creator economy—giving independent artists the ability to release music, sell merch, host events, and build community—all in one place.
Problem Statement
Currently, in most social apps, many users don’t go beyond the discovery feed. As the first touchpoint for both fans and artists, the feed should immediately engage users, showcase culture-driven content, and drive deeper interaction.
The challenge was to redesign the feed to create an immersive, emotionally resonant experience that not only increases engagement but also unlocks direct business opportunities—such as merch sales, event RSVPs, and artist follows.
Business Opportunity
Improve creator retention |
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All-in-One UX for Creator Workflows |
Lower the Barrier to Monetization |
Build Brand Stickiness Through Analytics & Autonomy |
Keep Creators Engaged with Built-In Growth Tools |
Enable direct-to-fan commerce |
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Merch, Events, and Music in One Checkout Flow |
Own the Relationship, Not Just the Stream |
Geo-Based Drop Opportunities |
Boost AOV Through Bundled Drops |
Reduce churn caused by multiple tools |
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Replace 5 Platforms with 1 |
Minimize Friction in Drop Management |
Eliminate Platform-Hopping for Fans |
Turn the Feed Into a Funnel |
Goals
The brief is to:
Create a solution that offers value to both artists and fans while aligning with business growth
Work towards a personalized, community-driven experience for the user
Increase visibility of artist drops, merch, and events to drive monetization
Keep users engaged through cultural UX, real-time alerts, and direct interactions
Research & Understanding
Over the past decade, the digital streaming, social media, and music sharing market has grown significantly, now estimated at $22B worldwide with platforms reaching up to 500K monthly subscribers.
The industry faces over saturation and fragmentation due to the rapid growth of digital streaming services, social media platforms, and music sharing apps.
The artists have no control and are not seeing comparable financial gain to the digital streaming app, itself. Users are overwhelmed by the multitude of options, leading to a fragmented user experience, frustration, and inefficiency.
Quantitative Research:
· Reviewed usage patterns across 5 similar platforms (Spotify, iTunes, SoundCloud, Shopify, Patreon)
· Observed that 70% of surveyed artists use 3+ separate platforms for daily operations
Qualitative Research:
· Interviewed 5 independent artists across NYC, LA, and ATL
· Conducted remote interviews, journey mapping, and persona validation
Hypothesis
By building a creator-first, dual-sided experience that merges music, merch, and fan engagement in one flow, we reduce friction, increase artist autonomy, and create a more emotionally connected platform—driving higher retention and revenue.
Design Concepts
Test
Usability Test: Fan + Creator Flow
A user test with 5 Indie Artists (creators), 5 Collectors/Fans on mid-fidelity prototypes validate improved navigation & drop setup up.
Tasks Observed: feed interaction, drop alert setup, merch purchase, profile navigation
Insights
It feels like it’s all in one flow--the feed, drops, everything.
Design Changes Made
Streamlined artist dashboard buttons
Countdowntimer
Results & Final Designs
What Changed:
We redesigned the feed from a passive scroll to an emotional discovery engine—focused on mood-based browsing, embedded drop cards, location-based merch, and intuitive fan-favorite flows.