1.
The Problem
Independent artists face overwhelming competition on mainstream streaming platforms. Global fame often feels out of reach, and local discovery rarely happens as talent and audiences are disconnected.
Without an easy way to find new independent artists, musicians miss the most effective first step to build momentum: becoming locally known.
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2.
The Hook
WAV.ly flips discovery on its head: make hometown the filter. Users search by city + genre to discover nearby artists, or to browse the type of music coming from any city in the U.S., turning hometown pride into a discovery engine. Artists gain fans who feel personal connection, and listeners enjoy the thrill of finding talent in their own backyard.
3.
Research
I spoke with artists, venue bookers, and local music fans, and ran surveys across music communities on social media platforms. I learned of these key insights: artists need a simple local discovery channel, listeners want authentic local music, and venues need a central place to find emerging acts. These insights shaped WAV.ly’s location-first discovery features.
Artist Insight
Many independent artists told us they feel “invisible” on large platforms. Although they reach for global fame, they feel stuck reaching their goals.
Listener Insight
Listeners expressed pride in local talent and a desire to explore what music exists around them while having a desire to hear music other than already popular artists circulating on existing platforms.
Market Insight
Streaming is huge, but no major player focuses on location-first discovery for unknown artists - this gap creates a strong niche opportunity.
4.
User Personas
Name: Michael Torres
Age: 24 years old
Location: Austin, TX
Occupation: Barista / Aspiring Singer
Michael has been writing songs and performing at open mics for three years. He's upload tracks to SoundCloud and Spotify, but his streams barley move. Marketing feels overwhelming and social media platforms like TikTok are not helping his exposure. He dreams of making music his full-time career but feels stuck in obscurity.
Goals:
▶︎ Build a real, supportive fanbase
▶︎ Perform at local venues to gain live experience
▶︎ Release an EP that reaches new fans
Pain Points:
▶︎ Feels invisible on major platforms
▶︎ No idea how to target listeners effectively
▶︎ Difficult to book local gigs without a fanbase
WAV.ly Value:
▶︎ Lets Michael be discovered by location so neighbors can find him easily
▶︎ Creates a bridge to venues and restaurants seeking local talent
▶︎ Grows fanbase without spending effort or money on marketing
Name: Chris Daniels
Age: 29 years old
Location: Columbus, OH
Occupation: UX/UI Designer
Chris is passionate about music and loves discovering new sounds. He listens to Spotify daily but feels like algorithms only push mainstream artists. He enjoys going to small shows and supporting local talent, especially when he can say “I knew them before they blew up.” He’s also active on Reddit threads about indie music.
Goals:
▶︎ Find authentic, local music he can connect with
▶︎ Experience the excitement of discovering hidden talent
▶︎ Attend more live events near him
Pain Points:
▶︎ Feels lost in endless playlists with the same big names
▶︎ Local talent is hard to discover unless you know the right people
▶︎Wants to find music by location and genre, but no streaming app allows this
WAV.ly Value:
▶︎ Location-based search allows Chris to explore indie rappers in Ohio or folk singers in his neighborhood
▶︎ Fun to say "This artist is two streets away from me," making discovery personal
▶︎ Ability to follow local artists and get notified of upcoming gigs
Name: Taylor Green
Age: 42 years old
Location: Denver, CO
Occupation: Restaurant & Bar Owner
Taylor owns a modern restaurant/bar with live music nights twice a week. Booking artists is time-consuming, most come from word-of-mouth or cold emails. She wants fresh talent that matches her restaurant’s vibe but doesn’t have time to dig through endless demos.
Goals:
▶︎ Quickly find local artists who can perform live
▶︎ Match musicians to the restaurant's brand
▶︎ Build relationships with up-and-coming talent
Pain Points:
▶︎ No centralized place to find and vet local artists
▶︎ Wants to know an artist's local following before booking
▶︎ Books artists without knowing how they sound live
WAV.ly Value:
▶︎ Access to artist profiles with bio, location, musisc samples, and booking info
▶︎ Ability to filter by genre + location (e.g., Denver Jazz musicians)
▶︎ See if an artist already has a local fanbase before booking
5.
The Competition
Platform | Strengths | Weaknesses | Opportunity |
Spotify | Global reach, huge user base, playlists | Local artists get buried in Spotify's algorithm | Focus exclusively on unknowns |
Soundcloud | Easy uploads, indie-friendly | Too crowded, little local targeting, user-controlled profiles | Add location-based discovery, create indie-friendly algorithm for fair exposure |
Bandcamp | Direct artist support | Not built for casual discovery, not a popular platform | Make listening fun and easy to discover new artists |
Audiomack | Emerging talent platform | Genre-limited, smaller reach | Open to all genres + communities |
WAV.ly | Local-first discovery | None | Owns niche of hyperlocal music |
6.
Business Model
WAV.ly is a multi-sided platform monetized via freemium and subscription models. Founders get free basic posting and optional Pro tiers for analytics and promotion. Listeners can upgrade for perks. Investors and service providers can pay for placement and introductions. The platform captures value from creators, listeners, and professional service partners.
Artist Subscription Tier I
"Freemium" basic listings for artists (basic posting with limited song posts)
Artist Subscription Tier II
"Artist Pro" subscription (analytics, unlimited songs posted, fan outreach)
Artist Subscription Tier III
"Artist Premium" subscription (includes merch store, event calendar, resources for artist management)
Listener Subscription Tier I
"Freemium" subscription (includes ads)
Listener Subscription Tier II
"Pro" subscription (ad-free, contact artists directly, purchase tickets/merch)
7.
Journey Map
We mapped two core journeys: "Discover" (listeners) and "Create" (artists). The UX focused on a frictionless project post flow for founders and a fast, rewarding feedback loop for testers. Iteration levels and visible version history are central to the experience so users can see progress at a glance.
Michael Torres - Journey Map
Stage | Actions | Thoughts |
Awareness | Hears about WAV.ly from a friend/social ad | "Could this finally help me get noticed?" |
Onboarding | Signs up as an artist, uploads bio, music, and location | "This is easier than Spotify for Artists!" |
Engagement | Shares link, gets first few local listeners | "People near me are finally listening!" |
Growth | Sees fanbase grow in his city, books his first live show | "I have my first show and I can see how many fans will be there! This is awesome!" |
Long-Term | Signs up for pro subscription and starts utilizing pro features | "I can't believe I'm finally making money from merch and shows!" |
Chris Daniels - Journey Map
Stage | Actions | Thoughts |
Awareness | Downloads app after hearing about it locally | "Cool, I can find local talent here." |
Onboarding | Creates listener profile, selects genres | "Let's see who's in my neighborhood." |
Engagement | Listens, comments, and shares on socials | "This rapper lives two streets away!" |
Growth | Attends a local show from an artist he found | "I helped this artist get here!" |
Long-Term | Becomes paid subscriber, gets perks | "I'm part of this artist's journey to fame!" |
Taylor Green - Journey Map
Stage | Actions | Thoughts |
Awareness | Finds WAV.ly while searching for talent | "This could save me a headache booking bands." |
Onboarding | SIgns up, browses local talent profiles | "This is very organized." |
Engagement | Messages an artist for live booking | "That was.. too easy." |
Growth | Books multiple artists via platform | "I've just booked out for two weeks. I'm all set!" |
Long-Term | Uses WAV.ly as main booking tool | "This is my new go-to for booking local talent." |
8.
User Flows
Artist Onboarding Flow
Sign-Up → Create a Profile → Upload First Song → Fill Out Questionaire
Listener/Booking Agent Onboarding Flow
Sign-Up → Search by Genre/Location → Listen to Music → Reach out to Artist
9.
Wireframes & Mockups
10.
Mood Board & Branding
11.
Growth & Scalability
After local validation, WAV.ly scales via city cohorts and category expansion (music → podcasts → spoken word). Long-term, it becomes a creator platform offering pro services (production, design, booking) and fan-subscriptions, turning the app into a full creator economy hub.
12.
Investor Pitch Deck
11.
Reflections
Building WAV.ly reinforced that local discovery is a strong, desirable approach to discovering new music and approaching artist recognition. After witnessing pain points with musician when I worked as a music producer, I was able to create the potential for an effective and easy way for independent artists to shine through the label-created artists monopolizing charts on other platforms. This is truly an independent-supportive platform made by and for real underground creators.
Key Takeaways
▶︎ Local-first discovery increases listener engagement
▶︎ Hometown pride attracts users to the platform
▶︎ Localizing exposure first leads to a speedy climb for artists in the future