I love the app Airbuds. You can react with a “u ok???” sticker when your friend is listening to Mitski all day, or with a dancing emoji when your friend is listening to Vampire Weekend; you get to choose what matches the song the best.
Airbuds also gives you a fresh summary of your music for the week with the weekly recap. It highlights your top artists, your top album for the week, top songs, numbers on your listening time, and other fun statistics. The app lets you see your friends’ weekly recaps too.
This is my weekly recap!
I love this app! (Click here to add me <3)
Getting to know Airbuds:
I connected with Brittany Collier on the Airbuds team when she reached out to users for feedback in late 2022. We learned we had a lot in common and continued to stay in touch. Brittany was kind enough to sit down with me to talk about Airbuds.
The Airbuds team consists of Gilles Poupardin, CEO and Founder, three engineers, and Brittany.
Brittany began her journey with this team when she made a TikTok for another app they created, Cappuccino.
“The video I made was going viral so I sent it to the Cappuccino Instagram… Gilles responded and asked if we could chat.” Brittany said.
She was offered a job to promote Cappucino and continued to make TikToks for the app.
The Cappucino app was later sold to another company so the team began brainstorming new ideas. Airbuds was one of many apps being tested and the one that had the highest success.
Gilles Poupardin said, “Brit brought the app to Tiktok, which went viral in October 2022. We have been building and growing since then.”
Airbuds has recently surpassed one million monthly users, a huge milestone for the app and the company.
“It feels like all of our babies,” Brittany told me, “we all came up with it together.”
I originally found Airbuds from a TikTok Brittany made. I immediately texted all of my friends to download it. Using Spotify on my laptop was the only way I could see what my friends were listening to until I found Airbuds.
“Every time a video goes viral, it brings 20,000 people overnight. It feels super special for the team, we get so excited,” Brittany said.
Besides the TikTok page, Brittany holds responsibilities like running the ambassador and influencer programs.
“We went on a trip to L.A. and launched the ambassador program at USC,” Brittany added, “We currently have the TikTok Influencer and the TikTok Ambassador program.”
The groups of users have people from all over the world, like Australia and Sweden.
“We had three or four people posting on TikTok in the U.S., we will probably do France and the U.K. next,” Brittany said.
Airbuds can help friends and family stay connected, even across the country or worldwide. My cousin goes to college 700 miles away from me and we cannot always talk on the phone, but I will always react with a fire emoji to any of the Frank Ocean songs she listens to.
“Airbuds is all about communication and letting you express yourself through music, checking on your friends, and having fun together,” Poupardin added. “We’re building a place to see what your friends are up to in real-time and hang out with them.”
Airbuds is only just getting started. With the way the app is constantly growing and changing, there is still plenty to look forward to.
Brittany envisions integrating new features into the platform.
“My dream for Airbuds is that it also becomes a platform for celebrities,” she said, “Users could see what SZA is listening to and she could see her top fans on the app.”
As an avid Airbuds user, I would love to see this aspect added in the future.
User feedback is important to the Airbuds team. They get a lot of feedback on X and even include a button in the app for feature requests.
“People can upvote requests and we take a ton of inspiration from everyone. These are the people using the app, we want to make it for them,” Brittany added
My favorite feature on Airbuds right now is when I get a “tune twin”, which means you and one of your friends listened to the same song. I have the widget on my home screen, and get so excited when I twin with one of my friends.
I also just enjoy sharing my music taste, and so does Brittany.
“My favorite part about the app is flexing my own music taste,” she said, “I like to play my music and see how people react to it.”
Poupardin added, “I love seeing what my friends are listening to and imagining what they’re up to and how they’re feeling throughout the day.”
Brittany did not expect to end up here with Airbuds. She went to the University of Cincinnati for a degree in communications but was unsure what she would do with it.
Just by making a TikTok for another app, she met the team and found her passion.
“Go with your gut. Never let your anxiety take you away from an opportunity, the worst thing that will happen is that they will say no,” Brittany shared.
I had such a delightful time speaking to Brittany. She is ambitious and kind, and I am excited to watch Airbuds grow with her.
“More fun ways to express yourself, play, and connect with your friends are coming!” Poupardin concluded.
Check out Airbuds on the Apple App Store and Google Play!
Written by Kenzie Trikouros. If reposting or sharing, please credit @almostfamouszine and @kenzcat3.jpeg.
