The feeling of seeing one of your favourite artists performing live is indescribable. For that hour, it feels like you’re transported to a different place. Other people cannot describe that feeling, but the other fans in the room can. So much of the concert experience is meeting and speaking to other fans. But after the concert finishes, that’s it. Sometimes socials or numbers are exchanged, but you probably won’t see those people again.
This is where CRWD comes in, an app designed as a social layer for live events launched by Sye Spence. CRWD allows music fans to connect through 1:1 messaging, so the in-real-life connection doesn’t just start and stop at concerts. POCIT sat down with Spence to discuss CRWD, the importance of building community, and the app’s launch in Los Angeles.
Building community for fans
Spence tells POCIT that the idea for CRWD came from her own experiences as a fan. I’ve been going to concerts for years, and there’s this thing that always struck me. You’re in a room with thousands of people who love the same artist as much as you do, and that energy is incredible, but it just kind of stops there.”
She believes Gen Z has a real hunger for community, as that generation grew up online, and she’s right. Nearly 73% of Gen Z reports feeling alone almost all the time, according to Cigna. Consequently, 76% of Gen Z expect brands to merge physical and digital community experiences, blurring the lines between online and in-person friends.
“I think a lot of people are actively looking for reasons to get off their phones and be around other humans in a real way. A concert is the perfect setting for that. CRWD is just the bridge.
Spence wants users to build real-life connections, explaining that her vision for CRWD is to amplify the power of shared moments through community. “So much of how fans experience and express their appreciation for their favourite artists, their favourite teams, and so forth, already lives online, from IG fan pages to ConcertTok to fan subreddits. I think there’s something really powerful about taking that energy into the real world.”
How does the app work?
After users create a profile, they can connect their Spotify accounts to the app, and the app will send concert recommendations to other fans with similar musical profiles. Once users find their favourite artists, they’ll be able to see other users who are attending similar concerts. They will then be able to send a message to those users
Spence has spent 7 years as a Senior Product Manager in ad tech, working at B2C platforms such as Reddit (where she currenlt works) and Spotify. She says that her experience has shaped how she thinks about everything and helped her launch CRWD. “
“I’ve spent my career at places like Spotify and Reddit building products where real people are at the center. That teaches you to lead with empathy, to always start from the user’s perspective rather than your own assumptions about what they need.”
CRWD is expanding beyond concerts
Although CRWD launched with concerts, the aim is for the app to expand to other live events, such as sports and festivals. For Spence, concerts feel uniquely personal, which is why she built the app with them in mind. “For most fans, it’s not just about watching a show. It’s about being inside a live experience with an artist whose music has genuinely been part of the soundtrack of their life.”
“Two people at the same show already have something real between them before they’ve said a word. That felt like the right place to start.”
However, she says the feeling that CRWD is built around isn’t exclusive to concerts.
“But right now the focus is on getting the concert experience right. If fans feel like CRWD genuinely made their night better, that’s the foundation we build everything else on top of,” Spence says.
CRWD’s launch in LA
CRWD has launched a small pilot in LA, which Spence has received well. The app will then follow the US-based tour dates for a select group of artists.
“For the rest of 2026, we’ll be running a closed beta to support tour stops for Ariana Grande, Olivia Dean, BTS, Don Toliver, A$AP Rocky, and a few others, which takes us into New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, and other US cities.”
Spence adds. “Our goal for 2026 is to ensure that wherever a supported artist on CRWD has a tour stop, there’s a community of fans able to connect.”
Image: CRWD
#blacktech #entrepreneur #tech #afrotech #womenintech #supportblackbusiness #blackexcellence #technology #blackbusiness #blacktechmatters #blackowned #blackgirlmagic #blackpreneur #startup #innovation #hbcu #techtrap #blackownedbusiness #pitchblack #autographedmemories #blacksintech #shopblack #wocintech #nba #blackwomen #repost #hbcubuzz #blackwomenintech #startupbusiness #nails
Source link
