Snap Expands into Audio with Voisey Acquisition
Snapchat, the social media giant known for its pioneering augmented reality lenses, is now making waves in the audio space. The company has acquired Voisey, a UK-based startup that allows users to create short music tracks by overlaying their vocals on instrumentals. This move signals Snap’s growing interest in sound innovation, complementing its existing visual-focused features.
What is Voisey?
Voisey operates like a “TikTok for music creation,” offering:
- A library of instrumentals for users to sing over
- Audio filters (auto-tune, harmonies, vocal effects)
- Video creation capabilities
- A platform for musicians to share their instrumentals
Notable examples of Voisey creations can be seen here and here.
Acquisition Details
The deal was first reported by Business Insider, with supporting evidence from UK company filings:
- All four Voisey co-founders resigned as directors on October 21
- Two Snap employees were appointed as new directors
- The startup had raised just $1.88 million prior to acquisition
While neither Snap nor Voisey commented on the deal, the timing aligns with Snap’s UK entity securing borrowing capacity of up to $500 million.
Why This Matters for Snap
This acquisition represents Snap’s continued expansion beyond visual media:
- Music Integration: Following October’s launch of “Sounds on Snapchat”
- Creator Ecosystem: Voisey has already helped discover artists like Olivia Knight (“poutyface”), who signed with Island Records/Warner Chappell
- Competitive Positioning: Differentiates from TikTok’s current music consumption model
The Bigger Picture
This marks Snap’s second recent audio-focused acquisition, following its purchase of AI voice startup Voca.ai. Together, these moves suggest:
- Deeper investment in audio technology
- Potential new music creation features for Snapchat
- Expansion of creator tools beyond visual content
While Snap hasn’t revealed integration plans, possibilities include:
- Incorporating Voisey features directly into Snapchat
- Maintaining it as a standalone app with Snapchat integration
- Developing new hybrid music-creation services
As social platforms increasingly compete on creative tools, Voisey could give Snap a unique edge in the music creation space.
