Star Launch: Your Stage to Shine
Discover and Support Rising Stars
A platform empowering aspiring musicians to showcase their talents, compete for cash prizes, and gain global recognition.
The challenge was to create a robust, user-friendly platform that could effectively manage a broad range of features, including contest creation, video uploads, user voting, and artist profiles.
The system needed to support high-quality video streaming, ensure fair competition, and encourage social media sharing, all while maintaining a seamless user experience across devices. Additionally, the platform had to be scalable to handle a growing number of participants and viewers.
Our Approach
We developed a comprehensive solution to address the unique needs of an online music contest platform:
Discovery & Research
We analyzed existing music contest platforms and their limitations, explored industry best practices in user engagement and social sharing, and studied user behavior to design engaging and intuitive music talent contests. We also ensured the user experience was optimized across various devices.
Design Thinking
We crafted user personas for contestants, voters, and music enthusiasts, which guided the development of wireframes and prototypes. The goal was to create a platform that balances usability with compelling content showcasing, enabling effective contest management and fostering a community of music lovers. We involved potential users in multiple iterations to refine the design and feature set.
Agile Development
Implementing agile principles, we developed the platform in rapid prototyping cycles, continuously testing and enhancing features based on user feedback. We prioritized performance, ease of use, and scalability to ensure that the platform could handle the anticipated growth in user participation and engagement.
Technology Stack
- Frontend: VueJs for a responsive and dynamic user interface.
- Backend: PHP for robust API development.
- Database: MySql for flexible data storage.
- Cloud: Linode for scalable and secure infrastructure.
Solution
Cygnis delivered a dynamic, feature-rich platform for Star Launch, enabling aspiring musicians to share their talents and compete on a global stage.
Contest Creation
Platform administrators can create and manage contests, scheduling them to go live on specific dates, tracking entries, setting participation fees, and overseeing contest details. This flexible backend allows for seamless management of various contests simultaneously.
Upload Music Videos
Participants can upload their music videos directly via desktop or mobile devices. They are able to add a title, description, and relevant tags to ensure their videos reach the appropriate audience and maximize visibility.
Artist Profiles
Each artist on Star Launch receives a personal profile page showcasing their social media reach, uploaded songs, voting history, and view counts. Fans can follow their favorite artists to stay updated as they progress from emerging talent to mainstream success.
Browse & Play Videos
Users can browse videos across various music genres, filtering results by tags or searching by artist/song titles. While all songs on the platform are available for streaming, voting is restricted to songs participating in currently active contests, ensuring fair competition.
Like & Share Videos
Users can vote on songs by liking them and share videos on social media, driving more views and votes. This feature incentivizes fans to actively support their favorite artists by expanding their reach through social sharing.
Winner Announcement
At the conclusion of a contest, administrators can announce the winner via the platform. The winning artist’s profile features a special “Victory” icon, and they are awarded a $1,000 cash prize. The platform then seamlessly transitions to the next contest.
Star Launch has garnered rave reviews from the indie music industry for providing a vital platform for up-and-coming artists. With the first contest already underway, the platform is drawing significant attention, and entries are pouring in.
Star Launch is not just a competition—it's a launchpad for emerging talents to gain recognition and build their careers. As this platform continues to grow, the future looks bright for the artists discovered through this innovative online stage.
Browse more case studies
