Random Things That You Need To Know About Raya (11 items)

• 

  (#10) It Was Founded By Jesse Johnson

  Jesse Johnson comes from a famous family. His father is Don Johnson, and his mother is actress/model Patti D'Arbanville. His half-sister is famous, too: Dakota Johnson, star of Fifty Shades of Grey, and the daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith. Jesse is an actor himself, though he doesn't have many major credits to his name. Maybe that's why he got into the app game.

  Johnson founded Raya with a few others, but his sister seems skeptical of it. During a 2016 press tour, Dakota said, "I have no idea how it works and I refuse to be a part of it!"
• 

  (#8) Profiles Include Slideshows Set To Music

  One feature that makes Raya stand out is the layout of the profiles. Instead of swiping through someone's photos, profiles consist of moving slideshows set to a song of the user's choice. There is also a link to the user's Instagram page, which helps prove the identity of the member. Raya doesn't want anyone to get catfished on their platform, especially since at least one member, Nev Schulman, is actually known for the movie and show Catfish.
• 

  (#7) Matches Aren't Restricted By Location

  One thing differentiates Raya from Tinder is the lack of location restrictions. Tinder only allows you to view people in a certain radius, but Raya is globally minded. You could even match with someone on another continent – though that's not exactly convenient for a date.
• 

  (#4) You Better Have A Few Thousand Instagram Followers If You Want To Join

  Part of Raya's application process is an in-depth evaluation of the prospective member's Instagram page. Every member has at least a few thousand followers, but quantity is not the only factor used to determine membership. Raya's administrators also take into account how many existing Raya users follow the person's Instagram page, probably as a way to keep the user-base as exclusive as possible. Those who pass the Instagram test are one step closer to membership.
• 

  (#6) There Is A Subscription Fee

  Raya charges its users a fee, but it's not as expensive as you might think: it costs $7.99 a month. That's less than a Netflix subscription, and chances are you'll see just as many celebrities on Raya as you would on the world's largest streaming platform.

  The competitive pricing is most likely to keep the app accessible to creative professionals and other interesting characters who might not be as loaded as the famous actors and musicians that also populate the app.
• 

  (#1) John Mayer Is Just One Notable User

  The exclusivity and privacy-oriented nature of Raya was deliberately designed to appeal to celebrities, who make up a significant portion of the user-base. Members can expect to find people like John Mayer, Chelsea Handler, and Diplo while swiping through its roster of stars. The app is absolutely full of models, pro athletes, actors, Internet celebrities, fashion designers, and basically anyone with a recognizable face – hence its nickname, "Illuminati Tinder."

New Random Displays    Display All By Ranking