Snap Acquires Voisey: Music Creation App for Vocalists

Snapchat originally gained prominence by introducing facial lenses that transformed photos and videos, allowing users to appear as different characters – even enabling cats to sport flower crowns. Now, indications suggest the company may be expanding its focus to the realm of audio.

Reports indicate that Snapchat has acquired Voisey, a U.K.-based startup that allows users to create short musical tracks by layering vocals over instrumentals. The platform also enables musicians to upload instrumentals for others to use as a foundation for their own creations. Users have the ability to apply various audio effects to their voices, including auto-tune, harmonies, and unique sounds reminiscent of artists like Billie Eilish, and can explore tracks created by other Voisey users.

Examples of content created on the platform can be found here and here.

Business Insider was the first to report on the acquisition, noting that Voisey had relocated its company address in London to match that of Snap. Furthermore, company filings with Companies House reveal that the four co-founders – Dag Langfoss-Håland, Pal Wagtskjold-Myran, Erlend Drevdal Hausken, and Oliver Barnes – along with the startup’s initial investors, Terry Steven Fisher and Jason Lee Brook, all stepped down from their director positions on October 21. Simultaneously, two Snap employees – Atul Manilal Porwal from the legal department and international controller Amanda Louise Reid – were appointed as directors.

Tanya Ridd, a spokesperson for Snap in London, stated that the company had no comment on the matter. Voisey did not respond to inquiries.

To date, Voisey has secured $1.88 million in funding and currently ranks 143rd in the U.S. iOS Music category, according to AppAnnie data. The financial details of the acquisition remain undisclosed, but the news follows a recent Snap announcement indicating its U.K. division intends to borrow up to $500 million, potentially allocating funds for acquisitions.

Voisey has been previously characterized as a “TikTok for music creation,” sharing similarities with the popular video app in its focus on user-generated content. However, Voisey places a greater emphasis on creators, and has even facilitated the discovery of emerging talent, such as Olivia Knight (“poutyface”), who signed with Island Records/Warner Chappell earlier this year.

In contrast, TikTok currently centers more on diverse content formats – including dance, text-based posts, and casual conversations – often accompanied by music. However, TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has also been acquiring assets related to music creation, suggesting a potential shift in focus.

It remains uncertain whether Snap intends to integrate Voisey’s features directly into Snapchat, operate Voisey as a standalone app with connections to Snapchat, or pursue a combined approach. Past actions suggest any of these strategies are possible.

Snap has been gradually enhancing its music offerings, initially with the goal of replicating TikTok’s success. Last month, the company launched Sounds on Snapchat, enabling users to add music to their Stories. This feature has been supported by a growing number of licensing agreements with major music publishers.

Prior to that, Snap had already introduced voice filters to add comedic effects to videos. Recognizing music’s significant role in social media engagement, Voisey could potentially provide Snap and Snapchat with a competitive advantage by fostering a platform for original content creation.

The timing of this acquisition is particularly noteworthy.

Just last week, it was revealed that Snap had also acquired Voca.ai, an Israeli startup, for a reported $70 million (though one source suggests the figure is $120 million).

Similar to the Voisey acquisition, the intended use of Voca.ai’s technology remains unclear. Voca.ai specializes in AI-powered interactive voice chatbots for customer service, potentially allowing Snap to expand its services for businesses or enhance voice-based interactions within its existing platforms, including Spectacles, or a combination of both.

Taken together, these acquisitions demonstrate that Snap is pursuing a broader range of innovations beyond simply capturing images.