Mayk.it: New Social Music Creation App Launches with $4M Seed Funding

A Shift in Career Paths and the Rise of Mayk.it

Following the widespread disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant number of professionals have begun to reassess their career trajectories. Stefan Heinrich Henriquez, previously holding the position of Global Marketing Head at TikTok and later serving as Chief Marketing Officer at Cameo, is among those who have embarked on a new venture.

Henriquez stated, “The idea of focusing on music had been germinating since my tenure at TikTok, and I was contemplating the creation of an independent project. However, it required a further year before I felt prepared to take the leap.” He continued, “The onset of the pandemic prompted many individuals to contemplate the direction of their lives.”

The Launch of a Social Music App

Collaborating with Akiva Bamberger, a former software engineer involved with Snap’s Spectacles, Henriquez initiated the development of mayk.it last summer. The social music application is now available on iOS and has secured $4 million in seed funding. Investors include Greycroft, Chicago Ventures, Slow Ventures, firstminute, Steven Galanis, Randi Zuckerberg, Night media (associated with YouTuber MrBeast), Spotify’s inaugural CMO Sophia Bendz, Cyan Banister, artist T-Pain, and music industry authority Zach Katz.

The core objective of mayk.it is to empower individuals to effortlessly produce, possess, and distribute music created directly from their smartphones. Users have the option to upload pre-existing beats or choose from those shared by other users. They can then incorporate vocals, utilizing available voice effects and lyric suggestions. A visual element can be added from Giphy. Once a creation, or “mayk,” is complete, it can be shared on the app’s platform.

Discovering and Engaging with Music

Content on mayk.it is discoverable through a dedicated page that categorizes music based on emotional resonance or thematic elements, rather than traditional genre classifications.

The app also presents “ideas,” or creative prompts, such as “What thoughts occupy your pet’s mind?” or “Compose a song about your first romantic interest.” A swipe-based interface, reminiscent of Tinder, allows users to express their preferences for songs – a positive swipe enables commenting (“encouragements” designed to foster a supportive environment) or remixing.

Ownership and Monetization

For creators aiming for more sophisticated projects, the question of ownership arises when remixing or collaborating. If a user creates a beat and another adds vocals, determining ownership is crucial. While direct monetization within mayk.it is currently unavailable, users retain the right to export their creations for sale elsewhere.

Henriquez clarified that all contributors to an audio clip or song receive an equal share of any profits generated from its sale – a 50/50 split between the beat-maker and the vocalist. Mayk.it itself does not claim a percentage of the revenue.

Future Development and Community Focus

Currently, mayk.it does not feature in-app purchases. However, Henriquez indicated that future possibilities include revenue generation through brand partnerships or the establishment of an in-app marketplace. The immediate focus remains on utilizing the seed funding to enhance features, refine the product, and cultivate a platform that inspires creativity.

Henriquez emphasized the importance of community, particularly as an LGBTQ+ founder, ensuring the app provides a welcoming space for users to connect through its social features.

Democratizing Music Creation

“Previously, tools like Adobe Premiere and After Effects were essential for content creation on platforms like YouTube,” Henriquez explained. “However, the success of Musical.ly and TikTok demonstrated that individuals could create compelling video content without requiring extensive technical expertise.” He further noted that Roblox is simplifying game development, and Canva is streamlining design processes.

Mayk.it aspires to be the equivalent of Roblox or Canva for music composition and sharing. While it may not yet produce music comparable to that of artists proficient in Ableton, creations from mayk.it have the potential to gain traction on platforms like TikTok.

Accessing Mayk.it

Although mayk.it is now available on the App Store, access is currently granted through a waitlist. Alternatively, users can take a “vibe check” – creating a song to assess its appeal to existing users. We successfully passed the vibe check.