I tried to collect stars on Raya, the secret celebrity app

Since I ended my long and regretful romantic relationship, I don’t want any more big stories, just emotions. But aside from a game or two with strangers, not much exciting happened.

I discovered Raya, the celebrity dating app

Since February I have been experimenting with the adventure of one night stands, which works more or less well because I encounter an unexpected reality… many men are trying to settle down ! So, after the first night, many talk about setting the table again, going to a restaurant or going away for the weekend, when I simply want to: get fucked properly.

After smoothing out Tinder, OkCupid and the other Bumbles, I had a vague feeling that they had covered the issue. Wrong feeling obviously, because we have never really “finished” an app that counts new subscribers every day!

But all the same, I got tired. So when one evening, a date turned friend revealed to me the existence of a “secret” app, my curiosity was piqued.

“It’s called Raya and it’s supposed to be like The App. It’s ultra select, you see they just take on personalities cinema, business, famous people on Insta and everything. You have few followers, you should try. »

I tell him that, at first glance, it seems like the most pretentious app in the world, and that I absolutely can’t see myself signing up.

“Honestly, I matched Cara! »She retorts.

Here, I think. If there is a male equivalent of Cara Delevingne in terms of sensuality on Raya, why not try. I’m aiming for a Viggo Mortensen, a Mads Mikkelsen or at most a Romain Duris, to stay in my geographical area.

Raya, the app you need to apply for

Except that, as my friend pointed out to me, Raya, like a good, pretentious person, doesn’t accept everyone. To complement Ali Baba’s bobos cave with big boobs, you have to… apply! Yes, you read me right. You have to send your Instagram, with a message, then the app responds to you within a more or less long time with a reply.

So I ended up applying.

Over the next few days, out of great curiosity, I regularly checked my phone to see if I had received a notification announcing the happy or unfortunate news.

The days pass and I lose hope. It’s a waste anyway since I only have 10,000 followers and that I am not a public figure. Sin !

But after 6 weeks, I was surprised to receive THE notification…

Raya, a paid app

Incredible: I am accepted.

I immediately want to go hunting for penis fish, when the app tells me that I have 3 options: pay for a subscription for a month, 6 months or 12. Evidently my friend had forgotten this detail: Raya is far from free!

It doesn’t matter, my ego is sufficiently validated by this acceptance that I can spend €10.99 without feeling too much of a pain in the ass. I enter my credit card code and get it ready, bad girl! I finally join the big world of trendy people looking for love, sex or friendship.

At first sight, the app is much less instinctive than its free counterparts Tinder, Bumble and other Happn.

It’s already possible to match with people from all over the world, which I find impractical, because if I match, personally, it’s for ken. And I can’t afford a round trip to Los Angeles just to satisfy my urges.

So I prefer to focus on my closest neighbors.

Raya’s interface, admittedly, is much more elegant than any app I’ve used near or far.

Everything is more airy, the members’ photos are linked to the music they prefer to form a trailer… without a doubt, We’re in for some high-level flirting here.

The detail that enchants me? Don’t see an erect penis. In fact, men on the app are quite fans of artistic photos or photos taken on sailboats! It’s crazy but it’s pretty fun.

An immense and narrow playing field at the same time

I start meeting business people, who all approach me in a classic way.

I am getting pissed off.

I scroll looking people and I’m very surprised to realize that I can’t scroll as much as I want. After a certain point I am asked to wait a while before looking for new partners.

I’m ulcerated! I pay 11 balls and I can’t scroll as much as I want ? A few hours later, I tried again. Phew, the scrolling machine is accessible again!

Finally I meet a French “celebrity”. Obviously I can’t reveal her name because public figures go to Raya precisely to ensure a little discretion.

However, I screenshot to send to my friends.

The app immediately displays a message telling me we can’t do this and that next time my account will be suspended.

OK FRIEND.

Now I’m completely stressed out about getting kicked out of the app like a fool! At the same time I fully understand that we need to preserve people’s anonymity as much as possible… I resume my incessant search, but once again my swiping access is blocked.

It’s definitely not tonight that I’m going to fuck people.

No mass of stars on Raya

The next morning, I wake up determined to make the most of the money I could have invested in an Amazon Prime subscription, and I browse through the first tea time.

I finish running into a TV star. A guy I don’t really like but who seems very funny on screen.

Why don’t we talk a little?

Neither one nor two I try.

-Hey.
—Wesh. Damn, I just signed up, I don’t know why I’m here.
— Don’t take me for a turkey, X. We’re all here for the same thing! Breeeeef, do you have time to drink between two shows? »

It took my interlocutor a good two hours to reply that he is in fact one of the fervent supporters of sun terraces. We talk for a few minutes before boredom forces me to take a nap.

When I woke up, no message. Of course, if I’m not the one talking…

I decide that X is too much boring, and I go hunting again. Hey, I’m with a young actor who does a lot of light French comedies.

He sends me a heart. I answer him “Ultra original approach! “.

Yes, it’s clear that I haven’t changed my flirting technique since middle school: I always choose the most unpleasant option…

The individual replies:

– You’re kind!
— Sorry, I’m impressed.
— Oh, no, I’m like everyone else, you know. Come on, tell me a little about yourself. Is that your real name? »

BOREDOM.

Raya, a platform for creatives

Maybe I’m picky, but if I don’t have the right to slogan a slightly funny or minimally original question, I’ll move on to something else! Humor is my only real requirement. For the rest I don’t care much about body, work etc. But laughing is essential.

And over the years, I have had so many questions related to my name and its “truthfulness” that I have developed an allergy to it… As a result, I interrupted this conversation with ” people » in question and continued on my way.

For several days I chased DiCaprio, Duris, Mikkelsen, in vain. There aren’t many stars, or maybe I didn’t understand how to use the app!

On the other hand, There are many artists on Raya whose popularity is growing.

Many young directors, actors and ESPECIALLY many photographers are present on the app, which in fact claims to be dedicated to the “creative industries”. In this sense Raya is a great playground, because it is possible to meet interesting people, in fascinating sectors.

It is more a form of social network (and even more so if there are affinities) for connected artists than a service to have sex with anyone and quickly.

But the “professional” and elegant size of the app, along with its price, quickly overcame my interest. So I didn’t renew my one month subscription.

Since then, I’ve returned to good old Tinder, which perhaps doesn’t have all the glamorous trappings of its exclusive sister but where people, at least, know what they’re looking for!

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