Have you ever walked into a club, prepared to have a good time, only to know immediately that the night is going to be a dud? The music is loud, the lights are flashing, and there are people – but no one is dancing. The DJ is mixing, but the dance floor is completely empty as everyone stays in their seats and types on their phones. Then it happens – that one song comes on, something with energy and a real beat. Magically, the music gets everyone on their feet, smiles appear, and the dance floor quickly fills up. Now it’s a real party, all because the DJ has chosen the right song to play. This is the power and fun of One28, an app that is transforming how partygoers request their favorite songs from DJs, and it is doing the impossible: livening up those painfully dead nightclubs.

One28, co-founded by CEO Adrien Crastes and CFO Alexandre Coyette, is based on two ideas: the audience best knows what they want to hear at parties and clubs, and the right song can increase a listener’s heart rate to 128 beats per minute.

“128bpm is how fast your heart races when you hear something pleasurable,” says Adrien. “When that song that you used to love back in high school and haven’t heard in years comes on, you perk up. You listen more closely, and for a few minutes, you’re lost in reverie. When the song ends, you feel energized and wish you could hear it again. When a few songs like this are played at parties and nightclubs, that makes the whole night memorable. Those songs stay with you long after you have gone home.”

Adrien says that while DJs are experts in the music industry and have an impressive knowledge of artists and albums, partygoers know what they are in the mood to hear and need an efficient way to request songs that heighten their adrenaline.

“We designed One28 so that it would be simple for the audience to submit song requests no matter how loud it might be,” Adrien explains. “The first step is for the DJ to set a minimum request price via the One28 DJ App. On the One28 User App, individuals can submit their song requests to DJs, who can accept or decline them. The DJs are still in control of what is played, and if they deny a request, they can explain why to the requestor via the app. The partygoer has a few more options: they can request another song or even increase the original bid, which may incentivize the DJ to accept and play the song.”

The One28 app has been gaining ground in the club scene since its debut in Monaco on June 10, 2022. At its successful launch at the MK Club in Monte Carlo, DJ Chris S used the app to facilitate over fifty song requests, with a minimum request price of 15€. The following weekend, he continued to use the One28 app and said that “One28 is a revelation for every DJ” and that he will be using it every time he is mixing. 

“That was really exciting to see our hard work pay off after four years of developing the One28 app,” says Adrien. “It showed that technology and ingenuity can be used to solve any problem, including how to better connect DJs and the audience so that parties are more exciting.”

Since its debut at the MK Club, the One28 app has also been used by DJ Magnum at the Twiga Monte Carlo nightclub. It recently was used by a DJ at one of Monaco’s best restaurants, the Maya Jah Monte-Carlo, where the minimum song request price was 30€.

“The feedback from DJs has been very positive,” Adrien reveals, “which is why we have expanded and are now being used in clubs in Cannes, Marseille, Nice, and Corsica. The One28 app is a really efficient way for DJs and the audience to communicate about the music to be played.”

He believes that One28 is just getting started, and he plans to introduce the app to clubs in New York City, Miami, and Los Angeles. 

“The right song can make a party a success no matter the culture,” says Adrien. “Remember: when you come home, you don’t think the music was great because it was great all night but because you had those couple of songs that made you reach that 128bpm – that incredible peak.”

One28 is bridging the gap between live music and the audience by offering the possibility for partygoers to hear the song that can take their heart rates up to 128bpm. DJs can accept or decline tipped, audience-fed song requests in the most optimal manner both for the DJ and the partygoer. The DJ ultimately keeps full control, and if they deny a song, they can leave a comment to the partygoer explaining why. In 2019, One28 presented their vision at the Monaco International Clubbing show (MICS), a highly attended nightlife event. One28 then expanded this and began offering its app to DJs this summer, and it is now transforming the club scene.

For more information, please see its website, download the One28 user app or One28 DJ app.