We all know what it is like to be at a party or a club where the music is loud and pulsing but just not that inspiring. It signals that the night is going to be very long, doesn’t it? Maybe we try to get over to the DJ to request a different song, but even though we yell in their ear, they can’t hear us, so we give up, destined for a mediocre evening. All we want is for our favorite song to be played, which will lift our mood and make the whole party look a lot different. If you can relate to this scenario, you will be interested in One28, whose new apps for listeners and DJs are taking the club scene by storm in Europe. We dropped in to talk with Adrien Crastes, the Co-Founder and CEO of One28, to learn more about the app and his plans for changing how music is requested by audiences from DJs.

“One28 is solving a very common frustration: how to more easily request your favorite songs from DJs,” says Adrien. “DJs do an awesome job of picking out music for a party, of course, but with hundreds of people in attendance, they face an uphill battle when trying to play songs that everyone will like. Our app facilitates that communication so that they can hit the center of the dartboard more often.”

He explains that behind the name of the company lies the adrenaline rush a listener experiences when they hear their favorite song. “Picture this,” Adrien says. “You’re at a nightclub, perhaps a little bored because the music is flat. Your heart rate is likely around 60-100 beats per minute. Then your favorite song comes on. You perk up, and you feel happier. You are caught up in the memories that song brings back, or it just really triggers your emotions. You feel a lot of happiness, and your heart rate goes up to 128 beats per minute. That is the peak we are helping more people reach with our app.”

Adrien states that through One28’s app, listeners can request songs that will make their nights unforgettable. DJs set the minimum request price and receive tips to play the songs; they are able to accept or decline song requests. If they do, the requester will be refunded instantly and can request another song or increase their bid in order to incentivize the DJ to accept the song and play it. 

One28 recently launched the app in Monte Carlo at the MK Club Monaco, whose Resident DJ Chris S received over fifty requests for songs. “He actually denied more than half of them, which shows how popular the app was,” says Adrien. “He received a flood of requests that he couldn’t play, so we are very happy with how our debut went.”

DJ Chris S set the minimum request price at 15€, and the maximum price received for a request was 50€. He continued to receive song requests the next day, so he used the app the next weekend at the MK Club Monaco. DJ Chris S says that “One28 is a revelation for every DJ” and that he will use it at MK Club Monaco everytime he is mixing. The app has also been used at renowned and highly exclusive nightclub Twiga Monte Carlo by famous DJ Magnum, who set the minimum request price at 50€ that night. 

“With the popularity of our app in Monaco, one of Europe’s hottest club scenes, we have seen its use spread to venues in Corsica, Nice, Marseille, and Cannes,” Adrien states. “It is really taking off, which speaks to the desire we all have to hear music that stirs our emotions. We are currently expanding in America, targeting high-end venues and famous DJs in Miami, LA, and New York.”

Adrien says that he is an avid music fan. “I have always loved the club atmosphere and admired the work of DJs who can create such energy in the room simply through the music they choose,” he reveals. “Like anyone, however, I have felt let down when a party didn’t have great music.”

Solving this problem would involve earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Mathematics and Economics from Bucknell University, where he was recruited as a Division 1 tennis student athlete. Adrien says that while he concentrated hard on his studies, he was also pondering how to bridge the gap between partygoers and DJs. The app was the perfect answer. He ultimately decided to become a graduate school student at Institut de Science Financière et d’Assurances in France, where he is now pursuing his actuary diploma and running One28 at the same time.

“You could call me a very driven person,” he acknowledges. “Whether I am on the tennis court, in the classroom, or in front of my computer, I give everything 150%. I have got a lot of energy that just keeps me going until I achieve what I am working on, including One28.”

After the successful launch of One28’s app in Europe, Adrien is working with Co-Founder/CFO Alexandre Coyette on the web app version, which will be released soon. One28 is also preparing to debut the Mac OS version of One28 DJ app and is exploring the possibility of bringing its services to artists.

“Our future is wide open,” Adrien believes. “One28 will continue to lead the industry because our app helps people leave parties saying that they had a great time – because of the music, they were able to reach that priceless, indescribable 128 bpm heart rate, which is what we are ultimately selling.”

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. In 2019, One28 presented their vision at the Monaco International Clubbing show (MICS), a highly attended nightlife event. One28 then expanded and began offering its app to DJs, and it is now transforming the club scene.

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