Applications
Hoopr launches ‘Music Mixer’ for customisable soundtrack creation
Mumbai: Hoopr, a leader in the royalty-free music space, launches its innovative ‘Music Mixer’ feature on 13 November 2024, offering creators unparalleled control over music customisation. This groundbreaking tool allows users to interact with individual stems of a track—such as bass, drums, or vocals—providing options to isolate, mute, or blend them to create personalised soundscapes suited for any project.
The ‘Music Mixer’ simplifies music customisation by enabling creators to adjust volume levels or exclude specific parts of a track to align with their creative vision. The ‘Solo’ function highlights one stem at a time, perfect for emphasising elements like drums in a scene, while the ‘Mute’ option removes unwanted components, enabling users to listen to a track without, for example, vocals or bass.
Hoopr.ai, chief technology officer, Rakesh Nair expressed his excitement: “We’re thrilled to introduce the Music Mixer to our platform. It’s not just about listening to music; it’s about engaging with it. Creators now have the power to shape the sound of their projects in ways that were previously complex and time-consuming. With the Music Mixer, it’s all at their fingertips, and the creative possibilities are endless.”
This feature streamlines music editing by eliminating the need for advanced software or expertise. Hoopr’s extensive royalty-free library, paired with the ease of the ‘Music Mixer’, allows users to find, customise, and download their ideal soundtrack swiftly. The tool’s intuitive design encourages experimentation, promoting innovation and artistry within the creator community.
The ‘Music Mixer’ also fosters collaboration. Custom mixes can be shared, enhancing cooperative projects and sparking creative partnerships. Nair emphasised, “We’ve always envisioned Hoopr as more than just a music platform; we see it as a creative ecosystem where ideas can flow freely, and collaboration thrives. The Music Mixer is a testament to that vision.”
Creators can access the ‘Music Mixer’ through the player interface by selecting a track and activating the feature to adjust stems in real-time. Options include hearing only selected instruments or creating instrumental versions of songs. Downloading customised tracks is currently available to ‘Creator Elite’ subscribers, with Hoopr inviting users to explore subscription options to unlock the feature’s full potential.
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
