Spotify (NYSE: SPOT) has officially launched Greenroom, its version of an audio-based interaction platform like Clubhouse, to 135 markets around the globe, including India. The app will allow creators to interact directly with their audience through live audio.
"We'll give professional athletes, writers, musicians, songwriters, podcasters, and other global voices opportunities to host real-time discussions, debates, AMA sessions, and more," the company said during the launch.
Spotify also announced that it will be launching a Spotify Creator Fund to pay creators for their work. Creators who wish to monetize their content on the platform can register for an application starting this summer, according to the company.
Greenroom is the new name of an app developed by a company that Spotify purchased for an undisclosed amount of money in March. At the time, startup Betty Labs, the app developer, was valued at $50 million.
Locker Room was similar to the final Greenroom version but was primarily targeted and optimized for sports fans. Reportedly, current versions of the app still feature sports-heavy recommendation feeds, even for users who don't indicate an interest in the topic.
"Since bringing the Locker Room app into the fold, we've been working to expand its capabilities, with the goal of creating a live audio experience that will delight creators and listeners everywhere," Spotify said in Greenrooms's launch announcement.
Greenroom is a standalone app available for both Android (NASDAQ: GOOGL) and iOS (NASDAQ: AAPL) that can be downloaded for free on the Apple or Play stores. Users can log in using their Spotify, though you reportedly don't have to have an account to log in.
Users can participate in live rooms, record live conversations, and interact with creators in real-time. According to Spotify, the app is meant to foster "interactivity and deep connections between participants in live rooms."
"The Greenroom offering will continue to evolve as we learn more about what creators and listeners want from their live audio experience," the company said. "We believe Spotify has an opportunity not only to enable live broadcasts, but to aid discovery, drive consumption, and accelerate growth of the live category overall."
Along with the app launch, Spotify announced that it will be adding new content and features later in the summer.
"Today's app unveiling is our opportunity to begin laying the foundation for the exciting roster of content and capabilities Spotify has in store in our venture into live audio."
Spotify isn't the only company interested in making a Clubhouse clone. Slack (NYSE: WORK) CEO Stuart Butterfield has said he too is interested in making a live audio app, following the trend of big tech companies cloning features and functions from upstart competitors. However, Slack and Clubhouse serve different markets, business and consumer, so they are unlikely to come into direct competition.