unknown ⋅ Music Discovery Reimagined

Skip the top charts. Dive into the unknown. Discover music without bias - no names, no hype, just sound and emotion. Let the music speak first - get to know the artist only if the music moves you.

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Inspiration

As an independent musician myself, I’ve seen how hard it is for great music to be heard. Discovery on major platforms is driven by algorithms, hype, and budget - not the sound. I wanted to fix that. Unknown is built on the belief that music should be judged by ears, not popularity.

What it does

Unknown is a mobile app that enables blind music discovery. Users listen to songs without knowing who the artist is, rate them based solely on sound, and only then unlock the artist's identity. The app uses mood-based recommendations, a gamified experience (XP, streaks, badges, leaderboards), and helps listeners build their own journey while giving underground artists a real chance to be discovered.

How I built it

The app is built using:

  • React Native with Expo for cross-platform mobile support
  • Supabase for real-time backend, authentication, and PostgreSQL storage
  • TypeScript across the stack
  • React Query for data fetching and caching
  • Custom audio player with background playback support
  • Gamification layer to track XP, achievements, and progress

Data is synced in real time. Songs are provided by artists themselves (submitted via Google Form), with them accepting this hackathon submission as part of the testing and exposure.

Challenges I ran into

  • DEPLOYING MOBILE APP 😭
  • Designing a compelling UX without revealing artist metadata too early
  • Managing audio playback
  • Creating a mood-based matching system that feels personal without being overwhelming
  • Balancing discovery and gamification without turning it into a streaming clone

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

  • Built a working prototype with full blind listening, artist reveal, and gamified progression
  • Designed a custom audio session and XP tracking system
  • Partnered with independent Polish record labels who support and believe in the vision
  • Developed an elegant user experience that resonates with both listeners and artists

What we learned

  • Users love discovery when it’s framed as a personal journey, not a feed
  • Artists want meaningful engagement - not passive plays
  • Gamification is powerful, but subtlety is key for trust and authenticity
  • Don't trust only Expo - build the app also for stores, because it turns out the production builds are completely different sometimes 🫣

What's next for unknown ⋅ Music Discovery Reimagined

  • Expand to beta testing with real users and early artist uploads (now going into Alpha testing process, at the time of submission - 20 users submitted their participation in alpha testing, and 11 artists)
  • Provide actual store builds of the app
  • Improve the review system to offer feedback to artists
  • Build an artist dashboard (already in progress) to let creators track plays, ratings, and reviews
  • Refine mood matching and discovery algorithms with community input
  • Build my own API as a bridge between mobile app, artist dashboard and the Supabase
  • Launch marketing campaign with label partners to attract both listeners and artists

Unknown is just getting started - but the mission is clear:
Let great music rise, even if it's still... unknown.

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