Saumya Ghai

WYNK STAGE · LIVE MUSIC PLATFORM

The stage didn’t disappear, it just moved.

Pay for the game.

Not the month.

Pay for the game.

Not the month.

We transformed Wynk from a passive music streaming app into a live platform where artists perform in real time and fans don’t just listen, they show up, react, and become part of the moment.

1.7+B

streams on wynk

passes sold

#1

music app in India

net upsell revenue

↑ 32%

content discovery

Overview

As Airtel Xstream evolved into a content-first OTT platform, discovery lagged behind. We redesigned the experience to make content easier to find, faster to access, and built for how people actually watch.

Impact made

30M to 100+M MAU

↑ 32% in content discovery

Read time

5 mins

Duration

2019 - 2021

Role

Sr. Product Designer

Contents

Problem

Access over commitment.

How might we

Designing for what people actually want.

Insight

Asking better questions.

Friction

Simple on the surface. Complex underneath.

Approach

Launched fast. Landed big.

System

Big wins, even bigger smiles.

Impact

This is just the beginning.

Takeaway

This is just the beginning.

Airtel Xstream Play Web

Turning screens into stages

Pay for the game.
Not the month.

THE SHIFT

When concerts disappeared,

connection didn’t

The world paused. The need to show up didn’t.

During COVID, live music didn’t just slow down, it disappeared overnight. Artists lost their stage, fans lost their moment, and the energy that made music feel alive had nowhere to go.

Wynk already had scale, millions of listeners and a strong brand presence. But it was built for on-demand consumption, not real-time connection. It delivered music efficiently, but it didn’t give users a reason to show up together.

At the same time, artists were losing more than revenue. They were losing their audience, their feedback loop, and the sense of performing.

The opportunity wasn’t to add more content.
It was to rethink what the product could enable.

The world paused. The need to show up didn’t.

During COVID, live music didn’t just slow down, it disappeared overnight. Artists lost their stage, fans lost their moment, and the energy that made music feel alive had nowhere to go.

At the same time, artists were losing more than revenue. They were losing their audience, their feedback loop, and the sense of performing.

The opportunity wasn’t to add more content.
It was to rethink what the product could enable.

The world paused. The need to show up didn’t.

During COVID, live music didn’t just slow down, it disappeared overnight. Artists lost their stage, fans lost their moment, and the energy that made music feel alive had nowhere to go.

At the same time, artists were losing more than revenue. They were losing their audience, their feedback loop, and the sense of performing.

The opportunity wasn’t to add more content.
It was to rethink what the product could enable.

THE QUESTION

Reframing the product’s role

The moment everything clicked

How might we create a live platform within an existing brand that builds artist fandom, sustains engagement, and drives monetization through meaningful feature innovation?

This became the anchor.

Not just how do we add live, but how do we strengthen the brand without breaking it, create real fan-artist relationships, keep users coming back, and unlock value beyond passive listening.

Every decision moving forward had to serve at least one of these.

This became the anchor.

Not just how do we add live, but how do we strengthen the brand without breaking it, create real fan-artist relationships, keep users coming back, and unlock value beyond passive listening.

Every decision moving forward had to serve at least one of these.

This became the anchor.

Not just how do we add live, but how do we strengthen the brand without breaking it, create real fan-artist relationships, keep users coming back, and unlock value beyond passive listening.

Every decision moving forward had to serve at least one of these.

THE APPROACH

Designing a system, not a feature

Because none of this works in isolation

Wynk Stage wasn’t a feature. It was a system built to support fandom, engagement, and monetization together.

We approached it as a live layer on top of an existing streaming product, a two-sided experience for both artists and fans, and most importantly, a behavior shift.

This meant making deliberate tradeoffs across real-time experience, entry and engagement, artist value, and long-term retention.

Because none of this works in isolation

Wynk Stage wasn’t a feature. It was a system built to support fandom, engagement, and monetization together.

We approached it as a live layer on top of an existing streaming product, a two-sided experience for both artists and fans, and most importantly, a behavior shift.

This meant making deliberate tradeoffs across real-time experience, entry and engagement, artist value, and long-term retention.

Because none of this works in isolation

Wynk Stage wasn’t a feature. It was a system built to support fandom, engagement, and monetization together.

We approached it as a live layer on top of an existing streaming product, a two-sided experience for both artists and fans, and most importantly, a behavior shift.

This meant making deliberate tradeoffs across real-time experience, entry and engagement, artist value, and long-term retention.

THE LEVERAGE

Two platforms, one experience

Building on what already existed

We didn’t build this from scratch.

We leveraged Wynk’s music ecosystem and Xstream’s streaming capabilities to create a unified live platform. Wynk brought scale and a highly engaged listener base, while Xstream enabled richer streaming infrastructure and reach.

By combining the two, we were able to move faster, extend the experience across platforms, and focus on designing the interaction layer instead of rebuilding the foundation.

This allowed us to create a product that served both sides, fans showing up and engaging, and artists performing and building deeper connections.

Building on what already existed

We didn’t build this from scratch.

By combining the two, we were able to move faster, extend the experience across platforms, and focus on designing the interaction layer instead of rebuilding the foundation.

This allowed us to create a product that served both sides, fans showing up and engaging, and artists performing and building deeper connections.

Building on what already existed

We didn’t build this from scratch.

By combining the two, we were able to move faster, extend the experience across platforms, and focus on designing the interaction layer instead of rebuilding the foundation.

This allowed us to create a product that served both sides, fans showing up and engaging, and artists performing and building deeper connections.

REAL-TIME EXPERIENCE

If it’s not live, it doesn’t land

Fandom starts with presence

We chose true live streaming over simulated or pre-recorded formats. While more complex, it was essential to create urgency and emotional connection.

Live created a reason to show up now, enabled shared moments between fans and artists, and laid the foundation for deeper engagement. Without real-time presence, the rest of the system wouldn’t hold.

Fandom starts with presence

We chose true live streaming over simulated or pre-recorded formats. While more complex, it was essential to create urgency and emotional connection.

Fandom starts with presence

We chose true live streaming over simulated or pre-recorded formats. While more complex, it was essential to create urgency and emotional connection.

ENTRY & ENGAGEMENT

The moment matters more than the journey

Because missing it means losing it

In a live environment, discovery is secondary to timing.

We focused on making moments unmissable through clear “happening now” signals, strong entry points, and near-zero friction to join. Once inside, lightweight interactions like reactions and chat helped create a sense of shared energy.

The goal wasn’t feature depth, but momentum. Enough activity to feel alive, without overwhelming the experience.

Because missing it means losing it

In a live environment, discovery is secondary to timing.

The goal wasn’t feature depth, but momentum. Enough activity to feel alive, without overwhelming the experience.

Because missing it means losing it

In a live environment, discovery is secondary to timing.

The goal wasn’t feature depth, but momentum. Enough activity to feel alive, without overwhelming the experience.

ARTIST VALUE

Fandom is built, not assumed

Artists needed more than distribution

For the system to work, it had to deliver real value to artists.

We designed for real-time feedback, visibility into audience engagement, and a stronger sense of connection during performances. This shifted the experience from content delivery to actual performance.

When artists felt the difference, they showed up differently, and that directly improved the fan experience.

Artists needed more than distribution

For the system to work, it had to deliver real value to artists.

When artists felt the difference, they showed up differently, and that directly improved the fan experience.

Artists needed more than distribution

For the system to work, it had to deliver real value to artists.

When artists felt the difference, they showed up differently, and that directly improved the fan experience.

RETENTION & MONETIZATION

Engagement is the foundation,

not the goal

Value follows behavior

Sustained engagement drove everything else.

Live events created repeat behavior, users returned for moments, not just content, stayed longer, and engaged more deeply. This shift from passive listening to active participation opened up monetization opportunities that felt native to the experience.

Value wasn’t introduced artificially. It emerged from behavior.

Value follows behavior

Sustained engagement drove everything else.

Value wasn’t introduced artificially. It emerged from behavior.

Value follows behavior

Sustained engagement drove everything else.

Value wasn’t introduced artificially. It emerged from behavior.

THE TIMING

We shipped when it mattered

Relevance over perfection

We launched with a focused MVP that captured the core experience, real-time presence, low-friction entry, and engagement loops.

From there, we iterated in-market, refining how users discovered events, joined them, and interacted. The product wasn’t perfect at launch, but it didn’t need to be. It needed to exist when users and artists needed it most.

Relevance over perfection

We launched with a focused MVP that captured the core experience, real-time presence, low-friction entry, and engagement loops.

Relevance over perfection

We launched with a focused MVP that captured the core experience, real-time presence, low-friction entry, and engagement loops.

THE IMPACT

From passive listening to active fandom

Behavior changed, not just usage

Wynk Stage introduced a new way to use the product.

Users showed up at specific times instead of just browsing. Engagement became participatory. Artists regained a real-time connection channel.

More importantly, Wynk evolved from a music library into a platform capable of creating shared experiences.

Behavior changed, not just usage

Wynk Stage introduced a new way to use the product.

Users showed up at specific times instead of just browsing. Engagement became participatory. Artists regained a real-time connection channel.

More importantly, Wynk evolved from a music library into a platform capable of creating shared experiences.

Behavior changed, not just usage

Wynk Stage introduced a new way to use the product.

Users showed up at specific times instead of just browsing. Engagement became participatory. Artists regained a real-time connection channel.

More importantly, Wynk evolved from a music library into a platform capable of creating shared experiences.

THE TAKEAWAY

Products evolve when their role evolves

Features don’t change behavior, systems do

This project reinforced a core belief I carry forward.

Fandom, engagement, and monetization aren’t separate problems. They are outcomes of designing the right system.

By introducing real-time presence into a passive product, we didn’t just add a feature. We expanded what the product could mean to its users.

Features don’t change behavior, systems do

This project reinforced a core belief I carry forward.

Fandom, engagement, and monetization aren’t separate problems. They are outcomes of designing the right system.

By introducing real-time presence into a passive product, we didn’t just add a feature. We expanded what the product could mean to its users.

Features don’t change behavior, systems do

This project reinforced a core belief I carry forward.

Fandom, engagement, and monetization aren’t separate problems. They are outcomes of designing the right system.

By introducing real-time presence into a passive product, we didn’t just add a feature. We expanded what the product could mean to its users.

Big takeaway: When you shift a product from something people use to something they show up for, everything else—engagement, loyalty, and monetization—starts to compound.