Spotify Added Feature:

Added feature

Case Study 2 ~ 6 min read

The Problem

Listening to music is often one-dimensional. Without easy access to vocals, drums, and individual instruments, everyday listeners miss the chance to peel back layers, explore hidden details, and connect deeper with the songs they love.

The process

User research and synthesis, ideation, prototyping, interaction, usability testing

My Role

UX/UI designer

Tools

Figma

Duration

4 Weeks

The Solution

The Spotify Stems feature transforms passive listening into an interactive, immersive experience. By allowing users to instantly isolate vocals, drums, bass, and other instruments from any track, it opens the door to deeper musical exploration. Whether singing along to just the vocals, studying the drum groove, or uncovering hidden melodies, listeners can connect with their favorite songs in entirely new ways, making every play a personal discovery.

2. Save & Share Options

Save favorite stems to playlists or share with friends for learning, remixing, or fun.

1. Stem Isolation Controls

Drag, solo, or mute stems—vocals, drums, bass, or keys—for a customizable listening experience.

3. Interactive Music Discovery

Uncover hidden harmonies, details, and rhythms to deepen music appreciation.

01 Research

Millions in the Moment: Music Creation is an Untapped Everyday Experience

Hour-long interviews were conducted with 5 participants between the ages of 22–65 who had recently relocated. Participants included individuals who had moved for work opportunities, lifestyle changes, education, or personal reasons, both domestically and internationally. The aim was to uncover their motivations, needs, goals, and pain points when adjusting to a new location.

From these conversations, I identified patterns in their experiences—ranging from logistical hurdles to cultural adaptation—and grouped my findings into the following categories

Needs:

Simple tools with built-in guidance and easy remixing—no complex software needed.

Goals:

Make creation fun and easy; capture ideas quickly; build community through sharing.

Motivations:

Deeper listening, creative expression, song learning, and shared remixes.

Pain Points:

Complex tools; no streaming integration; hard-to-find stems; limited sharing.

Competitive Research Summary

Reviewed GarageBand, BandLab, and Soundtrap.

Strengths
Accessible tools, social collab, ecosystem integration

Weaknesses
Clunky UIs, weak cross-platform support, little streaming integration.

Opportunities
Demand for beginner-friendly, cloud tools and AI-assisted creation.

Threats
Pro DAWs, copyright hurdles, balancing simple vs. pro needs.

Insight
Big opportunity for a fun, beginner-friendly beat tool inside Spotify that lets users remix, isolate stems, and share seamlessly.

The Experimenter

The Social Creator,

The Aspiring DJ

Jordan Martinez

28, Chicago, IL, Single, Sales Associate
Music lover who streams daily, experiments with DJ apps, and wants an easy, fun way to remix and share songs without the complexity or cost of traditional DJ tools.

The Experimenter
Enjoys exploring new ways to mix and remix music without needing deep technical skills.

The Social Creator
Shares playlists, remixes, and unique sets with friends, parties, and on social media.

The Aspiring DJ
Curious about DJing as a hobby but intimidated by traditional software and high costs.

Bio:

Enjoys discovering new tracks, curious about DJing but finds existing software too complex; wants a simple, creative way to mix and share music.

Habits:

Streams music daily on Spotify, YouTube, and SoundCloud; watches DJ sets online; experiments casually with mixing.

Goals:

Explore DJing as a hobby, mix songs without technical barriers, curate unique sets for friends/events, and practice affordably.

Pains:

DJ software is intimidating; stuck between casual listening and serious DJing; equipment/software is expensive; struggles to find quality practice tracks.

Most Used Apps:

TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music.

My research led me to wonder….

How might we make the beat making process feel natural and easy for beginners?

Project Goals….

User flow

04 design

Low Fi

This sketch maps out the core flows of Lover Lane, focusing on exploration, interaction, and expression. It uses simple layouts to visualize how users move between browsing, connecting, and sharing.

Home / Explore: Grid of profile or interest cards with visual cues (icons, images, play buttons) for quick scanning.
Connections: Structured rows for chats, matches, or shared activities.
Profile / Content Cards: Individual panels highlight personal details, media, or prompts.
Bottom Navigation: Key actions like explore, connect, add, and profile placed along a central navigation bar.

04 design

Mid fi

These designs showcase how users can interact with stems and manage their songs directly within Spotify.

Stems Page: Adjustable sliders for isolating or blending individual track elements (vocals, drums, bass, etc.). Includes upload option for personal tracks.
Songs Page: Simple list of tracks with options to record, add, or explore demos.