Could you find the love of your life on Clubhouse?

Here’s why experts believe that the audio-only app could usher in a revolution in conventional dating
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Could you find the love of your life on Clubhouse?Getty

Engineering the ideal meet-cute can be a tough task. There was a time when you’d have to rely on a benevolent gust of wind to blow over a sheaf of papers that you could reach for at the same time as an alluring stranger. Hands would clash, eyes would meet and cupid would strike. Getting stuck together in an elevator works well too, as does a chance encounter in the coffee shop queue. Fast-forward to a few years later, and you don’t need to wait for the stars to align—true love can now be engineered by nifty algorithms and binary data, designed to help you find the one you’ll want to spend the rest of your life with.

But after a year of thumbing through photos on dating apps while being locked indoors, the fatigue is palpable. The paradox of choice dictates that the more options available to choose from, the more difficult it is to make a decision. Against the context of this analysis paralysis, an unlikely contender has emerged for the dating throne: Clubhouse, an invite-only app that allows you to drop in on casual conversations from those in your social circle as well as interesting personalities around the world.

Once the stomping grounds of Wall Street analysts, the app soon found favour with people from diverse professions—clocking in 25.5 million downloads around the globe, and inadvertently drawing people together over their shared perspectives and mutual interests. Bolstered by the new league of Clubhouse couples, Shoot Your Shot rooms have emerged that allow you to approach anyone you find interesting. The protocol is to share some details about yourself, what you are looking for and if you are interested in anyone from the room—the metaphorical shooting of the shot. If the person reciprocates the interest, the conversation is generally carried further on Instagram.

Why Clubhouse is emerging as Tinder 2.0

A brief snapshot of the app’s proficiency in uniting couples can be found in its many success stories, including mindset coach Natasha Grano and entrepreneur Michael Graziano who met and fell in love in one of the rooms. After a blissful courtship, the couple decided to exchange their wedding vows on the app as well in a live conversation that drew over 26,000 virtual guests from around the world.

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Jasbina Ahluwalia, relationship expert and founder of Intersections Match by Jasbina, believes that the key to its success lies in the fact that the audio-only nature of the app can help wash away the serial-swiping fatigue that has gripped us during the past year of the pandemic. She says, “Amid the filtered, image-conscious sea of dating apps and social media, an audio-only medium can increase the possibility of authentic connection by facilitating deeper intimacy, less self-consciousness and greater vulnerability without distractions.”

That Clubhouse would find popularity as a medium for dating shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the most successful relationships are rooted in listening, she believes. “Getting to know a person is fundamentally based on listening, which happens to be the core component of the app. Moreover, when we genuinely feel listened to and heard, we tend to share more—creating a positive cycle of getting to know a person at a deeper level. Voice conveys nuance and emotion in a way that can help people really learn about each other on a deeper level,” explains the California-based matchmaker.

The notion is seconded by Sana Grover, a 22-year-old content creator and frequent visitor on the app. She says, “Unlike most social media platforms that focus on text or photos, the conversations on the Clubhouse app are more interesting because you get to know a person’s thoughts, unfettered by any preconceived notions about their physical traits. You can connect on a much deeper level and discover common interests to begin with, rather than figuring out mutual hobbies and interests at a later stage.” In a world governed by apps catering to our ever-decreasing attention spans, Clubhouse has managed to strike gold by placing the focus on long, leisurely conversations, she believes. “With app algorithms constantly promoting short-form content, it would seem that people don’t want to spend more than 15 seconds on a certain piece of content. Clubhouse ushers in a breath of fresh air as discussions on a particular topic can go on for hours, which helps people get to learn another person’s perspective and connect with them better,” she adds.

While the invite-only app was shrouded by an air of exclusivity when it was launched, it has since undergone a tonal shift, inviting more informality and a relaxed exchange of thoughts and stories. So, what should you expect before walking into the Indian edition of the Shoot Your Shot rooms? “They are great for getting to know people—expect jokes, flirting and informal stories that are fun to listen to—even if they might not be considered very serious at the moment,” she says, and adds, “I think there is a little bias since everything in such rooms is solely dependant on how you look in your display image. Based on that, someone shoots their shot on you or vice versa which, in a way, defeats the audio-only nature of the app. Moderators could work on ensuring that everyone gets equal limelight, and just as we move towards a more inclusive environment on other apps, we’ll be able to do the same on Clubhouse as well.”

Also read:

How do you find love in the middle of a pandemic? One single woman weighs in

“Tinder removed the fear of humiliation, and that changed everything”—How tech has transformed modern love

A single girl’s perspective on navigating virtual dating during the lockdown