In 2020, Sharon Stone posted on Twitter that her Bumble dating profile had been shut down because people thought it was fake. In less than 24 hours, Bumble fixed her account and said they were sorry for the mix-up.
You might think that the Basic Instinct star couldn’t possibly be using a popular dating app like Bumble to find love. It’s not every day that you swipe left on a profile and find the next big Hollywood star.
But it looks like famous people are just like the rest of us. Looking for love or closeness in a world where meeting people face-to-face isn’t as common as it used to be. Instead of using Bumble, like Sharon Stone, most people use their own dating app called Raya.
This invite-only dating app is as exclusive as you might expect. Only a small number of elite applicants are accepted on the app, which means your chances of dating someone rich and famous on Tinder just got even lower (insert shocked emoji).
What is Raya?
Raya is the worst-kept dating secret ever. Some people call the celebrity dating app “Illuminati Tinder,” but it’s not on any social media. Members could be kicked off if they take screenshots or share information. Everyone knows about it, but not many people know how it’s made or which famous sausages might be single and looking to date.
Raya was started in 2015, and it connects high-profile people in creative fields (like people in the entertainment industry and people who have a lot of followers on social media) so they can network and find love. But you can’t just sign up and start swiping right away; you have to fill out an application and hope to be accepted.
“Prospective members can download the app and fill out an application,” the App Store says about Raya. “Once an application is turned in, it is put in a queue and is constantly reviewed. The status of an applicant can change from “on the waitlist” to “accepted” at any time.”
If you’re lucky enough to get the app, you can make a slideshow of photos set to a song of your choice that potential matches can either “heart” or pass on.
But How Do You Really Get Raya To Like You?
Have a lot of followers.
If you’re not good at social media, you might not be a good fit for Raya. If you look at the app, you’ll see that Raya only needs your name, job, a recommendation from a current user, and your Instagram handle. It’s great to be a good model, painter, or writer, but if you don’t have a big fan base, you’re not cool enough to date Raya celebrities like Lizzo or Ben Affleck.
Not sure how to get more people to follow you on IG? This piece of advice from the Washington Post could be useful. Some lessons: Go to “edit profile” and change your account to “professional.” You’ll get analytics on all your posts, which will help you figure out what gets the most attention. Then, don’t try to reach everyone; instead, find your niche. If you post often with hashtags related to your niche, you might start to get more followers.
Have references.
It helps to know someone if you want to go to the coolest club in town. References aren’t required, but having a contact who is already part of Raya is a huge help, especially since the friend fast pass was added, which lets each user speed up the application process for one friend.
And if you don’t know Joe Jonas, who was in the group before he married Sophie Turner, as a casual acquaintance, you’ll need to find another reference. Part of Raya’s algorithm, according to their website, checks to see if their members follow you on Instagram. So, you may not need to know someone, but someone needs to know you.
If I Do Get In, Which Famous People Could I Possibly See On Raya?
Listen, we can’t say for sure who will or won’t be there, but here’s a list of famous people who have either been seen on Raya or talked about what it’s like to use it.
Emma Hernan
In a season 5 episode of Selling Sunset, she told co-star Chrishell Stause that Affleck had messaged her on the app.
“He may or may not have asked to grab a coffee a few times,” she said, confirming that it was before Affleck got back together with Jennifer Lopez in spring 2021. “We have a link with Boston. It was very sweet.”
Lizzo
Lizzo is said to have joined Raya to try to meet John Mayer. The “Truth Hurts” singer is still single, but she has a crush on Chris Evans, so anyone who wants to date her now has to compete with him.
Channing Tatum
In 2019, after he broke up with Jessie J, the hot guy from Magic Mike was seen on Raya. Source says that on his profile, he says, “Yes, I used to strip.”
Rebel Wilson
Rebel Wilson, who was in “Pitch Perfect,” has used Raya on and off for a few years. She said that she only used it for a few weeks a year when she wasn’t in a relationship.
Kiernan Shipka
The actress who plays Sabrina on “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” said she used Raya in 2018 and loved it. She told the New York Times, “Oh, I love my Raya.” “I’ve been on dates because of it, but nothing has worked out. We’ll see.”