Everyone seems to have an app for everything nowadays, whether it’s on showbiz or reviewing McDonald’s cheese bites. But now audio erotica, a new wave of apps, has arrived to satisfy everyone’s needs.
“You know, you laying like this, a lot could happen…maybe I could kiss you on the back of your neck, like that, or on the back of your shoulders, right there, or down your spine. You seemed to like that didn’t you, maybe you want a little more?”
At first glance, you’d think this could be an extract from a late-night pillow talk session. Or even a dirty piece of fiction. In reality, neither would be wrong. Step into the stimulating world of audio erotica where sex, podcasting and fictional narratives are all rolled into one.
Think of audio erotica as a type of porn, which, as it says on the tin, supplies a sexually mind-tingling listening experience. By way of a voice actor’s guidance through podcast-styled stories, utilising ASMR and body mapping, this sexual phenomenon is helping people relax and ‘get off’ in their thousands.
Unlike typical visual porn audio erotica is more personal to the listener, with more of a focus on the journey to the final hurdle rather than the hurdle itself, which may be true but who has time for a journey? Malia Moore, a sexual embodiment coach, ensures the ‘journey’ is definitely worth it. “When people are listening to these audios it really allows them to slow down, you’re processing what you are hearing and how your body is reacting. It’s never about the climax because sex should never be about that,” says Moore. “It’s all about self-exploration with audio erotica.”
Even though it may sound a bit cringe, focuses like these have put audio erotica on the map. Quinn, an audio-led erotica app, whose business has boomed since its launch in 2019, aims to help its audience to explore their sexual fantasies. Founded by Caroline Spiegel, the idea was sparked after the 25-year-old struggled with sexual dysfunction during recovery from an eating disorder. As Spiegel, the younger sister of Evan Spiegel, the CEO and founder of Snapchat, became frustrated with the lack of sexual dysfunction solutions for women she created the app to help fill a void.
With reports suggesting the app has 740,000 user sessions a month and over two hundred thousand followers on TikTok, Quinn’s 60-plus narrators cover a variety of kinks and categories each adding their own individual ‘flavour and personality’ to spice things up. From seductive, narrated stories – some exploring kinks from the dominant to vampires – to guided masturbation and lots of dirty talk there is truly something for everyone.
Cera Gibson is one of those flavour-filled narrators. The 27-year-old makes content for both men and women in her bedroom, revolving around women loving women and female dominance. Think 50 Shades of Grey but instead of Christian Grey, Gibson is the one whispering into your ear. Gibson, from Salt Lake City, Utah, only became a narrator last year.
“I was making TikToks that were very centralised around this sexy voice my audience started calling the mommy/daddy voice and a lot of my videos were popping off and Quinn reached out,” says Gibson who originally turned down Quinn’s offer due to her busy schedule. “But in October of last year, I just thought why the hell not and I just started doing it straight away.”
With around 60,000 satisfied listeners on Quinn and over six hundred thousand followers on TikTok, her fan base has grown obsessed with her ‘mommy/daddy voice’, which almost sounds like a horny Siri. Gibson has been overwhelmed by the response. “The thought of that many people listening and getting off to my voice is insane,” Gibson says with her microphone and audio equipment stationed behind her. The narrator said seeing first-time listeners react in the comments is the ‘most rewarding’.
“People are realising they can explore their curiosities without the stakes of doing it in person,” says Gibson, “It’s the most introductory, low-stakes sexual experience for everyone to try.”
Gibson admits her audios have evolved since her start as a Quinn creator. Originally her audio recounted her own sexual experiences. Now her audios have shifted, based on feedback from her listeners. “Trying to bring the listener into the experience and making it feel approachable and accepting for them with no discomfort is so important,” says Gibson passionately. “There is a cruciality in making sure it’s a very enthusiastic consenting atmosphere grounded in reality.”
Studies done by the Government Equalities Office have criticized the porn industry for endorsing unrealistic standards of sex, turning sex into a game to objectify women. Over past decades, the porn industry has contributed to unattainable body and beauty standards which, honestly, make women feel like shit. Imagine having boob jobs, BBLs and tummy tucks look down on you through the screen whilst you watch porn. I mean FFS, no one wants that.
As a child, some of Gibson’s own insecurities stemmed from watching porn. “When people have a varying body type or appearance to the typical actors you see in porn it can be incredibly alienating,” says Gibson. “I know as someone who isn’t as super large-chested when I was younger, I would watch porn and think is that going to happen to me and it never did.”
“I would think oh no is there something wrong with me, I would always think am I not as sexy if I don’t look exactly like that or even sound like she does?” says Gibson.
Moore agrees the standards in porn are something ‘people are fed up’ with. “Sex is something which has been demonised for so long,” says Moore. “Times are changing, women are tired of not being seen, not being heard and not being felt and the rise of audio erotica is the result of that.”
Audio erotica is proving to be a positive alternative to traditional pornography and, in the words of Lizzo, it’s about damn time. With the increase in female creators and female CEOs in the porn industry, like Spiegel, and the launch of ethical porn sites, like Bellsea and PinklabelTV, female empowerment and female pleasure have been prioritised to come first (excuse the pun). But don’t be fooled, audio erotica is not just a women-only club.
Other audio erotica apps like Dipsea, launched in 2018 by Gina Gutierrez, recorded 82% of its listeners were women in 2022. Even though this is an overwhelming majority, it shows men do want a slice of the dirty-talking pie too.
Gibson wants more men to give audio erotica a go. The narrator believes ‘a lot of men think it isn’t going to be for them’ as it has been targeted more towards women. But in reality, she thinks men might surprise themselves. “Be open-minded, listen to it with no stakes and you will realise that having that story and the character-building gives you an intimate connection that elevates the sexual experience,” says Gibson. “It will likely change your perspective on sex moving forward.”
All of this is not to say audio erotica is a way to replace the need and importance of a real-life, good and simple shag. Instead, it offers a much-needed reminder that when we want to step outside our comfort zones and be a little bit more kinky than usual, all we need to do is put our headphones on.