Love or hate apps like Bumble, Hinge, and Tinder, they are a huge part of modern dating. Most people first meet via an app rather than real life in a post-COVID world, and celebrities are no exception.
However, celebrities don’t typically use the same apps that regular people use. While they have been known to hop on Bumble or Tinder in the past, most celebrities opt for the super exclusive app Raya, otherwise known as the Harvard of dating apps.
Unfortunately for the everyday person, Raya is kind of difficult to join. But if a person is able to score an invite, chances are they’ll interact with some of the world’s biggest celebrities. They just won’t be able to kiss and tell, like the woman who allegedly matched with Ben Affleck on Raya and was then called a snitch.
So what is Raya all about and just how exclusive is it? Keep reading to find out.
What Is The Dating App Raya?
For regular people, Raya is the app that dreams are made of. Launched by tech developer Daniel Gendelman in February 2015, Raya is an exclusive dating app that is marketed as a “Digital Dinner Party for people in creative industries”.
Referred to by some as the “Illuminati Tinder”, the app has more than 10,000 members who are based all over the world. Unlike most dating apps, users aren’t limited by their geographical location as to whom they can match with.
While many people would love to get swiping on Raya, the exclusivity of the app, which aims to protect the privacy of its members, means that there are lots of roadblocks to becoming accepted as a member.
Which Celebrities Have Used Raya?
Raya has strict rules in place to protect the privacy of its users, and members are warned against talking about who they’ve seen on the app. Screenshots are also not allowed, and the app is alerted when someone takes a screenshot of a profile or conversation.
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However, even with those rules, some of Raya's secrets have slipped out into the world. According to Us Weekly, several celebrities have been sighted on the dating app, including Demi Lovato, Channing Tatum, Kiernan Shipka, Lizzo, Drew Barrymore, and John Mayer.
The publication reports that Emma Hernan of Selling Sunset was contacted on the app by Ben Affleck, prior to the actor getting back together with Jennifer Lopez. Joe Jonas was also spotted on the app before he met Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner.
While some celebrities sing praise for Raya, others seem to be less than impressed. Olivia Rodrigo revealed in 2021 that she tried to use the app but had no luck finding The One: “I had Raya for a second, and it was so vomit,” she said. “Like, I could not.”
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Similarly, Lena Dunham seemed to not enjoy her time on the app, confirming that she spent all of 20 minutes on there before calling it quits.
Former One Direction member Niall Horan was also seen on the app in 2018 after he split from fellow singer Hailee Steinfeld, as was Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright.
How Exclusive Is Raya?
Considering people like Channing Tatum, John Mayer, and Olivia Rodrigo have been on the app, Raya is one of the most sought-after dating apps in existence. As such, it’s sometimes called the Harvard of dating apps. It’s that hard to get into and supposedly has a waiting list in the thousands.
Business Insider explains that there is around an 8% acceptance rate, and admission takes a lot of thorough steps. When someone signs up, their application is judged by a committee made up of hundreds of members.
Plus, they need a referral from someone—or a lot of people—who are already on the app. And even then, it’s not guaranteed that they’ll get in.
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Sometimes, being on the app once isn’t even enough to secure membership in the future. Demi Lovato revealed that they did use the app in 2016 and then deleted it when they started dating someone new. After that relationship fell through, they tried to get back on the app but their application was rejected.
And what are the committee members looking for in a perfect Raya candidate? Gendelman has revealed that Raya users should be interesting, influential, and passionate. Members tend to choose candidates who stand out as being creative, who are experts in their field, and who have links to the Raya community already.
In most cases, those who are accepted are successful, wealthy, attractive, and popular on social media, plus they have good connections. But those who flaunt how much money they have are seen as bearing red flags, so a little humility also goes a long way.
