A hybrid digital-physical system reimagining the intimacy of music sharing and discovery. The system consists of a handheld physical keychain, or Sori, connected to an app where users choose their favorite song they would like to share with others. When you pass someone else also wearing a sori, your favorite songs exchange passively with each other. For a more intimate exchange, physically connect two soris together to officially add someone as a friend.
ROLE
Lead visual/brand designer
TEAM
Brandt YouRan Li, Tara Modi, Silvia Shin
DURATION
4 Months
SORIMy role.
My role as the visual and brand designer was to craft the story and shape the world around it, giving Sori an identity and emotional presence. I designed the interface of the app and brand system from the logo and wordmark to the interface, color language, character design, animation, and the narrative behind how Soris exist and connect.
SORIBranding.
I designed a custom logo system inspired by the movement and exchange of Oris between users, representing music discovery as something fluid, social, and constantly shared. The wordmark shares the same soft, rounded visual language as the symbol, unifying the identity into a system that feels playful and approachable.
How does Sori work in real life?
Sori is designed to live with you—clipped onto your bag, keys, or wherever you take your everyday essentials. As you move through your day, it quietly creates opportunities for music discovery without asking you to open an app, scroll through a feed, or stop what you are doing.
When you pass another Sori user, your devices can exchange a song in the background. Each discovery is saved as an “Ori”, a small record of the music and connection you encountered throughout the day.
Later, whenever you are ready, you can open the Sori app to revisit the songs you collected—whether that is at the end of a commute, a day out, or the week. Sori makes music discovery simply feel like stumbling upon something meant for you.
Passive sharing lets discovery happen naturally through everyday movement.
Active sharing gives you a more intentional way to connect: when you meet another Sori user, bring your devices together to add each other as friends.
Worldbuilding.
Sori comes from 소리, the Korean word for sound.
A Sori is a small avatar-like companion centered around the motif of the eye, using it as a way to express emotion, curiosity, and connection through music.
Soris come from a distant planet and rely on Oris — magical orbs filled with song — to survive. As Soris encounter one another, they exchange Oris (songs) and form connections through shared music discovery.
I kept the eye shape simple but wanted it to still show a full range of emotion. Eyes are able to say a lot without any words, so I wanted to create something expressive and cute without being overdesigned.
The animations are used on both the application and physical device itself to convey emotion and bring the sori to life. If a user changes their eye style on the app, it will automatically update on the device as well.
Fun fact: the highlight of the sori’s eyes are the same shape as the physical device!
APP
Designing a system around proximity.
My role focused on shaping both the visual identity and the app experience for Sori. From the beginning, I wanted the system to feel emotionally warm, collectible, and slightly fantastical rather than resembling a typical music streaming or social media platform.
The interface direction explored soft gradients, pastel color palettes, rounded forms, and playful motion to create a sense of curiosity and lightness.
I was interested in designing technology that felt companion-like and expressive — something that users could emotionally attach to rather than simply use as a utility.
Working app.
Beyond static screens, Sori was built out as a functional prototype on mobile. We worked with a software engineer for backend development in order to bring the interaction model to life, allowing the app to actually run rather than exist only as a visual mockup.
Within the app currently, users can:
• Select their recommended song
• Customize their character
• View discovered songs
• Save favorites
• Track encounter history
• Create collaborative mixtapes with friend
How it connects.
Sori connects to the companion app via Bluetooth. Pairing happens once; after that, the device and app stay connected automatically, so no manual syncing is required day-to-day. The app is where the user selects their song. The device reflects that selection physically.
Color system.
Each song is assigned 2-3 colors, pulled from the dominant tones in its album artwork. When a user selects a song to share, that color is applied in two places: the app interface and an LED on the back of the device. Both update in real time and stay in sync.
CURRENT
Prototype
Alongside the mobile app, we developed 4 working physical prototypes.
INSPIRATION
Sharing music used to feel personal.
What happens when connection becomes passive?
Music sharing has lost its physicality, presence, and social meaning in the digital era. Sending a link takes seconds, but often disappears just as quickly. My team and I were interested in the moments that used to make music exchange feel intentional — burning CDs, making playlists for specific people, or sharing an earbud during a conversation.
Sori began as an exploration of how physical interaction and digital connection can work together to redefine what music sharing means today.
RESEARCH
Looking at how connection already exists.
Our research explored both digital and physical forms of social interaction, focusing on how younger audiences (mainly Gen Z) discover, exchange, and emotionally connect through media and objects.
We referenced existing systems like Nintendo StreetPass, Tamagotchi, Spotify Jam, and Deeplocal’s Spotify Blend friendship bracelet concept to understand how passive interaction, proximity, and collectability can foster connection between people.
Alongside these precedents, we also brainstormed visual and emotional directions that would resonate with Gen Z audiences. Themes of personalization, nostalgia, soft technology, collectible objects, and dreamy visual aesthetics became important in shaping both the interaction system and the overall identity of Sori.