INTERVIEW. “On sexuality, we have lots of things to explore or do differently,” explains Lucie Broto, co-founder of the Melba app.

When and how did you create the Melba app?
In 2023, with my partner Vincent Bucaille, who has been an entrepreneur for several years and had already created mobile applications.

What is its purpose?
It is to help couples experience fulfilling intimacy by providing them with the tools that will help them to flourish more as a couple, because maintaining fulfilling intimacy over time, with the same partner, is often a challenge.

Why this name Melba?
This comes from peach which is the digital symbol of sexuality. It is also the name given to a dessert by a French cook in homage to an Australian singer with a captivating voice. As we use audio to guide users of our app, this name was a perfect fit for the project.

How did you find yourself in this documentary produced by Karine Le Marchand?
A bit by chance. I was in contact with the director Delphine Cinier who was looking for solutions aimed at couples. Some of our early users agreed to testify, including Christophe and Fanny. The filming itself went very well. For once, I was happy that we approached sexuality in an open, caring and cliché-free way.

How many users does your app have today?
We have just over 400,000 users in France and the United States. We have both men and women, lots of straight couples although we cater to all sexualities and ages from 25 to 65. Our core target remains 35-55 year olds.

Each time, Melba users are guided by a voice which invites them to make love differently, for this you offer different types of scenarios…
Exactly. The idea is to guide them towards another way of connecting according to their needs: want to experience something new, realize fantasies or just slow down to reconnect. For each of these objectives, we propose something specific.

For example ?
We have an experience that encourages you to discover all of your erogenous zones without going through the genital box for couples who want to reconnect with their sensuality and who don't necessarily have a lot of libido but want to find a moment to be together . This will involve a set of touches, massages… We will offer a scan of the body with the exploration of areas which until then were ignored such as the neck, the ear, the skull… which are nevertheless very erogenous zones. Even if you have known your partner for 20 years, the idea is to explore new things that are very simple and very interesting.

Do you also offer role-playing games?
Quite. There, we tell you an erotic story and put you in the shoes of a character. This allows you to get out of your comfort zone. We immerse couples in contexts of rediscovery by promoting their erotic imagination. We also offer learning-oriented experiences during which we guide a partner to learn new ways or take the time to perform practices, such as oral sex. Often couples have learned these practices by exploring them with their partner and we provide them with other ways of doing things that allow them to better connect to their sensations and discover other worlds.

Have all these methods been developed by specialists?
Quite. We worked with therapists, sexologists, erotic scriptwriters… The texts in the app are recorded with professional actors who suggest more than they impose with sensual voices.

The objective being to break the wear and tear of everyday life, does it work every time?
They say it allows you to have fun and break the routine while deepening your relationship. It's not just playing for the sake of playing. When it comes to sexuality, we have plenty of things to explore or do differently. A couple who has lived together for a long time may find it difficult to talk about their development and be stuck in the beliefs and image they give to the other. This app helps you renew yourself without pressure, without stress, without fear of judgment. We make sure to establish an atmosphere that takes consent into account. The idea is to build your confidence so that you want to get out of your comfort zone.