“Do You Want Me to Praise You Like I Do in My Audios?”

Audio erotica performers often appeal to notions of authenticity, creating a feeling of closeness with their listener. Certain forms of audio erotica, such as the direct-to-listener ramble common on Quinn, produce a fantasy in which creators are confessing something real, unscripted, spontaneous, or revealing about themselves – even if they are completely anonymous and unknown to their audience. Increasingly, as audio erotica creators develop this authentic audio persona, they become micro-celebrities and attract fans. Additionally, it is becoming increasingly common on both Quinn and Dipsea for well-known celebrities, such as television and movie stars, to narrate erotic audios that tap into notions of authenticity and parasocial dynamics. This chapter explores the aesthetics of authenticity in both celebrity and micro-celebrity audio erotica and how these give rise to an experience of desire that can feel revelatory and intimate.