diff --git a/nirvana-ios/Services/AuthSessionStore.swift b/nirvana-ios/Services/AuthSessionStore.swift
index c040e15..f5eea4b 100644
--- a/nirvana-ios/Services/AuthSessionStore.swift
+++ b/nirvana-ios/Services/AuthSessionStore.swift
@@ -243,6 +243,8 @@ extension AuthSessionStore {
                                         self.friendMessagesDict[returnedUser!.id!] = []
                                     }
                                     
+                                    self.objectWillChange.send()
+                                    
                                     print("added this user to the array of users for user's circle\(returnedUser)")
                                 }
                             }
@@ -305,6 +307,8 @@ extension AuthSessionStore {
                             } else {
                                 self.friendMessagesDict[currMessage!.senderId]?.append(currMessage!)
                             }
+                            
+                            self.objectWillChange.send()
                         }
                         return currMessage
                     } catch {
diff --git a/nirvana-ios/Views/InnerCircle/CircleGridView.swift b/nirvana-ios/Views/InnerCircle/CircleGridView.swift
index 1d95f78..73d9a69 100644
--- a/nirvana-ios/Views/InnerCircle/CircleGridView.swift
+++ b/nirvana-ios/Views/InnerCircle/CircleGridView.swift
@@ -133,11 +133,12 @@ struct CircleGridView: View {
                             
                             // start playing if there are messages to listen to
                             if AVPlayerItems.count > 0 {
-                                print("have message urls that we will start listening to")
+                                print("have message urls that we will start listening to\(AVPlayerItems)")
                                 
-                                AVQueuePlayer(items: AVPlayerItems)
+                                let queuePlayer = AVQueuePlayer(items: AVPlayerItems)
+                                
+                                queuePlayer.play()
                                 
-                                player.play()
                                 
                                 // update the listencount and firstlistentimestamp of those messages in firestore
                             }