How To: Be a Karaoke Star!

So you want to be a rockstar—not another American Idol audition reject. Stealing the spotlight at karaoke night is all about preparation and performance. 

Pick the Song 

The perfect song is the key to a great karaoke performance.  As a general guideline, pick a song with some popularity – you want to be able to connect with your audience.  Any song that comes on at a party and every girl yells, “OMIGOD, I LOVE THIS SONG!” is a good choice.  For gentlemen, think classic rock, early 90s rock, and boy bands.  Rap songs, no matter how trendy, are usually not good choices.  You want to sing, not string together an unintelligible stream of words. 

Ladies, your best bets are pop hits from the 80s on.  Also, chose something within a reasonable vocal range.  If you are hitting notes only dogs can hear, it’s probably not a good thing.  In other words, do not sing Mariah Carey songs unless you are Mariah Carey. 

Know the Words 

Having the perfect song will mean nothing if you don’t know the words by heart.  You don’t want to be staring at the screen for your next lines, because it will take away from your performance.  You also want to know the melody really well.  Since the music track is prerecorded to match the actual song, you won’t have any surprises with weird notes or key changes if you’re prepared for them. Practice singing your song in the shower or in the car, and ask for honest feedback from your roommates or passengers. 

For extra preparation, watch the music video a few times to get an idea of how the artist really gets into their song.  That will help you when it comes time to performing as well. 

Rock it Out 

Now it’s time to put all of your practice to work.  Head to karaoke night and get your name on the list. When it’s your turn to go, remember that it’s all about stage presence. At this point you know the words, so look away from the screen.  Make eye contact with your audience and loosen up.  The more you get into your performance and have a good time, the more the audience will respond. 

And that’s it! You’re a karaoke star! 

Where to karaoke near SU:
Singers Karaoke Club: http://www.singersentertainment.com/ 

-Leland Strott