How To Sing Karaoke

You’ve been dragged to a friend’s birthday party, a mic is thrust in front of you, the music starts, and you wish you knew how to sing karaoke … or how to sing, period. Put your panic aside! Karaoke was created for the average dude, and the audience doesn’t expect you to be the next American Idol. Just remember these karaoke tips.

1. Pick an upbeat song. Ballads are appropriate for a wedding and a mood-killer when you’re at a bar with friends. So, when singing karaoke, pick an upbeat song that will get the crowd’s blood pumping. Even if your vocal stylings aren’t that of Brandon Flowers, the crowd will forgive you if you pick a song they can move to.
2. Be familiar with the song. Pro performers practice their songs dozens of times before hitting the stage, so make sure you pick a karaoke song you’ve sung to your steering wheel a bunch of times. You don’t want to be surprised by a sudden bridge or key change.
3. Use the words on the screen. The beauty of karaoke is that even if you forget the words to the song, they are right there in front of you. Singing karaoke is all about letting loose and having fun, so don’t be afraid to look down if you can’t remember the next line.
4. Show ‘em some moves. If you’re prone to singing out of key, you can make up for it by throwing in some hand gestures and rock and roll hip thrusts. Acting out the lyrics is always a crowd pleaser. Giving a great karaoke performance isn’t just about singing, it’s about dancing a bit, too!
5. Engage the audience. Point at your friends, wink at your girlfriend, single out a cute girl in the crowd to sing to, or if you’re really daring, jump off the stage and carry the mic into the crowd. The audience feeds off your energy, so if you’re having fun and going nuts, chances are they will too. They might even think you’re singing like a karaoke pro!
6. Let go. No one expects a platinum recording artist at karaoke. There are no rules for singing karaoke, so just get up there and have fun. Your friends will be most impressed by your lack of inhibition. So put your nerves aside, let go, and give ‘em a performance to remember the next day!