Karaoke is such a beautiful thing—what else can bring together complete strangers to form a tight-knit community, bonded by a love of music? Of course, that beautiful thing can also be intimidating; as someone who has hosted karaoke at the world-famous Gaslite (the same place Jewel crashed for a Funny or Die video), I’ve seen everything, from choreographed group dance performances to a guy wielding a harmonica to accompany his song; I’ve also seen some singers wilt under the bright lights.
Luckily, Smule’s Sing! Karaoke app captures a lot of the elements of stepping onstage in front of a crowd, but with the added benefit of allowing you to remain in the comfort of your own home. You simply choose a song and croon into your phone. If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, you can add video to your performance, but it’s still a more relaxed setting than karaoke out in public. That extra comfort is crucial for users who may not be as excited about hopping up onstage, but still love to sing.
“For a shy guy like me, Smule is a much easier way to perform,” says @NPc_Tiago. “You can sing with a friend, the neighbor next door, the guy on the other side of the world and even with Jessie J! Music moves people, and the app has helped me make great friendships all over the world.”
You also have the added benefit of being able to re-do parts of a song, or even the entire thing. Did you get the hiccups in the middle of your performance? Maybe your dog stepped on your stomach right when you were trying to hit that high note? No worries. You can easily go back a few bars, or just start the whole song over if you’d prefer. When performing with another person or group, they’ll thank you for the extra care.
“Two strangers are showing a very private side of themselves to another human being doing the exact same,” says @AlexiMuzic. “Both singers are invested and support each other. It’s amazing and liberating to express these feelings.”
It’s very rewarding to see people singing along, swaying, holding their hands up and applauding you during and after a live performance. While you don’t get that visual with Sing! Karaoke, you still certainly earn your deserved praise. On the Smule network, fans of your work can love your song or leave a comment. And rest assured they’re humming along while watching or listening, you just can’t see them—which may be a good thing, since you can focus more on your lyrics. And that’s a pretty important part of karaoke.
“Really read the lyrics. Reminding yourself what the song is about really takes your performance to a new level,” @AlexiMuzic suggests. “Sing a song you love and feed off your partner.”
Once you feel comfortable sharing your songs on the app, you may be ready to try it in a live setting onstage. We’ll be back soon with tips that transcend both Sing! Karaoke and…well, singing at karaoke.
