It’s the closest that you can get to feeling like a rockstar. All you have to do is head to a Karaoke near you, croon your favourite melodies and feel on top of the world. As karaokes start hitting the right spots in Delhi we wonder if the city really understands what these sing-along nights are all about.
Karaoke jocks think that the city hasn’t understood karaoke yet. “Delhi is picking up the concept but there’s definitely a long way to go. At most places, half the crowd comprises of people who are there for fun and just half of them know what a karaoke really is. People still don’t understand that we’re not looking for people who know how to sing,” says Sahil, a KJ in the city.
Regulars at karaoke nights tell us how “good” singers spoil the fun at many such dos. “They’re so boring that they put you to sleep with those boring romantic sad melodies. Those who sing perfectly discourage the rest of the crowd from singing, killing the very concept of a karaoke,” says Nitin Kodwani, a businessman.
But if you can’t sing the right notes and you assume karaoke is where you can prove yourself to the world, you’re mistaken. It can be a nightmare for others. Monica, a DU student, tells us, “I was at a café in CP last Saturday and I could hear girls screaming and shouting on the microphone. They weren’t singing along with the song and practically lost all notes. Delhiites are still to get the hang of it. Most of them think it’s fun and you can sing just about anything.”
And while most of us love karaoke nights, how many people do actually come up to sing? KJ Shadab Khan who plays at Jukebox talks about the most common misconception about karaoke. “Everyone believes it’s a singer’s activity. They don’t realise that you don’t have to sing perfectly to make it work. Just go out there and follow the music,” he says.
And it’s not about knowing the lyrics of the songs too. Another KJ from one of the cafes in South Delhi tells us, “When people forget lyrics, they just stop singing. They don’t understand that the idea is not to learn a song and come and sing but we want you to try singing just about anything and have a great time.”
Sahil sums it up perfectly, saying, “The idea is to lose your inhibitions and enjoy.”
So while you have all the right to go out there and shed your inhibitions, make sure others have a great time too!