Often when we choose karaoke songs, we’re thinking about the hooks. There’s a chorus we know everyone in the room wants to sing along to, and we punch it in without thinking about if we actually know how the song goes. Once a friend puts on Jamiroquai’s “Virtual Insanity,” as if it didn’t have twisting, syncopated verses and a sort of spoken-word breakdown that you can’t really pull off unless you are Jay Kay (you know, the lead singer of Jamiroquai, don’t ask me why I know that).
Jesse Rauch, the commissioner of Washington, D.C.’s, District Karaoke, wants to stress that you don’t have to have a good voice to be good at karaoke. “What matters is how much of you you’re able to add to it—how much fun, or energy, or drama, can you infuse into your performance?” However, if your voice is cracking, you probably won’t be able to focus on a dramatic performance. Get a sense of what your vocal range is. Hell, sing some scales in the shower and see how high and low you can go. Just don’t attempt Prince’s “Kiss” if you’re a baritone.
When choosing what will become your karaoke anthem, remember that generally, people like singing along to songs they know (wow, some great insight into the human mind here on GQ). “Picking a song that people have heard before—throwbacks are a good example—helps people come along for the journey,” says Rauch. However, on either extreme lies danger. According to Rauch, there are some songs that should just be retired from karaoke. “‘My Heart Will Go On’ is at the top of my list, as is ‘Wrecking Ball.’ I think ‘Rehab’ is also overdone,” he says, not to mention “Sweet Caroline,” “Don’t Stop Believing,” and “Livin’ on a Prayer.” These are obvious, and you’re better than that
4. Know your audience.
