Karaoke

Belting it out (with bonus Elvis sneer)

We went to a neighbor’s 80s-themed birthday party Saturday night which featured a karaoke machine. I’d been bragging about how it’s impossible to drag me away from a karaoke microphone, and that I used to work at a karaoke company, but this was different. I love to sing but I usually only do it when I’m alone. My previous karaoke performances have always been around family and good friends. Could I get up in front of total strangers and sing?

The party guests drew numbers and fortunately others had a chance to warm up the karaoke machine before I got to it. When it was my turn, I poured over the (somewhat limited) 80s song selections and chose Rick Springfield’s Jesse’s Girl. I figured it has a good tempo and that can make up for lousy singing.

It’s a strange feeling knowing 20 strangers are expecting to hear you sing solo. Even stranger than fronting a band, I would imagine. At least with a band you’re not the only one performing. The music began, though, and I gave it all I had. The three minutes seemed like an eternity, but at the end I got a round of applause and lots of compliments on my voice.

It’s funny. Lots of people know me from all the stuff I do around town, but almost nobody in Raleigh knew I could sing until my first “public” performance Saturday (and now next to nobody knows I can sing!). I don’t know why I’ve always held that sort of “in reserve,” but I’ve never been brave enough to sing in public before.

Now, maybe I can work up to singing the National Anthem like my bucket list calls for. Maybe someday I’ll get enough nerve to be in a musical, too.