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K is for 'Karaoke'

Everyone’s a closet singer these days, and with apps like Smule and Starmaker, they are all coming out of the closet! I came across the Smule app around four years ago when one of my Facebook friends posted a video of it. I shared it with my uncle, who fell in love with the app and has made a gazillion videos on it. He has sung numerous Hindi and English numbers on Smule and shared them with family, friends and colleagues. Recently, he started a YouTube channel featuring his songs. You can check it out here.  He has lately taken to using vidtrim and uploading cool videos to go with the songs.



I’ve been to a karaoke bar only once as far as can remember. It was to ‘Connie’s’ in Bangalore with my friends. I sang (or brayed) ‘La Isla Bonita’ and one other Madonna number( I think it was ‘True Blue’). It was quite an exhilarating experience. I had to summon my courage to go sing in public since singing is not my forte, and the people who frequent karaoke bars sing like larks. But I just went for it, and I’m happy I did.

If you have never done karaoke, go for it. Since you can’t go to an actual karaoke bar now in lockdown, sit in the comfort of your own home and sing into Smule, Starmaker or a similar app. Share with family and friends and express to them a side of your personality they’ve never seen. Everyone needs a hobby and singing could be yours, especially if you have the voice for it.

A colleague of mine also sang beautifully at a company meet I attended last year. She has performed for All India Radio etc. Not everyone might have the voice of an angel, but everyone can be a bathroom singer!
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