Karaoke. We all know it and love it. There are karaoke bars across the country, and it can even be a casual activity enjoyed by friends in dorms and living rooms.
What do I find so special about karaoke? A lot of things. First of all, among singing-based performance activities, karaoke has by far the lowest barrier to entry. Nobody expects you to sing flawlessly at karaoke; you are simply expected to have fun. Anyone, no matter their singing skill level, can do karaoke. To be honest, I find it more enjoyable when the singing is subpar — it adds to the charm.
Music is the lens through which many people process life, especially among younger generations. Seventy-three percent of 18- to 24-year-olds consider listening to music an important part of their lives. Karaoke provides people with a place to channel their favorite singers and songwriters. They can feel the emotions of performing some of their favorite songs in front of their closest friends and family.
Recently, I watched three different movies and TV shows that all included a karaoke scene. None of these pieces of media are inherently musical, and none of these scenes took place during some sort of “musical episode.” These scenes were instead used to advance the story or give the audience a lens into the characters’ experience. Catharsis is the experience of releasing strong emotions, and, as shown in many scenes, karaoke can often be a vessel for expressing previously repressed feelings.
The second season of “The Pitt” ends with a scene of Dr. Mel King and Dr. Trinity Santos at a bar after a particularly tough shift in their emergency department. They get on stage and begin to sing “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette — my personal favorite karaoke song. The song is angry and jaded, and it works exceptionally well in this context, showing how the stress of their jobs is weighing on these two women. In a moment of pure catharsis, Dr. King takes out her ever-present braid, and they angrily whip their hair after the chorus, entirely letting go. I couldn’t help but smile as they experienced the full emotional expression they clearly needed after a physically and mentally taxing day at work.
Halfway through the recently released movie “Project Hail Mary,” the stoic Eva Stratt does karaoke at a party before the suicide mission to save Earth heads into deep space. Her beautiful rendition of “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles was one of the few moments in the movie that brought tears to my eyes. The song fits so perfectly into the context of what these scientists are trying so hard to do — saving the world at the expense of their own lives. As the leader of the program, Stratt feels responsible for sending them to their expected deaths. She doesn’t portray this feeling throughout the movie until her guard comes down during karaoke.
Another example of a well-placed karaoke scene is in the seventh episode of the Amazon Prime show “Overcompensating,” which follows siblings Grace and Benny and Benny’s best friend, Carmen, as they return to their hometown from college for Thanksgiving break. Carmen has had a hard time connecting with Grace, who comes across as cold and uncaring. When they return to their hometown, Carmen begins to understand that it is all an act, due to years of bullying that made her change herself to be more “normal.”
They go out to a bar, and Carmen encourages Grace to do — you guessed it — karaoke. In a cathartic moment, Grace sheds her mask and begins to sing “Welcome to the Black Parade” by My Chemical Romance, and, to her surprise, the crowd loves it. Grace’s ability to perform this song seems to give the crowd at the bar permission to shed their own masks and live purely and freely. This is a moment of empowerment for the character, and Carmen, along with the audience, gets to delight in having her cold demeanor melting away as she sees her true self.
All three of these pieces of media use karaoke scenes in different ways, but they are all effective. They either allow us to understand the characters’ inner thoughts through song or provide commentary on what is happening in the movie or TV show. Unlike in musicals, where music and singing appear out of nowhere, the singing in these scenes is explained, in-universe, and almost always features unoriginal pieces of music, but they still allow the audience some time in the character’s mind.
Karaoke is a quintessential experience that we should engage with more. More TV shows and movies should use it to give audiences a glimpse into their characters’ inner workings and relationships, and I believe more people should do it as an activity with friends.
Music brings people together, and watching someone else sing your favorite song can form a bond that wasn’t previously there. Good karaoke is a cathartic and communal experience, an enjoyable, silly activity that can bring people together and allow for emotional release.
So, please cue the music.
Adin Linden is a freshman double-majoring in linguistics and English.
Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial.