Sing it Loud
Sure, you can spend your Friday night getting drunk at a
fraternity and hooking up with some random person, but
wouldn’t you rather sing cheesy pop in front of
strangers?
The UCLA Karaoke Club has been belting out the hits since the
beginning of the quarter. The erstwhile crooners have been meeting
every other Friday night in Ackerman 201A.
“We just do it for fun,” said Sandra Chen, a
second-year biochemistry student and president of the Karaoke Club.
Her favorite song to sing in front of her friends is R.
Kelly’s song “I Believe I Can Fly.”
After receiving sponsorships from companies such as Fuji Link,
DTS Karaoke, Ace Karaoke, and Sing Young rental store, the founders
decided to establish their UCLA Karaoke Club on campus to avoid the
laborious task of performing at bars.
“(Karaoke clubs) are expensive, and there’s no
food,” Chen said.
The UCLA Karaoke Club, which usually attracts about 20 people to
its gatherings, offers a mellow atmosphere so people to feel free
and comfortable to perform their favorite songs and not be vexed by
an intimidating crowd.
“No one needs to sing alone, or sing well, or at
all,” said Chen.
Featuring both popular American singles and hit Chinese songs,
the club offers a diverse selection of music for anyone willing to
step up and embrace their inner Frank Sinatra.
Though singing in front of as many as 20 people may seem
daunting, the Karaoke Club seeks to create a low-stress
environment. Only one of the members, undeclared second-year
student Emily Lin, has any experience performing seriously.
Most simply enjoy singing with their friends and generally
having a good time, though according to Chen they have yet to
“see anyone get crazy.” Often participants split time
singing and laughing along with their chosen track if they
don’t know all of the lyrics.
For additional entertainment options the club offers several
karaoke-related games to accompany the typical musical performance.
It has musical Pictionary, during which the chosen person has to
act out the title of a song, and, if he fails to get people to
guess correctly, sing it. In addition there is musical charades, in
which one person listens to a song on headphones and has to act out
the lyrics and try to get the rest of the club to get the song.
Though such public performance might be easier for some after a
couple of drinks, the officers of the club frown upon consumption
of alcohol at their events.
“You can bring your own; we’ll pretend we
didn’t see it,” Chen said.
The Karaoke Club has yet to find that perfect romantic pair to
sing a song like “A Whole New World.” In fact, the
membership is almost entirely female, though the members would
welcome more Aladdins to sing with their Jasmines.
“There are a lot more girls than guys,” said Chen.
“Nevertheless there are plenty of enticements for any
interested male singers.”
Such enticements may include videos that play behind the lyrics
of the songs and consist mostly of young, attractive women
attempting to look sensual at places like the beach.
Though it hasn’t yet nailed down dates for next
quarter’s meetings, and although spending money and public
interest remain pressing concerns, the club remains optimistic
about the future and is planning events for the near future.
“We might have a club dinner,” Chen said. “We
plan on continuing regular meetings every two weeks next
quarter.”
While the regular membership remains low, the members’
spirits remain high.
“We don’t have a goal for people to come, but we
welcome anyone who wants to come,” Chen said.
“It’s not just for people who sing; it’s for
everyone to torture each other’s ears.”
