Karaoke gives us a chance to show the world who we are.

Sloan Campi here, a little nervous about the spotlight. I’m reminded at times like this to believe in myself. What better way to face that fear than to sing karaoke? Or write a cover story about it?

Writing a Weekly cover story for the first time is not that much different than getting behind a microphone and singing karaoke. You put yourself out there for the entire song. And once you’re up there, there’s no getting off the stage—the microphone is magnetic and you can’t reel the words back into your mouth. Luckily enough, the community will surround you and often join in. Common questions like, “Do I sound dumb? Are people liking it? How foolish do I look?” all run through your head. These are shared with writing a cover story, too.

The community that consistently attends karaoke nights knows it’s not about how good you sound, though. Good, bad, loud or soft, they treat each other as equals so long as you do the same. And they know how to have fun doing it.

My go-to karaoke song would either be “All the Small Things” by Blink-182 or “Dirty Little Secret” by the All-American Rejects because they’re both high-energy and fun, and because I’m a millennial who loves that pop-punk nostalgic sound from the 2000s. By singing these karaoke songs, I get to share that part of myself with people. Most people know the lyrics too.

That reminds me of Kevin Martinez sporting his electric guitar at karaoke nights at the Britannia Arms pub in Monterey. His guitar and his favorite karaoke song—“Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones—are how his friends old and new know him. And he returns the favor with showmanship to anyone else who is singing by “playing” his guitar in the background. Rocking on indeed.

I’m also reminded of Marlene Garcia telling her story about heartbreak in Spanish at Brew-N-Krew in Salinas. Her question from karaoke night still sticks with me—“Who here has broken someone else’s heart?” I think all of us can relate to that, whether we want to or not. But singing about it helps. According to the “nurse” at Brew-N-Krew, it’s the only way to heal. Not many of us are quick to admit that reality. But we can feel and release it at karaoke night. So many popular Spanish songs lean into those feelings rather than running from them. 

I’ve never thought of myself as a singer. I even privately recorded myself singing once to see what I sounded like. That tape is now buried in a figurative faraday box now because no one should ever hear that. But singing karaoke isn’t about private recordings. It is about relating to each other. One of the most courageous things we can do is show the world how we want it to see ourselves. Karaoke is an avenue for that. And those who are part of the culture will want to know: what song are you going to sing tonight?

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