Karaoke is an activity in which individuals come together to sing along to recorded music. Although Karaoke has grown in popularity in the United States, it is a prominent cultural activity across Asia that began in Japan in the 1970s. The inventor, Daisuke Inoue, invented the first karaoke machine so people could sing without needing to know how to play an instrument.
Karaoke is especially popular in the Philippines, which considers this form of entertainment as an outlet for individual self-expression. Filipinos are proud of their singing abilities and have a great love for music which is deeply embedded in Filipino culture. Karaoke machines are easily accessible throughout the Philippines as they are often found in homes and within low- and high-end bars and private rooms. No matter where the singing occurs, karaoke is performed with confidence.
This is especially prominent during Ariana Grande’s live performance in Manila, Philippines during her 2017 Dangerous Woman tour. Ariana Grande is one of the most influential artists of the 21st century and frequently inspires her fans with her high-energy pop songs. Ariana’s upbeat and catchy music influences her audiences to sing along during concerts, however, Ariana’s audience in the Philippines went above and beyond. The audience is loud and distinct, yet their singing did not take away from Ariana’s performance. In fact, the sing-along contributed to a collective performance in which Ariana and her audience’s voices compliment one another. The audience’s enthusiasm and passion influenced Ariana to go above-and-beyond, further exaggerating her dancing and movements as she attempts to match the energy within the concert hall.
Ariana Grande during her Dangerous Woman tour.
The intensity of the audience’s contribution to the concert experience relates to a quote by Nick Cave. After reflecting on his first concert after the COVID-19 pandemic, Nick Cave states,
“The music itself was so radically reduced, so intimate that there was nothing to hide behind. Not even the habitual self. There was also a strange kind of reticence in the audience – to the process in general. Clearly, people felt extremely vulnerable, even endangered”.
Singing is such a personal expression of oneself that it is easy to feel exposed and unguarded. Especially in the United States, where singing may be a stressful experience since it is viewed as something that can be perfected and monetized. There is a pressure that if you are good at singing, you must pursue it – whether professionally or by participating in singing organizations. There is a clear difference when comparing the impact of singing in the United States to the Philippines. When singing is normalized through low-stakes, low-commitment activities such as karaoke, people grow to be more confident and extroverted. People are also less likely to feel reserved or the need to “hide” behind a facade as they can be authentic with others together.
Karaoke continues to bring people together. As seen during a Pasig rally over the 2022 presidential candidates, over 137,000 Filipino participants collectively sang Ariana’s “Break Free” song. This emotional moment was shared by Ariana on her Instagram story, with the caption, “I love you more than words”.
This is not the only time Ariana has acknowledged her Filipino fans in the past. During an Interview for the Wicked premiere (which can be seen here), Ariana claims, "Filipinos are the best singers in the world. Honestly, they have the best singing voices, too”. After watching a group of Filipinos singing a tribute to the song Defying Gravity, both Ariana and Cynthia Eviro are stunned by the group’s harmony and talent.
Singing is embracing culture and community. Western cultures should be encouraged to pursue Karaoke for its positive effects as seen within the Philippines.
