“Don’t look back/live your life, if it makes you feel alive”. The spotlight calls for me as I slowly raise the mic to my mouth. I take one deep breath and everything seems to pause for the arrival of the climax of the song. At the split second I open my mouth, my voice fills the small, dark room and everyone else disappears. I hold the microphone close and reach for the high notes. A rush of excitement and satisfaction runs through my body as I forget about everything and hit every note of the chorus. I’m no longer singing – I’m screaming at the top of my lungs. Further into the song, I feel my voice strain and my muscles tense, but I don’t stop. I feel alive.
The karaoke room seats six people, nine people maximum. When the lights are off, the karaoke screen illuminates the small room. Although confined, to me, the square room is a concert stadium with a massive stage. The special thing about this stage is that I never get nervous to step on it – to step into the spotlight. My stagefright is overpowered by the presence of the semi-soundproof walls and is forgotten with the start of every song. I’m not singing for anyone, I’m singing for the fun of it. It’s a simple statement, but that’s really the main attraction of karaoke. It’s not stressful because there’s no need for me to sound good. Instead, it is a stress reliever. I can scream and nobody will judge me for it. I can be off pitch and no one will tell me to shut up. I can speak as loud as I want and let the words flow straight from my mind to my mouth. I don’t have to lower my volume because I might disturb someone. I don’t have to be quiet.
I’ve never dreamt of becoming a singer, not because I can’t sing well, but simply because the idea doesn’t appeal to me. Singing is for everyone. It is not reserved for those who are gifted with a beautiful silky voice. Anyone can find joy when they sing. The words embedded in a melody of a song can express emotions that no other thing can. It’s almost impossible to fully describe what it is like to be able to let go of everything and to feel relief just from hearing a familiar tune, let alone singing along to it. Singing from your heart and soul is one of those things that you just have to experience to truly understand. To me, there is a difference between the idea of singing in general and singing in a karaoke room. The atmosphere of a karaoke room mimics that of a concert. The music is booming through the speakers, suppressing any attempt at making conversation, and I am hidden in the darkness of the space. This setting brings me back to my very first concert: I was seated next to a teacher who I wasn’t very fond of, one who I didn’t open up to comfortably. Before the concert began, I sat still in my seat with very few words leaving my mouth. But as soon as the band stepped onto the stage and the drummer struck the bass drum, I was on cloud nine, jumping up and down while screaming out the words to my favourite song. The atmosphere was no longer awkward but extremely uplifting and surprisingly comfortable, considering the fact that my teacher was videoing me the entire song. Nothing but the music mattered. Nothing else was worth considering. Nothing could take away the joy I was experiencing. My heart started to beat to the sound of the drums and my voice, no matter how loud, was not hushed by anyone. I felt alive.
Staring at the screen counting down to the entry of the vocals, I stand up from my seat, next to my friends, and dive into a sea of emotions. Music plays a significant part in my life, as it does in many others. A song is like a key to a room full of memories. A song is like a time machine to the past. A song is a reminder of all the emotions I felt when I first listened to it. Listening to a song that I’ve grown up with has the power to take me back to a time when I was just a carefree little girl. A simple melody is enough to put a smile on my face. Songs are meaningful to each person in different ways. In times of difficulty and struggle, the happy emotions and memories attached to a familiar tune all come flooding back in a single moment. It’s liberating. It’s the long awaited fresh air after being underwater for too long.
What makes me come alive? Being able to let go of every burden, every weighty thought, and anything that pulls me under. To feel a unique sense of freedom and satisfaction in the excitement that can only be found inside a small, dark karaoke room.
Reflection:
This piece was really fun and easy to write because it is on something that I’m really passionate about. The ideas and words just flowed and I was able to finish the piece in a short period of time. Out of all the pieces that I’ve written, this was my favourite. I didn’t feel like I needed to exaggerate or fake something. It was very honest. Based on my peer edits, the areas that I can improve on are conventions and sentence fluency while the areas that I did well on ideas and voice. I think I was able to effectively and clearly show my passion for karaoke through this piece. Overall, this piece allowed me to share about something that I love and I really enjoyed writing it.
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This is one of my favorite essays from you. From the way you described karaoke, it is almost like I…
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I’ve never done karaoke before, but through reading your paper I think I have definitely sparked an interest in this. This also evokes a feeling of being free and I can really tell that karaoke is a big part of your life, as well as the empowerment it gives you.
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This is one of my favorite essays from you. From the way you described karaoke, it is almost like I can hear you belting your high notes! That is how well you communicated with your readers, by vividly painting entertaining images in our minds. Your effective use of figurative language really enhanced each part of this piece, and it was so easy to follow along your thoughts. Being alive is one thing, but coming alive is entirely another thing that makes us enjoy life. I think that you expressed this idea through your writing. I am impressed.
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