“Anyone who loves music can karaoke.” So declares Raina Lee, Karaoke Queen and author of Hit Me With Your Best Shot: The Ultimate Guide to Karaoke Domination. In celebration of National Karaoke Week, our new favorite niche holiday, we’re devoting a whole episode to karaoke. We’ll hear tips for picking the perfect song and what it takes to rule the karaoke stage from Raina and 2020 World Karaoke Champion Garvaundo Hamilton. Plus, listeners from across the country call in to perform some of their karaoke favorites. Marianne Chan closes out the episode with a reading of her poem, ‘In Defense of Karaoke.’ For the playlist of songs curated for this episode head over to www.mixcloud.com/sonos.

/ Music In This Week’s Episode: /

I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston

Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield

U Remind Me - Usher

No Scrubs - TLC

Don’t Stop Believin’ - Journey

Show Notes: 
National Karaoke Week is the fourth week of April. Check your local karaoke venues for special events to celebrate the occasion.

Raina Lee is a visual artist and the author of Hit Me With Your Best Shot: The Ultimate Guide To Karaoke Domination.  If you’re in the LA area and looking for a local karaoke spot, she recommends the San Franciscan. 

Garvaundo Hamilton is the 2020 World Karaoke Champion. He is also the Washington State Director for the 2022 Karaoke World Championships. Qualifying competitions have already begun. Check out the Karaoke World Championship website to find an event near you!

Marianne Chan is the author of In Defense of Karaoke, which is available in her book, All Heathens. Hanif often opens his own readings with the poem, and has previously read it for the 92Y.

Credits:
This show is produced by work by work: Scott Newman, Jemma Rose Brown, Kathleen Ottinger, Rhiannon Corby, and by Hanif Abdurraqib. The show is mixed by Sam Bair. Extra gratitude to Joe Dawson and Saidah Blount at Sonos.