As long as there are people with a love for pop music and a desire to be the next crooner of the night, karaoke will likely remain a popular activity. And, as this article from Social and Evolutionary Neuroscience shows, there are some science-backed benefits to the song-singing experience. Researchers found that participants who sang a song together in an organized singalong, like a karaoke night, had less anxiety and were better at socializing than those who didn’t. They also had more positive feelings about the group and were less stressed.
Karaoke has been around for more than 50 years, with the first machine created by a Japanese inventor in 1971. However, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the practice became mainstream. Today, the machine is widely used in bars, restaurants and homes. While some use it to impress others with their singing skills, most are simply there to have fun.
The earliest depiction of karaoke in American popular culture was an episode of the 1985 show Magnum P.I., where a variety of characters sung sections of Talking Head’s Wild Wild Life. More recently, the karaoke trend has been popularized by reality and game shows that focus on singing performances. Even professional athletes, such as golfer Rory McIlroy and boxer Manny Pacquiao, have been known to enjoy karaoke.
One of the reasons karaoke is so appealing to many is its ability to break down barriers that often separate us from other people. For example, a study published in the journal Scientific Reports found that a common goal—in this case, learning how to perform a popular song well—helped participants connect with each other more easily. This effect was enhanced when the participants sang together in an organized singalong.
Organized karaoke experiences also create new social networks, as people join groups with common interests. This is especially true if the participants are not already acquainted with each other. Researchers at Saginaw Valley State University discovered that the bar atmosphere and recognizable songs of karaoke make it easy for participants to mingle with new people. The resulting new friendships can lead to increased social interaction and a greater sense of community.
Another way karaoke helps build community is through the sharing of talents. A study by sociologist Eiluned Pearce found that people who practiced and performed a musical skill together were more likely to develop friendships than those who didn’t. For this reason, karaoke can be considered a form of social work and a form of therapy for people who are isolated.
While the study of rebel grassroots is often overlooked in Conflict and Security Studies, understanding the daily aspirations and lifeworlds of rebel grassroots shapes their collective trajectories and, thus, wider dynamics of war and peace. This article uses a relational reading of rebel figurations in the context of revolutionary karaoke to explore these hidden social dynamics. To do so, it draws on a rich collection of visual and audio ethnographic materials gathered through a participatory karaoke project in the Kachin rebellion.
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.