Karaoke has long overstepped the threshold of karaoke clubs and has already entered many spheres of life. Few people think of singing as just a fun pastime with colleagues on Fridays anymore. Singing is used to prevent senile dementia and to teach new skills to businesspeople and children. It helps you relax after shopping with a friend at the mall and paves the way for a stellar career. And what about parties? The unusual uses of karaoke in everyday life are explored in our article.
Karaoke taxi
Do you take a taxi to the bakery while singing Bon Jovi? Is that even legal? Of course it is, if you’re using a karaoke taxi.
Such a service was first introduced in Japan in the early 1980s. This isn’t surprising when you think of the important role karaoke plays in the lives of the Japanese. They spend time in karaoke clubs, go on dates, close deals, and try to win over their bosses. Why not sing on the way to work?
“Singing” taxis spread quite rapidly throughout Asia. In the 2010s, they successfully reached the Western world, where the locals really loved them. The popularity of the karaoke taxi was boosted by the Internet, which turned car singing into a popular YouTube show.
Karaoke therapy
Singing is good for you! Research clearly states that if you want to be healthier, you should sing.
In addition to the natural benefits of singing — which can be compared to morning jogging in its effects on the brain — karaoke is often used to treat age-related diseases and memory impairment. For instance, the American Alzheimer’s Association uses the “Singing for the Brain” program to help people with dementia preserve their memories and improve concentration.
Karaoke for business
If Stephen R. Covey, author of the all-time bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, had been a bit more informed about karaoke 30 years ago, the title of his book might have featured a different number.
It sounds paradoxical, but the number of business coaches recommending karaoke clubs as the perfect practice for developing communication skills and overcoming the fear of public speaking is growing every year.
For instance, the developer of the iOS app Cloth, Forbes contributor, and lecturer Seth Porges states that business schools should adopt karaoke for training young professionals. “I have done a lot of karaoke in my day,” Seth writes, “and it has trained me to be collected and cool when placed in front of a crowd.”
Karaoke kiosk where you can record an album
Are you having a hard time shopping with your friend? Don’t know what to do while she’s picking out yet another pair of shoes? Take a page from the Chinese. More than 20,000 MiniKTV karaoke kiosks have been installed in Chinese malls for the pleasure of visitors.
You can pass the time by singing songs or even go ahead and record a whole album. Why not? The album can be immediately shared on social networks or saved to a USB flash drive. Your friend comes back with her shoes, and you had a blast. Moreover, you became an Internet star.
Karaoke for training
The benefits of singing for children have long been known. Music gives a child an idea of aesthetics and harmonies, lays the foundations of beauty and synergy in nature, and helps with cognitive processes.
Besides, singing is also used for teaching. As it turns out, kids are much better at remembering new words when set to music. For instance, the British Council’s famous English language education project uses songs to teach its youngest students. The child sings English words and gains a triple benefit: learning a new language, improving speech, and boosting memory.
It is no surprise that, following further research, the British came to the conclusion that children who sing and engage in music feel better and happier, and therefore study better. The result of this research was the National Program Sing Up, which aims to promote singing among schoolchildren.
