From the Bar Scene to the T.V. Screen

The audience squirms in their seats waiting to hear the results.  The tall blonde singer from Minnesota stands nervously on stage clinging to hear microphone, hoping the results are in her favor.  Her name is Cassandra Mae Jopp and she is a karaoke singer.  Perhaps, she is the epitome of karaoke singers because that exciting night, she was crowned Karaoke Queen on the hit T.V. show that aired last fall called Karaoke Battle U.S.A.

Many of you may have heard about this T.V. show because it was extremely popular.  At first I was a little skeptical.  What is a karaoke show doing competing with shows like American Idol, The Sing-off and The X-Factor?  Then I thought, they are all karaoke shows as well.  If you think about it, all the singing shows that are on T.V. right now are just "glamourized" karaoke shows.  These singers aren't singing original songs, (with the exception of the X-Factor) instead, they are singing cover songs.  The only differences are: they have no screen in front of them, they aren't in a bar, there are judges and they are soon-to-be famous!

The funny thing about seeing Karaoke Battle U.S.A on T.V. was that I was bummed that I didn't try out for it.  My mom kept pushing me and pushing me to try and deep inside I just didn't have the will to.  What really made me cringe was when I watched an episode and saw HER.  Her face was familiar; I had seen her before.  Who was she? I scrambled to my WeFest Karaoke Contest booklet and flipped to the pages of the winners of the year before me and, sure enough, there she was front and center.  Jopp had one the year before me.  Oh, and the year before that?  She won 4th!  I had won 4th place two years in a row now.  So, what does this tell me?  Well for starters, it tells hat the singer who won the Karaoke Battle U.S.A on ABC won the same dang place that I won in the same dang contest.  It was all clear to me now; this was something that I could attain very easily.  My dreams are not out of reach.  Holy Sh*t.

I have only been singing for a few years, yet I have immersed myself in every competition that I come across. I wanted to dig deeper into Jopp's history to see what else we had in common, so I read some interviews with her from some local newspapers.  One interview was in the Brainerd dispatch named "Retracing the journey".  In this interview, Jopp explains: "

“My first competition was when I was 11 at the Crow Wing County Fair in Brainerd. I was really green then and I was so scared that they had to start over. I got through the song and everyone was clapping, but I went crying off the stage. I remember seeing all the other performers and how excited they were and how they had the whole stage presence down. So I started watching famous singers and developed my own style and worked on it. I wanted to keep my passion going and I wanted to show people who I am.”

The last few lines of this really touched me.  I remember being so nervous the first year of the WeFest contest because I had never performed in front of that big of a crowd.  The other singers really seemed to have come into their own in terms of confidence and I was just the new-comer.  I didn't sing a country song and I had a very unique voice, so I didn't know what to expect.  Even thought I got 4th the first year I took something away from the experience.  I watched other singers over that next year and tried to build my own sense of style.  As the next year came along I was so confident and comfortable in my own skin that I made a generic song completely come to life.  One of the judges told me they have heard the song I sang so many times, but I sang it differently; I told a story.  That was the biggest compliment I have ever recieved.

By watching Karaoke Battle U.S.A and listening to Cassandra talk about her journey, it makes it easier to continue on my journey.  I have been thinking everyday about my next karaoke move and it looks like even the smallest steps can add up to big prizes.  I couldn't even imagine making it to the finals on a popular television show.  I always thought they were rigged!  But now that I have seen a familiar face who went through some of the same competitions and struggles that I went through, it makes it look a lot easier. 

Thank you to the people and contests who make our "small karaoke dreams" possible.

Karaoke, where can I go from here?

Karaoke, you've been good to me, but where can I go frome here? 

I sit and I contemplate all that I have accomplished from karaoke; I guess you could say I am on a "karaoke hiatus" where I am lazily trying to figure out my next move.  I use the word lazily because I am so busy with school and work, so I am just taking it a day at a time.  Oh, the bittersweet memories I have of all the competitions though. Is it appropriate for me to put a sad face emoticon? =(  Maybe with a tear coming down?  =-(  That's better.

There have been a few competitions that have put me on the map in terms of karaoke success, such as the contest at The Reef where I won tickets to Vegas, or the contest at Mr. D's where I was able to open for Hairball in front of thousands of people.  Although these were great achievments and stepping stones, there is still one competition that I haven't been able to conquer; The WeFest Karaoke Contest.  In this contest I placed 4th two years in a row.  Just a remember now, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners were awarded a huge prize package including: singing on stage in front of fifty some thousand people for a huge country artist, 2,500 dollars, studio time and VIP package.  Bummer, right?  I was devastated.  I sang Midnight Train to Georgia by Gladys Knight one year and When the Lights go down by Faith Hill the next (i'm trying to get this uploaded).  This is a six state, six month long competition, so needless to say, I was devastated when I lost and I don't know if I have the drive or energy to do it again.

What are the options for me if I dont compete in this competition again?  Did I give up too soon?  Does this make me a quitter?  There are many things for me to consider now.  One of these things to consider is giving up on karaoke alltogether and branching off to start writing my own music.  Over the years I have heard comments like, "you aren't a real singer if you sing karaoke".  This is not true, I am an artist that takes what other people have sang and make it my own (as you can see by watching the videos).  An article that really stood out to me when I started researching into what I wanted to do with my singing career was In Defense of Cover Songs by Don Cusic.  What I understood from Cusic's article is that if I start writing, thats great, but if I stay and do karaoke, that's ok too because he explains:

"The singer/songwriter should be the exception and not the rule.  Songwriting should be an honored profession all of its own.  And cover recordings should be a way for singers and musicians to express their creativity that is as honest and authentic as music can be". 

I love hearing other people's P.O.V's because they strengthen my belief that karaoke is a way to step into the limelight, even if it is baby steps.  I am just trying to take this previously mentioned hiatus and really contemplate, relax and listen to that inner voice inside me that tells me what the best choice for me is.  I am leaning on the decision to write my own music and I feel like to write music, you have to be in a contemplative state, just like Cusic also points out when he says that "songwriting is an art that requires quiet reflection away from the public eye".  My "public eye" means karaoke contests.  I shouldn't waste all my energy trying to learn other peoples songs when I should be learning my own.  It only makes sense to strive for more, since I feel karaoke dissapointments stomping the passion of music out of me. 

I may need a lot more time to think.  Writing about this only makes me think more. 
Until next time,
Maryoke

My Karaoke Community

"I always suspected there were other karaoke fiends out there..." - Brian Raferty




It is the night of my contest.  All alone, I walk nervously into the dimly-lit dive bar on the West side of town.  I instantly recognize the faces of my competition.  My tight skirt and high heels are perfect for my song choice, "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Glady's Knight.  As I step closer to the table where all the singers are sitting, I notice what they are wearing; jewelry, glitter, sequins.  I think, how tacky and delightful!   Questions race through my mind such as:  What song are they singing?  Are they going to sing the same song as I am?  What happens if I forget the words?  Suddenly, a familiar voice calls my name, breaking my train of thought.  It is my karaoke rival, Kendra.  This familiarity helps me feel at ease.  As the contest continues throughout the night, the group of singer's cheer each other on.  We exchange high fives, critique each others songs and give advice. I feel like i'm part of the group, even though I am actually all alone.  This, I thought, is what it's all about. 

Karaoke has enabled me to show off my creativity, talent and confidence while blossoming into a better person, singer and songwriter, but all this wouldn't have been possible without this audience that I  mentioned in the story above.  I call this audience the "Karaoke Community".  Sometimes for me though, it is hard to find people to cheer me along at the contests, which is why I show up alone so many times.  In Brian Raftery's book:  How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life, he touches on the same feeling I get when I invite people to watch me, he says, "I'd often invited coworkers or casual acquaintances to come along with us, and they usually looked at me as though I'd just asked them to help officiate a cockfight".  This is so true!  It's almost as if the mere mention of "karaoke" makes people run for the hills, but compare it to a cockfight?  I'm sure people would rather do that!  Has karaoke gotten that bad of a rap that people are embarrassed to come watch?  Or are they scared to join because they know it will lure them in fill their greatest guilty-pleasure's?

The karaoke community is made up of more than just the karaoke singer's themselves; it also includes family, friends and fan's alike.  I consider anyone who follows karaoke or just enjoys going out regularly to a karaoke bar to be part of the community.  If i've seen you more than once (you know who you are), then you are also part of the community.  It's like we all remember the songs, faces, and outfits of our rivals.  Sometimes I even tailor my performance depending on who I think is going to show up.  For example, if my karaoke counterparts are singing a slow country song, I will definitely choose a fast-paced rock song to "wow" the judges.  Also, if I know I've placed higher than some of the singers that will probably be there, I will keep the same song i've beaten them with before.  This karaoke community allows you to push harder and strategize.

"Karaoke requires the willingness to be enterained by strangers", says Raferty.  This is also true for me, but these so-called strangers are turning out to be my friends just as I am starting to become part of the community.  I look forward to watching certain people on stage.  Some of these singers are my biggest competition and some of them are ear-screaching fools, but either way, they are there for the joy that karaoke brings.  There is nothing like stepping up on stage to sing your favorite songs in front of people that love doing the same thing you and support you all the way.  Now, if only I could get my friends to start singing instead of watching...

Until next time,
Maryoke

When opportunity knocks

"I was seldom able to see an opportunity until it had ceased to be one." - Mark Twain

The first time I stepped up on stage to sing karaoke turned out to be more than an eye opening experience, it was, in a sense, a door opening experience.  I found myself stuck in a small town, unable to escape the rumors and nonsense "chitter-chatter", so instead of hearing about it I decided I was going to be "it". 

I worked at a small bar and grill on the other side of town where they coincidentally ran karaoke every week.  It became clear to me that there were the "stars" of the bar that were everyone's favorites so I became hesitant to start singing because I didn't want to step on anyone's toes, especially those of my co-workers who sang.  Things could get ugly quick!  Well, I sang anyway, and to my surprise, my co-worker immediately complimented my voice and told me about a contest that would be starting in the next couple months.  This was the first time I had heard about the WeFest Karaoke Contest and, little did I know, it was going change my life from that moment on.

I thought long and hard about what my co-worker had told me about the contest. This was a major opportunity.  Althought it was a small step, I could see that it could have major results in my life as a singer. I mean, you have to start small right?  That is what karaoke is about anyway, starting small.  This contest was a small step with HUGE prizes.  For winning 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place, these prizes included: opening on stage for a major country act, $1,500 cash, VIP camping package and studio time.  It was a no-brainer.  What if I got noticed?  What if I was able to get studio time and have them record me?  The suspense and anticipation was killing me.  I searched long and hard for the songs I was going to sing and signed up for the contest that night.

For me, there has always been a calling to do something different than the norm.  My friends and family used to make fun of karaoke singers, but I have always stayed true to what I felt was necessary for me to thrive.  One of favorite motivators -- and someone who has helped me change into a better person throughout this journey-- Dr. Phil, says it perfect when he writes in his latest book Self Matters, "The need for self-expression can be an enormous drive from within, prompting choice that often puzzle friends and family."  Well, singing is my expression.  This choice puzzled friends and family for a long time until I started winning contests and prizes.  As you can imagine, their thoughts about karaoke changed. 

I would love to hear other people's stories about karaoke.  What have the opportunities looked like for them?  Where have karaoke contests taken them?  What doors have opened because of these contests?  Hearing other stories helps put my own singing into perspective.  I now know that the more I network, the more my name gets out there.  I have a YouTube account, band-offers and singing gigs all because of the choice I made that night to listen to my co-worker and sign up for the WeFest karaoke contest.  Yes, it's that simple. 

-Maryoke