More than a song: Karaoke is a national pastime in the Philippines

Microphone in hand, a petite Filipino woman steps up to a karaoke machine positioned in the middle of an appliance store located in Pasay City of the Philippines. Behind the woman, who is dressed simply in jean-shorts, a t-shirt and a red backpack, are shelves of bottles and people waiting in checkout lines. As store employees stock shelves, the woman proceeds to belt out the lyrics to “And I am Telling You I’m Not Going” by Jennifer Hudson from the movie “Dreamgirl” in a powerful voice with perfect pitch. Some shoppers continue perusing the store with shopping carts in hand while other store-goers cheer in the background.

This is the scene shown in a YouTube video titled “Random Girl SM Megamall.” The girl and her performance, however, aren’t so random after all, especially in a country obsessed with karaoke.

“If there’s one thing Filipino people are more good at, it is karaoke.” said David Oanzon, a resident of Naga City of the Philippines. “Karaoke is never missed at a single occasion or party, whether it is a children’s party or a birthday party or even a festival party. Karaoke is everywhere.”

Karaoke machines for sale are often strategically placed in the middle of malls, and it is normal for shoppers to decide to try the machines out for free and sing a favorite song to a crowd of shoppers. For those looking for a little extra entertainment on a shopping trip, many malls also have karaoke machines in arcades where customers can buy a few songs with tokens.

Karaoke machines are also popular in beach-side kabanas and in sari-sari stores, convenience stores present in most Filipino neighborhoods, where laborers and friends can sing and order drinks.

There is also a wide spectrum karaoke bars in the Philippines, from family-oriented “family KTV’s,” where food is served to Filipinos in private rooms where groups can sing, to regular karaoke bars where customers can grab an alcoholic drink before performing on the main stage with a karaoke machine or a live band. More risqué forms of karaoke exist in “nightclubs,” where patrons may sing karaoke and watch strippers perform exotic dances.

While karaoke appeals to those looking for both docile and racy entertainment, it is also an economically versatile activity in a country where one-fifth of the population still lives in extreme poverty. While wealthier Filipinos can buy expensive karaoke machines for their homes and visit upscale karaoke bars, the poor can purchase a couple of songs for a few pesos.

Karaoke’s accessibility to a wide and diverse socioeconomic group in the Philippines may be one of the secrets to its popularity. Although it is seemingly hyper-present in many aspects of public life, most Filipino people also have a karaoke machine in their homes, where it serves as a primary form of home-entertainment for families.

“Karaoke is just one of the tools that binds us Filipinos together,” said Oanzon. “So if a family has a karaoke in their homes, that means they share happiness on it. They are a happy family; they sing together and stay together.”

Karaoke is also easily integrated into other more traditional aspects of Filipino culture. Singing favorite songs with friends while consuming beer and food is a natural pastime for the family-oriented and predominantly Catholic Filipino citizens during national holidays like fiestas, which honor the patron saints.

“Filipinos are naturally fond of merrymaking and also are fond of celebrations,” said Miverva Jael, a resident of Camiguin, Philippines.

With national passions and feelings of personal pride tied to the noisy pastime, performing karaoke can spur tempers to fly.

“Karaoke is nice, but, most of the time, when it’s already night time, it is more of a disturbance to the neighborhood,” says Chiza Gaabucayan of Caraga, Philippines.

Filipinos’ passion for karaoke can have even darker consequences than disgruntled neighbors. At least half a dozen people have been murdered after performing the Frank Sinatra song “My Way” since 2002. Filipinos still aren’t sure if the song has generated violence because of the lyrics can be considered aggressive or if violence is merely prevalent in karaoke bars where alcohol and machoism may fuel hostilities.

Although killing over a karaoke song may seem petty, Filipinos often have a deep, vested interest in the song. Karaoke isn’t simply an integrative part of Filipino culture; it’s a way to achieve fame and a source of hope to Filipinos who believe their talents can change their future.

“Yes, a lot of Celebrities here in the Philippines, especially those champions at singing, tell their story that Karaoke is their number one tool to stardom,” Oanzon said. “And before they became famous in singing, they are singing karaoke, showcasing their voices’ talents in the crowd; then someone will capture it on video and upload it somewhere. Then TV shows could catch their attentions and there, that’s where things start to stardom, and they become famous singers, to celebrity, to drama star, to big movie stars.”

Such wild fantasies may seem unrealistic, but the dream of being discovered through karaoke captured online has led some Filipinos to success.

In 2007, Arnel Pineda was chosen to become the new lead singer for famed rock band Journey, after videos of him performing cover songs by Journey began appearing on YouTube. Although Pineda began singing as a 15-year-old boy, his YouTube covers won him the audition that made him Steve Perry’s replacement in the band.

A similar scenario befell Zendee Rose Tenerefe, the talented woman whose karaoke singing in the mall was captured on video. Tenerefe’s performance became a YouTube sensation that gained more than two million views in three months.

Like Pineda, Tenerefe wasn’t new to the music scene. She had auditioned for “The X Factor Philippines,” a talent search show, but failed to make it past the first few rounds. When Tenerefe performed “And I am Telling You I’m Not Going,” she and her family were impoverished, sleeping in a fire station at night, according to Tenerefe. Each morning, she went to the mall to sing at the free karaoke display in hopes of catching people’s attention to be discovered and generate enough fame and wealth to buy her family a house.

As the YouTube video was shared on social media sites, Tenerefe, dubbed the “random girl,” was identified and became an international sensation.

Thanks to her exposure, she gained an appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and signed a record label with Warner Music Philippines. In 2013 she released her debut album “I Believe,” a fitting title for a woman whose country believes so strongly in the power of karaoke.