What to know
- Who can participate: Any and all students, faculty and staff members
- Meeting days: Every Thursday
- Meeting time: 7-9 p.m.
- Meeting location: Aspen A in the du Bois South Union. Relocations will be announced beforehand via the club’s email list.
About the club
Calling all Madonnas, Mariahs and Mercurys! When heavy workloads, looming responsibilities and complicated relationships have you feeling out of tune, the NAU Karaoke Club is here to lend a hand and a microphone. Established in 2020 by NAU alum Stephen Pagano, the club has evolved into a hub for singing, dancing and socializing in the du Bois South Union, with participants gathering points for each song they perform in hopes of being crowned karaoke royalty at the end of the year.”
Q&A
Cameron Eickhoff, a junior majoring in accounting, and Joey Tse, a senior majoring in marketing, have served as the Karaoke Club’s president and vice president, respectively, for the past three years. Read on to learn how these two revamped the club to strike a chord with nonmusicians, which ballads never fail to get them in the singing mood and the ins and outs of the Karaoke Club’s point system.
Tell us a bit about this club’s history. How was this club formed? What is your mission statement?
Tse: The NAU Karaoke Club was established in 2020 solely to provide a space for people to sing karaoke. We used to sit in a church-like seating arrangement with chairs in rows and just awkwardly watch people sing. There wasn’t much structure for meeting new people or doing anything besides watching the person singing or going on your phone.
Our team has revamped it, so we have many activities other than karaoke. We changed it to mimic a jazz club—that was the initial idea—and put tables everywhere and provided activities. This allowed people to play games, meet new people, do their homework and hang out in a more comfortable setting. We also revamped the point system, which, beforehand, was just getting points to see how much you sang. The only way to get points previously was through singing, but we’ve added many ways in our system.
Our rework has done wonders. We believe that our club looks a lot more welcoming, less stiff, focuses on community and is more open to everyone. We have collaborated with more than 20 clubs and have a strong team that helps build community. We’re here to give our members the space to sing their favorite songs to their hearts’ content!
How and why did you get involved with the Karaoke Club?
Tse: I joined because of my family’s love for karaoke. My father was a singer when he was young and sang karaoke with me all the time at home. It’s not only a cultural tradition but an activity that is dear to me. I struggled to find community at NAU after coming here from a COVID-19 senior year in high school, and I felt like I could find comfort in karaoke like I did at home.
The people were so welcoming, and I’ve met such great friends. The club’s president, Cameron, and I have been friends for years.
I got involved because I wanted to make the Karaoke Club the best club at NAU. I know that everyone says that, and they want their clubs to be the best, but I’ve had my own personal motivation. I knew some people my freshman year, and I constantly tried to get them to join or come to the Karaoke Club to share something I loved with others. Their response was that it looked boring and like there was nothing to do. I was shocked, of course, but in reality, I was frustrated because to an extent that was true.
I knew that if you didn’t like singing naturally, it would be hard to see the joy behind it. My sophomore year, I worked with Cameron and changed almost everything. We have been getting even better ever since!
Eickhoff: I found a new passion for karaoke my senior year of high school and wanted to continue that when I arrived at NAU as a freshman. The president was a senior in 2021 and needed a new set of officers to continue the club. When elections came up in the fall, I intended to fill in as vice president, but I found myself elected president that spring. Joey and I have run the club ever since, and I intend to serve the club as its leader until I graduate.
What kinds of things does the Karaoke Club do throughout the year, both at regular meetings and any other events?
Tse: Every single Thursday, we have a night dedicated to karaoke, board games, snacks and hanging out with friends. Every week, we change the theme so that our members can sing and dress up according to a certain theme and collaborate with other themed clubs to promote them. The Halloween meeting is my favorite.
We have held outside events, but all of those events are circulated around the one thing we’re known for: karaoke!
Tell us about the Karaoke Club’s point system! How can singers earn points, and why do you keep score?
Tse: We love our point system so much!
Every week during meetings, members will sign in with me or Cameron and give us their name and NAU email. That information is then put into a spreadsheet where we add up their points throughout the semester. Each person has the chance to earn points every week through singing, dressing up, playing instruments, participating in group songs, bringing their friends, winning games, showing us they’ve studied or finished their homework and so much more. We want to give everyone the chance to have fun and build points, so they can earn them as long as they sign in with us at least once.
At the end of the year, we add up the points to find the top five members and present them with prizes for their dedication and loyalty to the club. It is also never too late to join and get into the top five. We had one member make it into the top four within the last few months.
We keep score because it can be hard to encourage people to sing. If we are able to push someone to sing at least once and they can see how fun it is, we’ve done our job. It also helps promote other activities and student success, and it’s important for us to help new students find community, make great memories and do well in their academics.
What are the benefits of having a space to let loose and sing on campus?
Tse: There have been many studies that prove that singing, especially with others, is a healthy habit that promotes both your physical and mental health. Cameron and I have been students for years, and we understand how hard it is to be students.
Handling schoolwork, social lives and maybe jobs or missing your family, it isn’t easy. Having a place to let loose and sing on campus allows students to get away from all that and sing their hearts out. Even if it’s one song, even if it’s three minutes, you really do forget all your troubles just for a little bit. Not only that, but we try to make it so that you can tackle multiple struggles that students face. We encourage studying, making friends and singing all in one night!
Eickhoff: Having a creative outlet is crucial to living a great life, and we love being able to provide that to our members. Singing in front of people can be scary, but we foster a welcoming and warm environment built on the foundation that truly, anyone can sing. I have made great friends through this club and love to see others making lasting relationships.
What is your go-to karaoke song and why?
Tse: “Golden Hour” by JVKE! This song is one that I can belt out and feel nothing but happiness. It’s a true de-stressor. It also came out in 2022, which was my first year at the Karaoke Club, and it’s stuck with me since.
Eickhoff: I would have to say that my go-to song is “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars. While it is difficult, it pushes my vocal abilities, and when I can sing it right, there are few better feelings on this earth. It also happens to be a crowd-pleaser that silences the audience and pulls their attention to the stage.
Tell us about a favorite memory you have from your time in the Karaoke Club.
Tse: My favorite memory has to be my final karaoke meeting of my freshman year. It was our annual karaoke royalty meeting, where the top five members were awarded their prizes, and I was one of them.
The way that the former president worked hard to put it together and made me feel like I was truly a part of something special, I knew I didn’t want it to end. I think that day sparked my passion for the club, and I’ll never forget it.
Eickhoff: My favorite memory from the Karaoke Club is one that happened recently. Because we can only run for two hours per week, we get through roughly 30 songs a night. At our last January meeting this year, our list filled up in as short as 20 minutes.
I can still remember some early meetings where there weren’t more than five others in attendance and we couldn’t get to 30 songs if we tried. When I made the announcement that we filled out to a crowd of 50 people, I almost teared up. Our spring semester meetings have historically suffered in terms of attendance, with new schedules changing priorities. Oftentimes, the Karaoke Club is left by the wayside. For our second spring meeting to finish with the whole crowd singing and dancing together to “Piano Man,” I could not have fathomed this club to go to these heights.
What advice do you have for someone looking to join the Karaoke Club?
Tse: Bring your friends. Bring your singing voice. Bring your confidence.
There is absolutely no judgment within our club, but I fear that may be a misconception. We don’t believe anyone is a bad singer so long as they are confident to sing. If you can sing your favorite song in front of a crowd of people, you have my respect no matter what. So, just come in with a great attitude, be open-minded and be ready to sing by yourself or sing with literally everyone in that room.
If you are looking for a community like I did once, please talk to an officer. We are more than willing to sing with you and talk with you!
Eickhoff: If I had to give some advice to someone looking to join us, I would say come and try it out. Our members are some of the nicest and most welcoming people I have met at NAU. If you have a song in your heart, come and sing it for us and sing it for yourself. We believe that anyone can sing, and that includes you.
What are some things the Karaoke Club has coming up that you’re looking forward to and people should be excited about?
Tse: NAU Karaoke Club is planning more and more things to expand our community. We are looking to collaborate with more clubs and organizations, build relationships and bring together different people. This is super important to us, and we pride ourselves on collaborating with as many clubs as we can.
We are also planning a digital yearbook to immortalize our members. I take photos of everyone and didn’t want them to go to waste. Coupled with the fact that I am graduating this semester, I wanted to leave the Karaoke Club with one last thing from me before I leave.
Finally, we do have one big event, though it is not completely solidified and we are still planning it. The Karaoke Club is hosting an NAU’s Got Talent night, which is a talent show similar to “America’s Got Talent” that will showcase the skills of clubs, individuals, groups and more.
Other than that, we are together in Aspen A every single Thursday, and we would love more friendly faces around. Every week, we’re excited to sing, and you should be, too!
Find out more about the NAU Karaoke Club’s upcoming events by following @naukaraokeclub on Instagram.