Girls just wanna have fun, right? Think big hair, a fire outfit (yes girl, that means sequins!), fizz, vocal warmups and loads of laughs. And for the guys, well, no reason you can’t go all out too!
It’s time to host a karaoke party and round up your pals. Whether you’re all together or connecting virtually, this is set to be the event of the year.
Searching for some help? We’ve totally got this. This article is crammed with tips to help you harmonise with your besties. So let’s hit those high notes and pop some bubbly for a singing party night to remember.
How to host a karaoke party
- What you need
- Food and drink
- Decorations
- What to wear
- Music and more
- Themes
What you need
So, how to do karaoke at home? It’s simple when you know how. Planning will be different depending on whether you’re hosting everyone at home or you’re doing a bit of virtual karaoke. Let’s break it down to keep things super simple…
Hosting karaoke at home
When you’re having your besties over to sing your hearts out to your favourite tunes, we’d suggest getting your hands on a karaoke machine and a couple of microphones.
If you’re doing it, you want to do it right. How can you feel like Beyonce or Britney if you don’t have mics? You’ll want the quality of the machine to be good enough for the speaker to project your tones over to your hype team!
Hosting virtual karaoke
This can be super simple – just what you need to get the fun flowing from the beginning of the party.
All you need is a video call app that can support the number of guests you’re inviting – then create a meeting, send out a link and it’s party time.
When it’s each pal’s turn to have a sing song, they’ll just need to fire up the karaoke version of their chosen tune on YouTube. Then all they need to do is turn down the volume, share their screen and computer audio and belt out the tune!
There are some fab karaoke apps available if you want to give the party a professional touch, such as:
- Watch2Gether
- Smule
- Stingray
These might add extra cost to your budget, though, so if you want to save the pennies– stick with a free video call!
Food and drink
No snacks, no party, right? We feel you. Nothing kills the vibe of your night like hangry guests, so make sure everyone can get their snack on. Don’t forget to have a delicious bottle of your favourite Barefoot at hand, too.
As the fab host, it’s totally up to you whether you go all out or keep things simple. You’ll want to enjoy a stress-free night with your besties – so keep things fun.
Here are some of our fave ideas:
- Mini sliders with Barefoot Bubbly Pink Moscato – add a touch of class to your burger with a glass of fizz. Delish.
- Cone of fish goujons and fries with Sauvignon Blanc – a crisp, dry glass of Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc will complement this tasty snack perfectly.
- Spaghetti and meatball bites with Cabernet Sauvignon – use black mini forks and serve up these tempting appetisers up as ‘microphones’ #winning.
- A sweet bar with a Barefoot Cocktail – arrange delicious sweets and chocolates on a ‘bar’ and get creative.
- Microphone cupcakes with Pink Pinot Grigio – grab some microphone cake toppers to pop into your tasty cakes for a sweet treat.
You know what your pals love, so make sure you cater to everyone – keep the fun flowing and you’ll have loads of karaoke volunteers!
Tip – Hosting a virtual karaoke night? No worries! Share the menu with your gang and the Barefoot wine options to match and you can all still enjoy the night together via Zoom. Sorted.
Decorations
Sparkling up your space can create the fabulous ambience you’re looking for. We love a bit of glitter here at Barefoot – so we encourage you to go as big as you dare.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Twinkly lighting
- Disco balls
- Glittery balloons
- Musical note string decorations
- Foil fringe curtains for doorways
To get everyone in the mood to sing in front of the group, why not add to the decorations with a box full of party props? Nothing gets people in the mood like seeing everyone else enjoying a bit of silliness.
Why not fill a box with these props:
- Feather boas
- Wigs
- Comedy glasses
- Inflatable musical instruments and mics
Tip – Go all out and decorate even if this is a virtual karaoke party and encourage your mates to do as well. You’ll definitely set the mood with a sparkly background!
Music and more
The music and song choices are probably the most important part of any karaoke party – so let’s get into it.
To build excitement for the night, why not send out a link for both song requests and singing choices? You could then put together a ‘set list’ – kind of like a mini festival – showing who’s going to be singing what.
Asking for song requests also ensures everyone will have a song on the playlist they love to get crooning to.
If you feel there might be a bit of awkwardness between songs that won’t simply be filled with your food choices – think up some games.
No one loves forced fun, but games can definitely help to loosen people up. It helps you, as the fabulous hostess, to have something to turn to if things are feeling stilted.
Keep it simple with something like guess the song intro, which is also a great option for virtual parties!
Themes
This is one to have loads of fun with. The theme of your singing party will probably depend on the interests of you and your huns, but here are some ideas to get you started:
- Girl bands or divas – all the sass!
- Boy bands - super cheesy!
- Musicals – whether you’re a Wicked fan or want to belt out the Hamilton soundtrack, musicals go down well.
- Choose a decade – 70s can be fun for dressing up (Tie dye, flares and big hair? YAS!)
- Movie soundtracks – sing along to those childhood favourites with this theme.
- One-hit wonders – so many brilliant bands have and come and gone and left behind belters that you can sing at your karaoke party.
This is a list to spark some ideas. Whatever you choose, make it personal to you and your guests.
What to wear and themes
Now for the fun part – getting dressed up. Yas queen! This might depend on the theme you go for. What you wear will be totally different if you choose 70s divas or 2000s RnB.
However, if you decide not to go for a theme, you’ll want to glam it up. You might even want to match your outfit with your song choices – channel your inner star for one night only? Gather your squad and dress as Little Mix or how about Kanye?
Whatever you choose, go all out and embrace the theme – hair, make-up, accessories, the works. This applies to an IRL karaoke gathering and a virtual singing party. Whether you’re giving your pals a big squeeze or toasting to your laptop, you’ll want your outfit to be on point.
Feeling inspired to plan and host a karaoke party? We hope these tips and tricks have got you bubbling with ideas. Plan a night you and your band will remember for all the right reasons and toast to friendship with your favourite glass of Barefoot. Don’t forget to tag us in your shout outs - @BarefootwineUK