Gospeloke: The Karaoke Craze Sweeping London
by 2023-05-03Tell your mates you’re off for karaoke, and it instantly evokes memories of dimly lit booths, sticky pleather seating, and a 3am rendition of ‘Wonderwall’. However, things are a’changing, with London now a hub for karaoke nights, but with a twist.
The capital is home to a variety of karaoke experiences – from Hip Hop to 90s specific events, via renditions in front of a whole pub at Shoreditch’s Sebright Arms on a Friday night, however one in particular is causing a ruckus – Gospeloke.
What is Gospeloke?
Gospeloke is like no karaoke experience you’ve ever had before. Picture this: you’re belting out your favourite tune with a live gospel choir backing you up. Yep, you read that right – a live gospel choir. It’s like karaoke on steroids, with a shot of pure joy thrown in for good measure. Created by the brilliant Tessa Harrison and co-founders Jerome Bernard from Agency Unknown in 2016, Gospeloke has quickly become the go-to karaoke experience for anyone looking for a seriously good time.
The Rise of Karaoke in London
But Gospeloke isn’t the only thing putting karaoke on the map in London. In fact, the whole city is catching karaoke fever. According to a survey by Lucky Voice Karaoke, Londoners spent over £1 billion on karaoke in 2017 alone. And it’s not just for girls’ nights out and stag dos – more and more companies are turning to karaoke as a way to bond their teams and boost morale. Hey, who needs corporate away days when you can bond over a rousing rendition of “Livin’ on a Prayer”?
The Origins of Gospeloke
Speaking about establishing Gospeloke, Jerome Bernard explained: “It was quite organic really. We’ve always had a love for soul music, gospel and pretty much anything with harmonies and arrangements.”
“We then met Toni and her choir when they came along to our club night Musical Bingo and were heard singing along to all the songs being played, they sounded amazing and before long the rest of the room was joining in.”
“It truly was magic, we knew right there and then that we had something special. We then decided that we needed to recreate what happened that evening but with even more emphasis of making you, the public, the star and thus Gospeloke was born.”
Talking about what people can expect from a night at Gospeloke, Jerome dubbed the event as “joyous, celebratory and soulful.”
“It’s 24 carat, unadulterated gold,” he added.
“It’s karaoke elevated to a whole new music. If you’re a fan of the classics and pop alike then this is undoubtedly for you. Leave your inhibitions at the door though as whether you like it or not the spirit will take over and you’ll find yourself signing up to sing.”
With so many karaoke experiences in London, Jerome explained that there’s room for growth.
“Personally I’m excited by the prospect of VR and to see how this might elevate karaoke. Could we be singing fly me to the moon whilst flying to the moon? Who really knows where it could go, but I’m certainly here for it.”
Conclusion
With the rise of karaoke all over the city, it’s clear that singing your heart out is more than just a passing trend – it’s now a weekly occurrence. Grab your mate, or a date, and get ready to belt out a tune as the 15-strong choir turn your dulcet tones into something positively heavenly.
Interested in taking part in one of our upcoming Gospeloke event?
Visit our What’s On page to see when our next Gospeloke event is taking place! Then, head over to our reservations page to book a table!
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