Robert Godfrey wants to do his part to keep people entertained during the days of COVID-19.
Godfrey was a regular on the stage for karaoke night at Gibby鈥檚 Pub on Thursday nights for a couple of months, but thanks to the pandemic, he can鈥檛 showcase his singing and dancing skills for the public.
So he came up with the idea for Kuarantine Karaoke.
鈥淚 was talking to a couple of my friends on the phone, and I said 鈥業f there鈥檚 one thing that鈥檚 really getting to me in all of this isolation, it鈥檚 that I can鈥檛 get out and do karaoke,鈥欌�� he told the Mercury.聽
It was a brief discussion, but after the conversation was over, he wanted to try something new. So he assembled a studio in his basement, and played five of his go-to karaoke songs in what he thought would be a one-off performance.聽
鈥淲hether people like it or hate it, I鈥檒l know that I had fun doing it.鈥�
He posted it around midnight and woke up the next morning to see a fabulous response to the video that he shared. People who weren鈥檛 his friends or that he barely knows were liking and sharing the video. More than 800 people have viewed that first show.
鈥淚 saw all of the people who say it gave something to enjoy in these unique times. That was when I started thinking 鈥業s this something that I could do again?鈥欌��
People started asking him to perform it again, and he started receiving requests. So Godfrey set up the studio again for the encore to Kwarantine Karaoke.
There was a request show in which people reached out to him to play their favourite songs. And there was a Thursday night karaoke special, in which he played some of the slower songs he might hear at Gibby鈥檚.
He has a variety of songs to play as well. In the case of the May 2 performance, Godfrey played Gnarls Barkley鈥檚 I Make you Crazy, Shania Twain鈥檚 Whose Bed have your Boots been Under, the Red Hot Chili Peppers鈥� Dani California, Lizzo鈥檚 I鈥檓 Cryin鈥� Because I Love You, and David Lee Murphy鈥檚 There might be a Little Dust on the Bottle.
Godfrey noted that he鈥檚 looking for requests as well, because he鈥檚 running out of songs to sing.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 just been a lot of fun to do, and it鈥檚 made me feel connected to everyone that鈥檚 watching the show or that鈥檚 commenting or messaging me, and it鈥檚 something that I myself look forward to doing every week, and I just have a lot of fun with it.鈥�
The first show he did was a favourite because those are his songs that he likes to perform every week. The Thursday night special performance was a close runner-up.
He never imagined that he would have this kind of reaction.
鈥淚 thought I鈥檇 probably get 20 or 40 people that it would reach, and I expected a couple of people would comment on it, and that would be it. I did not nearly expect the amount of people that watched it or that shared it or commented on it.
鈥淭hat was the best part, I think, is people have been so amazing in the comments, and I鈥檝e had a tonne of friend requests from it, which is even better.鈥�
If they enjoy the music and the show he puts on, or whether they get a laugh from something he stages from his basement, then it has exceeded his expectation.
He plans to continue at least until the restrictions from COVID-19 are lifted and he can resume his karaoke performances in front of a live audience. But even when that happens, Godfrey isn鈥檛 sure he鈥檒l be ready to give it up.
He鈥檚 grateful for those who have watched and enjoyed the videos, and he鈥檚 always looking for more requests.
