We all have our karaoke favourites, and celebrities are no different. We asked a bunch of celebs, from actors to football pundits, singers to chefs, about the song they’ll always get queued up, ready to belt out without shame.
Joel Dommett and Maro Itoje went for the classic bangers, while Bill Bailey and Adam Levine have gone a little more off piste. Here’s what everyone said…
1.John Cena (WWE Superstar) - 'Folsom Prison Blues' by Johnny Cash
“It would definitely be something by Johnny Cash, only because that low tone is kind of where my voice lives. I got an interest in country music around the time Walk the Line was released, and he was an artist I really gravitated towards.”
2.Joel Dommett (comedian) - 'Livin' on a Prayer' by Bon Jovi
“I always go into it thinking I can sing the high bit, but then realise I can’t. So there’s a moment in the middle where I suddenly have to drop an octave. But karaoke isn’t about doing something well – it’s about giving it your all.”
3.Christian Slater (actor) - 'That's Life' by Frank Sinatra
“I like a bit of karaoke. I have this little Frank Sinatra tune that I always sing that I enjoy: ‘That’s Life’. I can really belt that one out. And it always really seems to get the crowd going. So I’m into that.”
4.Maro Itoje (rugby player) - 'End of the Road' by Boyz II Men
“It would probably be either Boyz II Men or ‘Oh Happy Day’ by the Edwin Hawkins Singers. I just love Boyz II Men. They’re my favourite boyband of all time. I don’t think I’d be able to do it justice, unfortunately.”
5.Bill Bailey (comedian) - 'I Wanna be Sedated' by Ramones
“I used to be in a punk tribute band, and this was one of the songs we played. ‘Take me to the airport, put me on a plane, hurry hurry hurry, before I go insane’ is such a great lyric. It sums up the experience of touring perfectly.”
6.Chris Kamara (football pundit) - 'Brown Eyed Girl' by Van Morrison
“It’s a song that I love – I’ve got a part share in a bar in Tenerife, and when I’m over there I always get up and sing it. It’s an Irish bar and Van Morrison’s got a bit of Irish in him, so it has to be done. The punters seem to like it.”
7.George Ezra (singer) - 'Hey Baby' by DJ Otzi
“I’ve never done karaoke. As a singer, you can’t. Either people will say you’re taking it too seriously, or say you’re not as good as they’d hoped. If I could, though, I would want something the crowd would join in with. And never go niche. Don’t go for a Dylan B-side.”
8.Tom Kerridge (chef) - 'Supersonic' by Oasis
“Oasis were a big part of my life growing up. I actually won Celebrity Mastermind by having them as my specialist subject. So I’d do an Oasis track, probably ‘Supersonic’. Although I’d never be able to do it as well as Liam.”
9.Adam Levine (singer) - 'Let's Stay Together' by Al Green
“You don’t want to sing a big, serious pop ballad – you don’t want to be an asshole. But sing a little Al Green, get a cocktail in your hand, do it nice and smooth, chill a bit? That’s the way I think you should do it. Either that or totally embarrass yourself.”
10.Jon Bernthal (actor) - 'Long Haired Country Boy' by David Allan Coe
“The last time I did karaoke I was down in Georgia, visiting my friends on The Walking Dead, and I sang this. It’s good, it’s a nice low register, and I think that old-school country music is the original gangster rap.”
11.Justin Hawkins (singer) - 'Take on Me' by A-Ha
“It’s rangy, emotional, climactic. When I do it, I slick my hair up into a Harket barnet and commandeer a leather biker jacket to really channel the rebel persona that you need for the song. I see the title as a challenge. ‘Yes. I will take on you. And I will succeed.’”
12.Kristian Nairn (Hodor) - 'I Believe in a Thing Called Love' by The Darkness
“If I was in a bar and I was going to jump on the mic, I’d have to have something to prove. You can’t go for anything subtle, so I’d pick ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’. Complete with the high notes, and plenty of air guitar.”
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