Challenge yourself with difficult songs at karaoke! Tracks that will earn you praise if you can sing them well
Even when you think, “I want to try this song at karaoke!”, once you actually give it a shot you sometimes run into unexpected hurdles—like a range that’s too wide or rhythms that are too complex.
What technical elements make certain songs difficult to sing? In this article, we’re featuring high-difficulty tracks that are especially rewarding to tackle at karaoke.
We also touch on which parts are challenging and what kind of vocal approach is required, so if you want to expand your expressive range as a singer, be sure to check it out!
Challenge yourself with tough songs at karaoke! Tracks that will earn you praise if you can pull them off (1–10)
Make sure you study up, okay?zutto mayonaka de ii no ni.
An addictive track that portrays a heart that just can’t be honest.
Since ACA-ne, the vocalist of Zutomayo, wrote and composed it herself, it’s a triple threat of high notes, rapid-fire delivery, and raw emotion—making it top-tier in karaoke difficulty! Also, rather than belting out piercing high notes, she sings with a falsetto-based tone that carries a sense of poignancy, so if you try to imitate it, you’ll probably end up seriously short of breath.
You’ll need to time your breaths well as you sing.
Actually, here’s a secret: that whispery voice people use when speaking quietly—that’s falsetto and it uses a ton of air! If you keep talking like that the whole time, you’ll get pretty tired… That said, because it’s a breath-heavy vocal technique, try it just a little when you remember.
You’ll likely find that singing normally becomes much easier!
FAKE LANDFAKE TYPE.
A super distinctive rap that depicts a theme park where madness and pleasure swirl! If you can pull it off at karaoke, you’ll feel like the true ruler of entertainment.
It’s a 2021 release.
“FAKE LAND” is a song one of my students used to sing, and I was impressed, thinking, “Wow, their diction is so quick!” It really prioritizes rhythm and accent! It’s not pure rap—there are song-like parts too—so even if you’re not confident with rap, I think you can enjoy singing it all the way through.
Of course, I memorized it while teaching lessons as well, so listening repeatedly and singing along is key! If the fast lyrics make it hard to catch the words, I recommend slowing the playback speed on YouTube.
Fighting My WayHatsuboshi Gakuen, Giga, Hanami Saki
This is a character song from the game “Gakuen Idolmaster,” known as Gakumasu, and it’s the solo track by Saki Hanami, whom my student called the final boss! I’ve actually tried singing this at karaoke, but it’s definitely not a song you can sing just by listening to it casually! The tempo is fast and the melody keeps coming at you, so unless you really listen closely and get to the point where you can hum along, it’s pretty tough to actually sing.
In fact, Gakumasu has a lot of songs made by Vocaloid producers, so most of them are apparently quite difficult.
It’s a fun song to just listen to, but if you can sing it, it’s super cool and feels great! When memorizing the song, I recommend humming it.
Don’t force it from your throat—try humming lightly so that you feel the resonance between your eyebrows!
CHEERSMrs. GREEN APPLE
A cheer song that turns nerves into energy! It features a bouncy rhythm right from the start and Omori’s signature soaring high notes.
Singing Mrs.
at karaoke will definitely wow everyone around you! Since it’s a bright, upbeat tune, nailing it at karaoke will put you in full-on positive mode.
The overall vocal range is a whopping D3–G5—seriously wide.
With a fast tempo and flowing melody lines, it’s highly recommended for those comfortable switching between chest voice and falsetto.
If you overthink where to flip into falsetto, you might trip up your vocal production, so just lock into the rhythm, go with the flow, and have fun singing!
NINE LIVESchōtokkyū
They’re releasing a TikTok-linked project called “Episode of NINE LIVES,” a series of short dramas starring each of the nine members.
The limited first-press Blu-ray reportedly includes a director’s cut and behind-the-scenes footage.
It’s a groovy dance tune themed around a nine-member group × “cats have nine lives”! If you can pull it off at karaoke, it’s a guaranteed attention-grabber! You can sing it solo, or split the parts and sing it as a duo—how you approach it makes it even more fun! Within a single track you’ll find ultra-high notes and rap sections; keeping pitch, managing breath control, and handling the relatively fast tempo will test your sense of rhythm.
If you firmly memorize the melody line and focus less on “pushing your voice out” and more on “resonance,” you’ll find it feels great to sing!
GIFTMr.Children
A grand, cheering ballad that sings of values beyond winning and losing.
If you can nail it at karaoke, it’s a song that can deliver a gold medal–worthy performance that lingers in the heart! While it’s not extremely high in the upper register, Mr.Children’s hallmark is the intense rise and fall of the melodic line, which makes many people feel, once they try singing it, “I can’t hit the pitches at all! This is hard!” The overall vocal range of GIFT is A2 to B4, leaning wider on the low end.
You’ll need steady breath support throughout.
In the chorus, explosive power becomes crucial, so as the notes climb higher, sing with increasing drive and energy!
will-illTK from RIN TO SHITE SIGURE
An emotional rock ballad where despair and beauty intertwine.
It’s the ending theme for the Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion 15th anniversary rebroadcast project.
If you can pull it off at karaoke, it’s a song that lets your expressive power shine as if you’ve lived in the world of Code Geass! I’ve written a lot about TK’s appeal in my karaoke articles, but I even find his death growls beautiful.
In particular, “will-ill” is tough to learn to begin with, and I’m really struggling with it myself.
There are multiple sections with death growls, and compared to other songs, the tone of the growls is different, making it quite difficult to sing well.
In any case, focus on your vocal cords and try not to use your throat as much when you sing!