Karaoke Forums

I was booked to host a semi-formal sweet 16 party for a friend of a friends daughter.
Of course they want Karaoke towards the end of the party but before that the party is to be a formal sweet 16 with candle lighting ceremony and introductions and parent dances etc. ( like a wedding) Then the dancing and KARAOKE.

Since I consider myself a KJ 1st and a DJ second I'm looking for some advice from some of the more experianced DJ's on the flow of this type of party etc etc. I'll take advice from ANYONE really ---maybe your daughter just had a 16th or you just attended one etc. APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE

I do a lot of kids parties -- both DJ and Karaoke.

DJing is a completely different animal. There needs to be a flow to the evening...no dead air...It's not a series of songs, like Karaoke...it's a blend of songs flowing into each other.

The evening starts with dinner music. For a sweet 16, you'll want to play a mix -- newer songs that the kids like, that are not dance tunes, with a little Motown, etc. mixed in. Keep that going until after dinner and dessert (won't take long, since the kids eat quickly).

Then start dance music. Make sure you have the latest and greatest, but clean versions of everything. One inappropriate song will screw your whole night. Mix in some stuff for the adults. Generally, for a party like this, when you start Karaoke, it's good to do small "sets" of Karaoke. Three Karaoke songs and then a set of a couple of DJ tunes. If you go totally Karaoke, you'll sap the energy completely out of your party. Make sure you have the Cupid Shuffle, Cha Cha Slide and Cotton Eyed Joe for line dancing, and save those to put in between your Karaoke sets.

If you need other ideas for music, I'll give you some suggestions, but I didn't want to put an entire set list together if you know what you're going to play.

Also, be careful with lyrics for Karaoke. Even if you have the clean version of DJ songs, the swear words and sexual references are in the Karaoke versions. The kids will usually ask for at least 3 or 4 songs you absolutely won't be able to play.

Have fun!

birdofsong

What are your concerns?

We do a large number of sweet 16's every year.

at 99% of my teen parties I do not play any music for parents, there generally are not any parents in attendace except chaparones or security.

Birdofsong thanks for the input!!== Yeah the CLEAN VERSIONS of songs is what has me worried

Lyquiddye - musically I'm not too concerned as the guest of honor already submitted a playlist and since I play "filler" music at my karaoke shows I've been keeping up with most of the latest hits. I was just curious of the "flow" of todays SWEET 16 PARTY. ****I plan to sit down with the guest of honor and her parents** to go over what THEY WANT. I was hoping to get an idea of what to expect concerning .

Candle Lighting Ceremony: She have me a list of songs to go along with each candle. Do you play the songs in the background while she is reading her individual speeches or during the actual "lighting of the candle"? NOW do I play the songs from the start or need to CUE each song to the chorus ??
just curious .....

Are there SPEECHES at sweet 16 parties? (from parents etc ?)

In this instance the Karaoke will be the easy part -- Birdofsong hit the nail on the head --just enough karaoke to have fun ..then back to some dance music etc. and switch back an forth. !!!--ANY IDEAS OR EXPERIANCES ARE WELCOME

I remember my 16th birthday party, it was a small gathering at my house & my mom served me champagne & strawberries... it was my 1st taste of the good life ! Back then we had no KJ's or DJ's for hire that I knew of... sounds like a cool event Jam, hope you get things worked out

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MUSIC+DANCE=LIFE

My Great Niece just had her Sweet 16 last month. Since I have never been able to attend her Birthday parties or Chanukah (due to my work schedule). it was actually the first event of hers that I was able to attend.

Since I don't really dance (it takes a lot of alcohol to get me in the mood, and there was no alcohol served at this party), I wasn't paying much attention to the music that the DJ was playing. I can tell you this... it was mostly current stuff. The kids were constantly on that dance floor. As far as I can recall, (contrary to BirdofSong's suggestions) the DJ did not play any Line Dance type of music, and he didn't play anything for the Adults in attendance. It was all about the kids. Actually, the only Adults in attendance were the Parents, the Grandparents, her Cousins, Aunts, and Uncles (11 Adults in total). The DJ did keep a constant flow of music going. There were some breaks in the music during the meal time, but that was about all.

As for the Candle Lighting Ceremony, there was absolute silence while the Guest of Honor made her speeches for each candle that she had lit. The DJ helped by announcing the person's name to come up and light the next candle, and also to have the people applaud after each person came up to the Center Stage.

Sounds like they want a "bar mitzvah-style" candlelighting. This is what you do.

The birthday girl will say some short poem or item about the person or people she is calling up to help her light that particular candle. Then you immediately cue the relevant clip from the corresponding song as they come up and help light the candle, then fade the music down as they sit back down. Then the birthday girl will continue with the next. Here's an example...

Birthday girl:..."All my friends are so special to me, so come up and help me light candle number 3" (cue "Thank You For Being a Friend") as they come up and gather, help her light the candle, stand for a picture and leave. Fade music.

Birthday girl: "My sister is the one I adore, so come up and help me light candle number 4" etc.....

And Cueball -- YES -- they will expect line dancing. Absolutely.

birdofsong

The party this weekend was a success. Small party about 60-70 people and half of that were 16 year olds. The instructions were KARAOKE only if requested but not to advertise it. SO needless to say the "kids" danced non stop except to EAT and the CANDLE CEREMONY. No karaoke was sung ..but thanks to those who responded with some DJ advice all taken and worked out well .