Stepping to the front of the stage before a large crowd, the young woman introduced herself simply as “Boo.” Dressed in a colorful bomber jacket, jeans and glasses, Boo is short with a soft, ...

Before I moved to rural Japan in 2002, my sole karaoke experience had left me with no desire for an encore. A friend had dragged me to a half-empty bar and forced me to sing "I Love Rock 'n Roll" in ...

Karaoke offers a chance to live out such dreams. It started in Japan in the 1970s, and it might not have happened at all if, supposedly, a hired performer had not been a no-show one night at a bar.