People have been gathering every month over the past year to sing in a group called "Crowdsource Choir." Many of them aren't experienced singers or musicians, but that's actually kind of the point.
Joel DeJong is the mastermind behind the group. He created it after realizing he needed his own musical outlet.
"I love singing. And I love singing with people," DeJong said. "And when you get to be an adult, it becomes a challenge to find opportunities to do that together."
He says he knew he wasn't the only one with that feeling. So he decided to find a space in Seattle's Hillman City neighborhood and start a group. The rules are easy: No one has to try out. You don't have to pay anything. You just show up and sing, regardless of skill.
"Last week, a woman grabbed me on a water break and she said 'I just want you to know, I'm your perfect target. I've always wanted to sing and have been told that I can't sing, and I'm not a good singer.' She said 'and I am having so much fun,'" DeJong said.
He creates the arrangements with the help of some friends, plays guitar and even sings along with the group. The singers have performed everything from Imagine Dragons and The Beatles to, most recently, Metallica's "Enter Sandman."
DeJong says the group has been a success to him because everyone has felt part of something bigger than themselves.
"We all crave that sense of belonging, and we all want that sense of community," he said. "There are so many things that keep us from doing that. So this is, sort of, an easy, fun way to do that."
The next "Crowdsource Choir" event is Saturday, April 20, at the Royal Room. The group will be singing "Happy" by Pharrel Williams.
