The Happy Pod: The choir proud to admit they can't sing

Chantal Hartle (0:00)

This is the HappyPod from the BBC World Service. I'm Chantal Hartle, and in this edition...

Debbie (0:10)

It's just so much fun, and we laugh, and nobody cares, yeah, we can't sing. But nobody cares, you come here, and you know when they say, sing and dance if no one's watching you. That's what we do here.

Chantal Hartle (0:21)

The choir with the Off-Key selling point. We can't sing, but we love to do it anyway.

A project to help animals safely navigate the vast Amazon rainforest pays off.

Fernanda Abra (0:32)

We have recorded 17,000 crossings. So all the six monkey species are using the canopy bridges.

Chantal Hartle (0:41)

How 3D ultrasound models are allowing expectant parents with sight loss to experience a precious moment.

Ray Walker (0:48)

You can feel the outline of our head and our little tiny ear and our nose and our mouth. To be able to get that information firsthand is really powerful, and it gives you that sense of independence back.

Chantal Hartle (1:00)

And the unconventional video game therapy helping stroke survivors to regain mobility.

Joas Ramirez (1:07)

The patient has to hold the leg out straight and the player controls a cannon. It simulates being in a bay with pirate ships coming in. The cannon fires continuously and the player aims it by moving the leg.

Chantal Hartle (1:23)

If you can't sing, come and join my choir. That was the unusual advert Diane Chapman posted in a local newspaper in the north of England eight years ago.

Diane didn't expect many people to turn up. But now, around 80 enthusiastic members come together each week to sing at the top of their lungs without the pressure to sound pitch perfect. The Off-Key Choir has become so popular, it has a waiting list to join. One member, Sheila, gets so much enjoyment from it that she even moved house to be closer to where the choir meets. Our reporter, Jane McCubbin, has been to one of their rehearsals.

Diane Chapman (2:03)

Hello everybody! Come on in.

Ray Walker (2:08)

Nice to meet you.

Jane McCubbin (2:12)

Let me introduce the Off-Key Choir.

Diane Chapman (2:16)

Hello!

Joy Garvin (2:18)

Don't worry, we won't sing.

Jane McCubbin (2:20)

Has anybody ever told you that you can't sing?

Joy Garvin (2:27)

Just because you can't doesn't mean you shouldn't.

Jane McCubbin (2:33)

Dai is Daiow Chapman, who set up the Off-Key Choir eight years ago.

SPEAKER_10 (2:37)

This is Jane.

Jane McCubbin (2:38)

Hi, everybody. Here, no one believes they can sing, so no one ever sings alone, until today. And I know some of you feel a bit nervous about this, Sheila, but could we just do a few little solos, just to show people the power of when you come together?

Sheila Byrne (2:59)

I love going the choir. I do look forward to going the choir on a Wednesday, even though I can't sing.

Jane McCubbin (3:04)

This is Sheila Byrne. Can we get you to do a solo?

Sheila Byrne (3:07)

Oh, God, no.

Jane McCubbin (3:08)

Oh, go on. Oh, go on, Sheila.

Sheila Byrne (3:11)

Oh, I sound awful.

Jane McCubbin (3:12)

Well, do you know, isn't that the point?

Sheila Byrne (3:13)

I know.

Jane McCubbin (3:14)

Because when you are all together, you don't sound awful.

Sheila Byrne (3:17)

Yeah.

Jane McCubbin (3:18)

Would you do it?

Sheila Byrne (3:20)

Mm, I don't.

Jane McCubbin (3:23)

Alone, they might wobble.

Sheila Byrne (3:25)

When the night has come.

Jane McCubbin (3:30)

Alone, they're exposed.

Sheila Byrne (3:32)

Is the only light we see.

Jane McCubbin (3:39)

But they're not chasing perfect pitch here. They're chasing joy. And when they come together, shoulder to shoulder, once every week.

That is when the magic happens.

Joy Garvin (4:09)

Stand by me.

Montserrat Cano (4:14)

Ladies, I'm just the proudest choir mom ever!

SPEAKER_10 (4:19)

It's amazing!

Jane McCubbin (4:22)

Debbie, you love it.

Debbie (4:24)

I do.

Jane McCubbin (4:24)

Adore it.

Debbie (4:25)

I do.

It's made a big difference to my life. Lost a few of my cat lives this year. The choir's really been there for me and got me through, you know, some tough times. And it's just so much fun. And we laugh and nobody cares. You know, we can't sing, but nobody cares. You come here and you know when they say sing and dance if no one's watching you. That's what we do here.

SPEAKER_10 (4:47)

Sheila's amazing. She's got loads of confidence since she's been with us. But what do we believe anyway? Just because you can't doesn't mean you shouldn't.

Jane McCubbin (4:58)

You put an advert in the paper of not knowing what would happen.