Trust Them, You Can Sing

Allison and Dipo Oseni Bring LA-style Karaoke to Southington

Dipo and Allison Oseni at SoLA Karaoke PHILIP THIBODEAU PHOTOS

“My favorite thing,” says Allison Oseni, who runs SoLA Karaoke on Center Street along with her husband Dipo Oseni, “is when someone comes in here saying ‘Yeah it’s my girlfriend who likes to sing, I don’t really do karaoke,’ and by the end of the evening they’re shouting THIS IS THE GREATEST THING EVER, and asking for an extra hour of room-time.”

Such is the transformative power of art – aided by the occasional shot of tequila.

A different sort of transformation has taken over the 3,500 square-foot space in the building at 168 Center Street in Southington where SoLA resides. When the Osenis first signed the lease, it was nothing but a brick-lined cave without light, heat, or even plumbing. Now, after two long of years of planning, permit delays, and construction, it has been converted into a stylish lounge containing nine rooms outfitted with high-end audio/video equipment, and a spacious bar.

Groups of friends or family members rent the rooms by the hour and gather inside (in case you are unfamiliar with karaoke) to sing along to their favorite songs as they play over the speakers. The tracks are normally without vocals, which means you must to take on the role of lead singer; lyrics are displayed on the screens to help if you forget the words. SoLA’s song library covers most genres of music and features tracks in more than twenty different languages.

Despite this wealth of choices, patrons tend to gravitate towards a few classics like Abba’s Dancing Queen or Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. At the moment Chappell Roan’s Pink Pony Club – a song about a lounge where one can relax and be oneself, rather like a karaoke place – is by far the most requested. “I don’t think a day goes by that someone isn’t playing Pink Pony Club in one of the rooms somewhere,” Dipo observed.

Each room in SoLA – which is short for ‘South LA’ – has been named for a famous Los Angeles neighborhood like Hollywood or Malibu and decorated to evoke its vibe. The art on the walls, which was crafted by Allison herself, includes an homage to a graffiti-covered wall in LA, and metallic collages that resemble the gold records given for best-selling albums:

Los Angeles was where the couple first met. At the time Dipo was a screenwriter – his credits include the scripts for Duress (2009) and Cash Out (2024) – Allison, a hairdresser and self-taught artist. After a few first dates, it was in a karaoke lounge, Allison said, that she felt like Dipo first let loose and showed his fun side; they’ve been together ever since. A few years ago they moved to Connecticut to be closer to family. LA may be an international mecca for music and the arts, but for the Osenis the decision to relocate was not a hard one; they value the quality of life and relative calm of the area.

Since opening in May this year they have done a brisk business, attracting enthusiastic reviews and many out-of-state visitors. They ascribe their popularity in part to a video on TikTok that went viral, garnering nearly one-quarter of a million views. According to local digital marketer Thuy-Linh Phan, the care and imagination that went into creating the space is crucial: “Sola Karaoke is rising in popularity because of its awesome concept of private suites and karaoke rooms… You get to sing your heart out and live your popstar fantasy with zero judgment – just you, your besties, and pure main character energy.” They are often booked for birthday parties, bachelorette parties, and corporate events. Each room is soundproofed, so that multiple groups can use the lounge without interfering with each another.

Given that the Osenis have made music such a core part of their lives, it seemed natural to ask them for a top-10 song list. Here is their answer:

Mr. Brightside, by The Killers

I Want It That Way, by The Backstreet Boys

Bohemian Rhapsody, by Queen

I’ll Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That), by Meatloaf

Back to Black, by Amy Winehouse

When He Cheats, by Carrie Underwood

What’s Up, by 4 Non Blondes

Lean On Me, by Bill Withers

Low, by Flo Rida

Lose Control, by Teddy Swims