What started as a quiet moment in a public jacuzzi turned into a life-changing idea for Sharon Marnell. While soaking to help heal two frozen shoulders, she began singing, only to have another woman compliment her voice and mention something called a “tuneless choir,” a group designed for people who love to sing but aren’t very good at it.
With a background in music and teaching, she went on to start her own tuneless choir in England, then another, and then another. What began with just a few people singing together grew into more than 100 performers taking part in music festivals, all without auditions, pressure, or expectations.
The concept is simple: no musical training, no assigned parts, and no judgment. Participants sing well-known songs, laugh a lot, move around, and connect with others who were once told they were “tone deaf” or discouraged from singing altogether.
Marnell says she has seen firsthand how powerful this can be, helping people rebuild confidence, form friendships, and rediscover joy. If you love music, sing in the shower, or have ever been told you sound terrible, she says, you are exactly who these choirs are for.