Solo in perfect harmony

Step into a room filled with music, laughter, and the unmistakable energy of people singing together, and you’ll see something remarkable: strangers becoming friends, teams growing closer, and barriers fading away. This spirit of connection is at the core of Moyagi, the exclusive karaoke bar founded by Jonathan Merlo Sjöö and Marcus Schuterman. We spoke with them about how Moyagi brings people together through music – and why, in an online world, it matters to occasionally disconnect.

Music has always had a unique ability to break down walls, whether they’re built from age, culture, or language. Put a group of people in a room and get them singing, and suddenly those differences don’t seem to matter much. What takes centre stage instead is a shared sense of belonging – one that can spark in a single chorus and linger long after the last note fades. In the world of business, where collaboration and trust are the secret ingredients to success, there’s a lot to learn from the way music effortlessly brings people together.

“It’s like that house party you had when you were in your twenties, with everybody standing in a group, singing their hearts out at the end of it. But except you don’t disturb any neighbours and someone is making the cocktails for you,” says Jonathan.

From Tokyo nights to Stockholm lights 
Moyagi’s story begins in a place that’s a far cry from the sleek, design-driven venue it is today. Jonathan remembers his regular trips to a karaoke bar in Stockholm – a “dark, cheap basement type of venue with bad beer.” Yet, despite sticky floors and questionable lager, the place was always packed. “I had been to Tokyo a lot, doing a lot of karaoke there, and I just had this idea of ‘Why isn’t anybody doing this in a more high-end way?’, where you not only go drunk at 1am but rather where people can take their families at for a bite and some music around 7pm?” he recalls.

That spark of inspiration didn’t fade. Jonathan met co-founder Alexander Irinarchos in China, and together with Marcus Schuterman – who Alexander goes way back with – they started sketching out a new kind of karaoke experience. “Today, Moyagi is a high-end private room karaoke experience inspired by Japan but reimagined through a Scandinavian lens. We wanted to create a place where people could feel truly connected again, immersed in music, great design, and each other without distractions,” says Marcus.

What started as a mission to upgrade karaoke soon turned into something bigger: a quest to bring people closer. “We quickly understood that we were building something more than just karaoke. In 2025, everyone’s more hyperconnected than ever, and yet we’re also lonelier than we’ve ever been. This was still true for May 2020 when we opened up our first venue in Stockholm,” Marcus explains. They saw a chance to create a space where people could put their phones down, step away from the digital noise, and rediscover the simple joy of being present with others – and ran with it. 

Your night, your rules
Moyagi stands out for its clever mix of privacy and community. As Marcus explains: “I think what Moyagi does really well is being a public space with privacy. You can be in your own private room with just your closest circle, but you can also step into the bar and feel part of a bigger community.”

This isn’t a coincidence. Every Moyagi venue is designed to feel both personal and buzzing with life. Guests can slip between the comfort of their own karaoke rooms and the lively communal areas – “it’s like a hotel corridor,” says Marcus – choosing to mingle or retreat as the mood strikes. It’s a rare kind of flexibility in nightlife, where, as Marcus points out, “Normally when you’re out, you’re just one person out of hundreds, and you can’t really control your evening – let alone what music is playing. That’s something you can control at Moyagi, and that’s the beauty of it.”

The attention to detail doesn’t stop at the rooms. Moyagi’s founders bring the same care to everything from the cocktail menu to the service. “We approach the cocktail menu the same way we approach the rooms, with a lot of care, making it memorable and ensuring that it elevates the overall experience,” they share. Whether you’re a karaoke regular or nervously clutching the mic for the first time, the goal is to make everyone feel right at home.

Sinatra after Britney? Anything goes
One of Moyagi’s greatest charms is its knack for turning even the most hesitant guest into karaoke converts. “You get people coming in and they say ‘no, I’m not gonna sing, I’m never gonna sing, I don’t like singing,’ and it’s always the same guys running up after their session is ended, like, ‘Can I have more time? Can we have more time?’ It’s so much fun,” Jonathan laughs. The experience is built to be welcoming, lowering the threshold for participation so that everyone feels at ease, whether they’re seasoned performers or first-timers.

And then there’s the magic of the playlist. “I’ve seen people queue up Sinatra after a rundown of Britney Spears. Or a couple doing a duet in Swedish schlager in the middle of a hip-hop night. I think it’s the unexpected choices that are always the most joyful, because they really show that people drop their guard, and people are, in karaoke, usually very authentic to themselves,” Marcus observes. At Moyagi, the best moments are often the ones no one saw coming.

From digital overload to real harmony
At its core, Moyagi is all about connection. “We aim to create an immersive, analogue karaoke experience that gives people a break from digital hyperconnectivity. We believe that genuine human connection is one of the greatest luxuries today,” says Marcus.

The proof is in the stories that unfold behind Moyagi’s doors. Marcus recalls a partnership event with Soho House: “We brought together a group of 25 people who had signed up randomly through the app and didn’t know each other. Within fifteen minutes, it felt like they’d all been friends for years. Karaoke connects you on a level you didn’t know was possible – you look around and realise, wow, everyone’s enjoying this just as much as I am,” Marcus says. He adds, “You don’t connect like that when you’re bowling, playing pingis, or throwing darts.”

Moyagi’s message for organisations
At its core, Moyagi shows that sharing joyful experiences – especially through music – breaks down barriers and builds real trust. In a world overloaded with digital noise, these moments of genuine connection matter more than ever. As Marcus and Jonathan put it, “Music really elevates that. It really gives you that experience, that moment where you can connect with people at a deeper level.” For organisations hoping to inspire collaboration and creativity, maybe the answer is as simple as singing together.

How to make the most of Moyagi: Three simple steps

• Arrive early and enjoy a cocktail at the bar.

• Prepare a few songs, but don’t stress – once you’re in the room, the experience unfolds naturally.

• Expect to feel present, relaxed, and connected, even if you arrive with strangers.