Karaoke World Championships

Karaoke World Championships
History
Genre International Talent Search
Country Of Origin Finland
Producers Oy KWC Organisation Ltd
Started 2003
Final Venues
2003-2005 Heinola, Finland
2006 M/S Galaxy
Helsinki-Estonia
2007 Bangkok, Thailand
2008-2009 Lahti, Finland
2010 Moscow, Russia
2011 Killarney, Ireland
2012-2013 Lappeenranta, Finland
2014 Stockholm, Sweden
2015 Singapore
2016 Vancouver, Canada
2017-2018 Helsinki, Finland
2019 Tokyo, Japan
2020-2021 Online
2022 Nes, Norway
2023 Panama City, Panama
2024 Turku, Finland
Reigning Champion
Ellie Butler, United Kingdom

Originating in Finland in 2003 with 7 countries, the Karaoke World Championships are an international karaoke competition, featuring approximately 30 countries worldwide. [1]

USA holds 5 gold medals in the solo adult category. Australia, Panama, Lebanon and UK are tied for the second most solo golds, with three each.

National trials are conducted every year in most participating countries, with the winners competing in the international finals for the title of Karaoke World Champion. Singers from countries without a Nation Partner may enter through global video heats instead, going to represent countries who would otherwise not have a presence in the Worlds Finals.

In 2003-2017 KWC had separate categories for male and female contestants. The 2016 competition introduced the Duet category and in 2018 gender categories were removed. Extra categories in KWC have included KWC Juniors (2017) and Champions Round (2018).

Finland was the host country for the international finals from 2003 until 2005. In 2006, the finals were held aboard the M/S Galaxy whilst cruising the Baltic Sea from Helsinki to Estonia return. Thailand was the first country to host the finals outside of Finland in September, 2007. In 2008, the event returned to Finland, and was twice consecutively in Lahti Hall.[1]

In December 2005, the top 5 male & female champions of that year were invited to perform for the Princess of Thailand in Bangkok, Thailand in the 'KWC Lights Up The Night' tsunami fundraising concert. The black tie concert was televised throughout Thailand and raised money for the 2004 tsunami victims.[1]

On April 6, 2007, Norwegian National Karaoke World Champion 2005 & 3rd place Karaoke World Champion 2005, Aina Gundersen, Idols,[2] the Finnish version of the UK hit, Pop Idol.

The 2010 World Championships took place in Moscow, Russia between 23 September and 25 September at Forum Center.

The 2011 World Championships took place in Killarney, Ireland between 8 September and 10 September at INEC, Gleneagle.

The 2012 World Championships took place in Lappeenranta, Finland between 28 November and 1 December at Holiday Club Saimaa

The 2013 World Championships took place in Lappeenranta, Finland between 21 November and 23 November at Holiday Club Saimaa

The 2014 World Championships took place in Stockholm, Sweden between 13 November and 15 November at Solidaritet Arena

The 2015 World Championships took place in Singapore between 20 November and 22 November at the Boutique on Orchard Road with a record number of 31 countries participating.

The 2016 World Championships took place in Vancouver, Canada between 1 November and 6 November at Edgewater Casino

The 2017 World Championships took place in Helsinki, Finland between 14 November and 18 November at Telakka Pavilion.

The 2018 World Championships took place in Helsinki, Finland between 19 December and 21 December at Apollo.

The 2019 World Championships took place in Tokyo, Japan between 27 November and 29 November at Kanda Myoujin Shrine Hall.

The 2020 World Championships was conducted as an online competition [3] due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was held between 2 November and 7 November.

The 2021 World Championship was again an online competition held between 13 and 27 November.

The 2022 World Championships took place in Nes Kulturhus in Årnes, Norway, between 8 and 13 August.

The 2023 World Championships took place in Panama City, Panama, between 6 and 11 November.

The 2024 World Championships will be held in Logomo in Turku, Finland, between 7 and 12 October.

Participating Countries

2023 Participants

  Winner
Results of the Solo Singers - Karaoke World Championships 2023
R/O Country Artist Round 1+2 Round 3 Round 4 Place
1  France Oscar Hanrath Garcia 127 33.
2  Kazakhstan Alisher 147 72 22.
3  Panama Anabella Iriza 147 85 132 8.
4  Finland Saana-Eveliina Mannerlaakso 138 28.
5  Denmark Jan Flemming Christensen 128 32.
6  Brazil Filipe Anacleto 160 84 14.
7  Germany Kristian Nikou 120 37.
8  Panama Paula De Macedo 136 77 21.
9  Colombia Isabel Cristina Contreras Tordecilla 130 31.
10  Ukraine Polina Topalova 148 78 19.
11  Australia Harlem Calleja 133 30.
12  USA Talon Lewis 164 89 120 10.
13  Philippines Marian Gel Pesigan 167 81 16.
14  Ireland Steven Kelly 112 40.
15  Costa Rica Audiel Moises Cerdas Cordero 144 82 15.
16  Canada Renee Thompson 150 86 128 9.
17  Nigeria Preye Stephanie Emberru DNP
18  Sweden Carl Hanzie Hansson 117 38.
19  Faroe Islands Eva Hjelm Aanesen 121 36.
20  Norway Natalia Marín 141 25.
21  Mexico Luis Villanueva 158 88 134 5.
22  United Kingdom Ellie Butler 169 90 146 1.
23  Panama Anabell Del Carmen Avila Medina 161 85 11.
24  Sweden Monica Lofgren 124 34.
25  Colombia Christian Tapia 140 26.
26  Denmark Linda Maria Csösz-Erdei 142 23.
27  Panama Yassuri Martínez 173 81 16.
28  Norway Kjetil André Johannessen 154 85 11.
29  Philippines Rafaella Joy Berso 172 85 150 2.
30  USA Mico Mauleon 163 88 130 7.
31  Canada Susan Attard 149 86 136 5.
32  Faroe Islands Edvin H. Niclasen 136 29.
33  Kazakhstan Zarina 147 93 136 3.
34  Kenya Godfrey Kanyua DNP
35  France Maëva Bocque 139 27.
36  Iceland Hannes Þórður Hafstein Þorvaldsson 124 35.
37  Finland Hanna Kanasuo 142 78 20.
38  Costa Rica Denia Mairena Ponces 117 38.
39  Mexico Diego Mendoza Martínez 173 88 136 4.
40  Chile Jairo Quezada 148 80 18.
41  Belgium Felipe De Souza Ferraz 142 24.
42  Brazil Sara Braz 155 85 11.
43  Nigeria Kessy Doris Mbonu DNP

Previous winners

2023 Main category
1st Ellie Butler, United Kingdom
2nd Rafaella Joy Berso, Philippines
3rd Zarina, Kazakhstan
2023 Duos
1st Luis Villanueva & Diego Mendoza Martínez, México
2nd Abdiel Josué Castillo & Ericka Rodríguez, Panama
3rd Filipe Anacleto & Sara Braz, Brazil
Viewer's Choice Winner
Marian Gel Pesigan, Philippines
2022 Main category
1st Keke Adiba, Indonesia
2nd Sia Chandler, USA
3rd Brenda Gaviño, Mexico
2022 Duos
1st Emely Myles & Eliezer Berroa, Panama
2nd John Wiest & Mike Smoroden, Canada
3rd Moose Hurskainen & Sari Maria Kankkonen, Finland
Viewer's Choice Winner
Emely Myles, Panama
2021 Main category
1st Shabrina Leonita, Indonesia
2nd Viktoria Seimar, Estonia
3rd Talita Martins, Brazil
Viewer's Choice Winner
Elisa Queiroga, Brazil
2020 Main category
1st Garvaundo Hamilton, USA
2nd Max Moraes, Brazil
3rd Jose de la Vega, Spain
Viewer's Choice Winner
Vadim Nedranets, Russia
2019 Main category
1st Jenny Ball, United Kingdom
2nd Katey Day-Reick, Canada
3rd Olivia Ruth, Indonesia
2019 Duos
1st Candace Miles & Kate Dion, Canada
2nd Aline Cunha & Rairo, Brazil
3rd Valerisse & Ishma, USA
Viewer's Choice Winner
Anjo Sarnate, Philippines
2018 Main category
1st Mikko Blaze Bordeaux, USA
2nd Karol Wilson, Panamá
3rd Lascel Wood, UK
2018 Duos
1st Tea Repo & Jyri Paavilainen, Finland
2nd Karol Wilson & Eliezer Berroa, Panamá
3rd Mel Arizpe & Laura Carrizales, USA
2018 Champions Round
1st Toni K. Laaksonen, Finland
2nd Jenni Taari, Finland
3rd Chyeé Howell, USA
Viewer's Choice Winner
Mafer Martinez, Guatemala
2017 Male
1st Pedro Matias, Angola
2nd Didieric Coste, France
3rd Andy Navarette, USA
2017 Female
1st Chyeé Howell, USA
2nd Emely Myles, Panamá
3rd Margarita Dvoynenko, Ukraine
2017 Duos
1st Rena Saito and Ryota Kaizo, Japan
2nd Beth Brennan and Mikko Bordeaux, USA
3rd Emely Myles and Ricardo Canto, Panamá
2017 Junior - Kids
1st Laura Ahonen, Finland
2nd Silja Walin, Finland
3rd Elina Ahonen, Finland
2017 Junior - Teens
1st Alina Karvanen, Finland
2nd Verna Salmi, Finland
3rd Emma Tyyskä, Finland
2016 Male
1st Ryota Kaizo, Japan
2nd Gabriel Much, USA
3rd Marc Motzer, Germany
2016 Female
1st Astrid Nicole, Panama
2nd Laura Moreau, USA
3rd Bruna Higashi, Brazil
2016 Duos
1st Konomi Rivers & Lance Moore, USA
2nd Astrid Nicole & Hiram Harris, Panama
3rd Heidi Joshua & Roger Feng, Canada
2015 Male
1st Muhammad Fairus bin Adam, Singapore
2nd Jeff Edwards, USA
3rd Michael Victorero, Canada
2015 Female
1st Elsaida Alerta, Canada
2nd Paula Danielsen, Faroe Islands
3rd Charo Gimenez Bravo, Spain
2014 Male
1st Anthony Montius Magee, USA
2nd Mitchell Freeman, Canada
3rd Kamsani Jumahat, Singapore
2014 Female
1st Diana Villamonte, Panama
2nd Miriam Kim, USA
3rd Monika Nike Adiba, Indonesia
2013 Male
1st Teruhisa Tanaka, Japan
2nd Michael Asovale, New Zealand
3rd Roman Leyba, Russia
2013 Female
1st Sarah Ramos, Spain
2nd Jenni Ylätalo, Finland
3rd Kimberly Evans, USA
2012 Male
1st Luis Boutin, Panama
2nd Ville Pyykönen, Finland
3rd Cornelius Andrews, USA
2012 Female
1st Raquel Pando, Spain
2nd Candice Skjonnemand, Australia
3rd Lilibeth Garcia, Philippines
2011 Male
1st Marc Hatem, Lebanon
2nd Joel Cruz, Philippines
3rd Vladimir Pak, Russia
2011 Female
1st Cassandra Jopp, USA
2nd Estefania Gralla, Spain
3rd Jerrica Santos, Canada
2010 Male
1st Sam Moudden, Finland
2nd Fedor Rytikov, Russia
3rd Georg Duschlbauer, Austria
2010 Female
1st Maria Saarimaa-Ylitalo, Finland
2nd Julia Kurileva, Russia
3rd Tami Marie, USA
2009 Male
1st Adrian Kenny, Ireland
2nd Sami Muhonen, Finland
3rd Elie-Georges Hatem, Lebanon
2009 Female
1st Aina Gundersen, United States
2nd Dina David, Australia
3rd Jenni Roth, Finland
2008 Male
1st Michael Bates, Australia
2nd Steven Delahunt, United Kingdom
3rd Medhanie Mezgebe, Sweden
2008 Female
1st Julie Gonnet, France
2nd Elaine O'Halloran, Ireland
3rd Jasmine Kara, Sweden
2007 Male
1st Lu Hee Wah (Kelvin), Malaysia
2nd Michael Moses Griffin, USA
3rd David Naughton, Ireland
4th Juha Karvonen, Finland
5th Gabor Erdélyi, Hungary
2007 Female
1st Aina Gundersen, U.S. & Norway
2nd Vanessa Cooney, Ireland
3rd Gabriella Lukács, Hungary
4th Tina Fischer, Sweden
5th Corina Susanna Mitchell, Austria
2006 Male
1st Mark Wilson, Australia
2nd David September, South-Africa
3rd Badri Ibrahim, Malaysia
4th Patcharaphol Atipremanon, Thailand
5th Harry Ross, Germany
2006 Female
1st Tham Hui Chyi (Vicky Tham), Malaysia
2nd Yao Dan, China
3rd Veronica Konnova, Russia
4th Helena Virt, Estonia
5th Michele Lynch, Ireland
2005 Male
1st Iyad Sfeir, Lebanon
2nd Danny Cummins, Ireland
3rd Ari Koivunen, Finland
4th Timothy Duff Morrison, USA
5th Paolo Verdade, Portugal
2005 Female
1st Rachel Browne, Ireland
2nd Saisunee Sukhakrit, Thailand
3rd Isabel Viana, Portugal
4th Maria Saarimaa, Finland
5th Kelee Buswell, Australia
2004 Male
1st Thomas Strübler, Austria
2nd Robin Berg, Finland
3rd Bret Harmon, USA
4th Sami Gabriel, Lebanon
5th Sami Muhonen, Finland
2004 Female
1st Samantha Sayegh, Lebanon
2nd Shirley Lowther, Ireland
3rd Cathrine Hovland, Norway
4th Ann Wikström, Finland
5th Marianne Furberg, Norway
2003 Male
1st Uche Eke, England
2nd Olli-Pekka Junttila, Finland
3rd Jan-Mikael Pennanen, Finland
4th Jorn Grepperud, Norway
5th Alex Styrna, Poland
2003 Female
1st Danni Cadby, England
2nd Säde Hovisilta, Finland
3rd Christine Aas-Hals, Norway
4th Noora Lehtinen, Finland
5th Susanna Gärdström, Finland

References