Alberta karaoke bar provides community as well as a stage

The winner of the KWC Global Karaoke contest in Thorsby will have the chance to sing on a global stage. CTV News Edmonton’s Connor Hogg has the story.

Like many small towns, the hotel that serves also as a bar and restaurant in Thorsby, Alta., is the most happening place Friday nights.

• Sign up for breaking news alerts from CTV News Edmonton, right at your fingertips

Located on a main street corner, the hotel boasts live local music every week — karaoke, that is.

The singers put on their best show last Sunday for a chance to participate in the 2025 Karaoke World Championships (KWC) finals in Bangkok, Thailand, in November.

“It can be a little intimidating once you get into the further parts of the competition, but honestly, it’s actually one of the best things I’ve ever done,” contestant Pandora Aurora Knight told CTV News Edmonton.

“I’ve grown so much and gotten so many good people in my life as a result.... It gives me that sense of community, of a place where I fit.”

Knight didn’t exactly willingly begin karaoke 10 years ago. But the push was enlightening.

“I’ve discovered a passion for music and singing that I didn’t really realize I had, and it’s become very much a focal point in my life.”

Other karaokers echoed the sentiment.

They all credited the judges’ feedback for improvements in their performance and lauded competition as a confidence booster. But largely, they touted karaoke for its other benefits.

“It’s kind of a release of endorphins,” Laura Mae Cartledge said. “I like to bottle them up and try not to let my emotions show too much. And then (through) music, I can express them a bit more.”

Alex Schwarzer added, “I was a singer when I was in grade school, and I knew I had a little bit of talent, but I didn’t know how much talent.... You get the applause, there’s some sort of validation there saying, ‘Yeah, you’re as good as you think you are.’”

Whether it’s in Thorsby – a community of 1,000 about 70 kilometres southwest of Edmonton – or their own home cities, some singers on Sunday said they do karaoke multiple nights a week.

“We’re very supportive. We like to look out for what songs fit our vocal range, what we can kind of adapt and work with each other to get better,” Cartledge said of her “KWC family.”

The group gathers not just for karaoke, but holidays and other occasions, too.

“I moved a couple months ago and we put up a little post on our community wall. I had like 11 people show up to help me.... We are there for each other,” Knight told CTV News Edmonton.

“That’s more important than anything — knowing where you belong or where you can fit in. Everyone needs that. Everyone longs for that.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Connor Hogg