Karaoke World Championships

Karaoke World Championships
History
Genre	International Talent Search
Country Of Origin	Finland
Producers	Oy KWC Organisation Ltd
Started	2003
Final Venues
2003-2004-2005	Summer Theatre Heinola, Finland
2006	M/S Galaxy Helsinki-Estonia
2007	Bangkok, Thailand
2008	Lahti-Halli, Lahti
Reigning Champions
Julie Walter-Sgro, Australia & Lu Hee Wah (Kelvin), Malaysia

Originating in Finland in 2003 with 7 countries, the Karaoke World Championships are an international karaoke competition, featuring nearly 30 countries worldwide in 2007. [http://www.kwc.fi Karaoke World Championships Official Webpage] ]

National trials are conducted in each participating country every year with the winners competing in the international finals for the titles of male & female Karaoke World Champions. 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 were the first country to host the finals outside of Finland in September, 2007. In 2008, the event will return to Finland. The three day event will be held 23rd - 25th October, 2008 in Lahti Hall. [http://www.kwc.fi Karaoke World Championships Official Webpage] ]

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. [http://www.kwc.fi Karaoke World Championships Official Webpage] ]

On April 6, 2007, Finnish National Karaoke World Champion 2005 & 3rd place Karaoke World Champion 2005, Ari Koivunen, was announced as the winner of Idols [http://www.mtv3.fi/idols Idols Official Website] ] , the Finnish version of the UK hit, Pop Idol.

Participating Countries

* Australia * Austria * Azerbaijan Republic * Canada * China * Estonia * Finland * Germany * Greece * Hong Kong/China

* Hungary * Indonesia * Ireland * Jordan * Kenya * Kuwait * Lebanon * Macao/China * Malaysia * Poland

* Portugal * Romania * Russia * Singapore * South Africa * Sweden * Thailand * United Kingdom * United States Of America

Previous Winners

2007 Male * 1st Lu Hee Wah, Malaysia * 2nd Michael Moses Griffin, USA * 3rd David Naughton, Ireland * 4th Juha Karvonen, Finland * 5th Gabor Erdélyi, Hungary	2007 Female * 1st Julie Walter-Sgro, Australia * 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, 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

External links

* [http://www.kwc.fi Karaoke World Championships Official Webpage]
* [http://www.mtv3.fi/idols/ Idols Official Webpage]