Kalan Porter

Richard Kalan Porter (born November 11, 1985) is a Canadian former singer-songwriter from Medicine Hat, Alberta, and the winner of the reality television series Canadian Idol in 2004. He started to sing at an early age and is classically trained, playing several instruments, most notably, the violin and viola. He writes and arranges violin solos for many of his songs. Porter's first single "Awake in a Dream" is the best selling debut single for a Canadian artist to date and has been certified 8× Platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association. He is also the highest selling solo Canadian Idol singer. In 2013, he was a graduate student in business at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Early years Porter grew up on a buffalo ranch outside Medicine Hat, Alberta. He is a classically trained musician. His mother used to take him to music lessons, saying that one day he would thank her, and he has said that he now thanks her. He played in a family band, which played a variety of music, including covers of popular rock and pop songs, as well as their own compositions. In 2004, he was preparing to leave home for Montreal to study viola performance at the Schulich School of Music in McGill University, when he decided to audition for Canadian Idol. Kalan's sister MacKenzie Porter would become a successful actress and country and pop musician. Their grandfather Bob Porter was Member of Parliament for Medicine Hat from 1984 to 1993. Canadian Idol Beating out 8,977 other contestants, Porter was crowned "Idol" on September 16, 2004, in front of a live TV audience. For three seasons he was the only contestant in Canadian Idol who had never been in the bottom three or two. In Season 5, Jaydee Bixby made it to the finale without ever being placed in the bottom group.