There’s a picture in the living room of the Porters’ ranch near Medicine Hat, Alberta of The Great One holding the destined one. It’s the winter of 1985, the Porters are waiting for a flight in the Edmonton airport. Wayne Gretzky, newly crowned King of the world (as far as anyone north of the 49th parallel is concerned) comes over and asks to hold their newborn baby. Ask any Canadian – that would be a hard moment to beat for most memorable.

Much like the Great One, there was something that caught the tribunal’s eye and soon after the heart of the public’s collective consciousness. The ease with which he performed on stage in front of millions and his strength of conviction was undeniable. Pegged from the beginning as the one to watch, Kalan Porter used his natural talent, years of trained skill, hard work and charm to out maneuver everyone else and skate straight to the top.

Previous to this year’s whirlwind of activity, Kalan was at home in Medicine Hat, working towards answering that age old conundrum that haunts all 19 year olds –

“After a year of college, do I need to take a year off and think about what I’m doing with the rest of my life? I knew it had to be something music related”, Kalan remembers. “I’d always been around music, either with my family, classical violin lessons or playing around Medicine Hat in a duo, it was always there. It had to be a part of my life.”

Kalan’s always had a natural penchant for expressing himself through music. He is classically trained on violin and viola at the Royal Conservatory of Music by world renowned violinist and mentor Michael van der Sloot. He’s also picked up the guitar and piano along the way. Shy and slightly introverted, Kalan’s aged-in oak crooner voice, tempered with a unique edge, together with his musical charisma takes him far beyond his years.