The first time I sang karaoke was in a bar in my home town of Curicó in Chile. I sang Hero by Mariah Carey. I remember being so nervous with everyone watching me. I was only 17, but I won. The prize was meant to be a trip to the Dominican Republic, but nothing happened in the end. I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t true anyway – it was a bit of a dodgy bar. But, 15 years later, a karaoke competition finally sent me abroad. Since that first time singing Mariah, karaoke has become a part of me. I sing every day: in my room, in the shower, when I’m cleaning the house. I love all kinds of music: rock, hip-hop, cumbia. I never thought I could turn it into a career. I used to do odd jobs in hospitality, but about seven years ago, when I was 26, I began uploading videos of myself singing cover songs online. I soon got my first booking to perform in a local casino. Since then I’ve been singing professionally in casinos, restaurants and malls across Chile. It’s been great training for karaoke. I sing everything – pop in English, pop in Spanish, Latino rock, English rock, to rancheras and reggaeton. Five years ago, I started applying for singing competitions. I was a semi‑finalist in The Voice Chile in 2022. Last year, I won the heats of the Karaoke World Championships in Chile, making it to the finals in Finland. Karaoke is about expressing your feelings through the song. I’m not good at talking about my feelings, but I can do that through other people’s lyrics We all know karaoke as a fun activity to do with friends on a night out, but competitive karaoke is all around us – look at singing contests such as The Voice or The X Factor. In competitions, judges are not only evaluating your skills as a singer, but also how you interpret the song, the intonation, the diction and your mastery of the stage. I think winning at karaoke depends on the songs you sing – you have to be strategic and choose ones that show off your range. Although I don’t speak English, at the championships I chose Never Enough from The Greatest Showman and Whitney Houston’s I Have Nothing, as these songs have a wide vocal range. For me, karaoke is about expressing your feelings through the song. I’m not good at talking about my feelings, but I can do that through other people’s lyrics. And that’s what you have to do to succeed at karaoke. The big difference between a singing competition and a karaoke competition is that, in karaoke, you have the lyrics on a screen. Still, it’s a world away from a late-night bar when you’re clowning around with friends. I still love that kind of karaoke, though I’ll make sure my friends get the chance to sing more than me. The Karaoke World Championships finals took place on a cold afternoon in Turku, Finland, last October. It was my first time out of Chile, so it all felt like a dream. Everything was really surprising to me – the language, the weather – but in a good way. I’ve never had vocal training, so I prepared by watching videos of the artists whose songs I was covering, studying how they perform. I also noted the vocal arrangements, whether there’s staccato, belting or some twang. I paid attention to every detail. At the finals, I had to sing four songs in front of judges and a live audience, and I was up against participants from 42 countries. I was so nervous. I almost didn’t want to go out on the stage because I felt like I was going to cry. I thought, what am I doing here? I was the only person who couldn’t speak English, so people had to translate for me. My body was trembling, but I could hear Chileans chanting in the audience, which was really comforting. The judge gave me 429 points – putting me in first, ahead of the second-place scorer at 417. When they announced that I had won, I was in shock. My heart was beating fast and I felt full of happiness. All the competitors were excellent singers who have successful careers in music, so I couldn’t believe it. It might sound strange, but even today I still struggle to acknowledge the achievement – I get impostor syndrome. Though now, after all these years, I’m starting to record music I’ve written myself. Still, it’s amazing that karaoke is a big part of my life – and to think that it all began with Mariah Carey. As told to Naomi Larsson Piñeda Do you have an experience to share? Email experience@theguardian.com