Kaiya Gamble | Top 20 Under 20 2025

Age: 18

This young songwriter’s proudest moment was walking into the American Idol audition room and telling Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Katy Perry, “My name is Kaiya Gamble and I’m from Calgary.” From thousands of auditions, she was one of only two Canadians to get a golden ticket to Hollywood during Season 22. Having only just finished high school, Gamble has already performed at the Jack Singer Concert Hall, King Eddy, Scotiabank Saddledome, The Prairie Emporium and in New York for the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. She’s also a repeat headliner at Hayley Wickenheiser’s WickFest. Today, she’s a full-time, award-winning recording artist, but she still makes time each month to sing and chat online with sick kids at the Sydney Children’s Hospital.

“Music brings a lot of unity and is also a very healing experience. It’s something that we, as humans, can bond over.”