A few years ago, Karen Lateo had never sung a note in public.

Today, she is part of a thriving community choir, performing songs ranging from Pink Pony Club and Like a Prayer to Running Up That Hill and We Are the Champions alongside more than 30 fellow singers.

The difference, she says, has been life changing.

“I had never sung a note in public until January last year,” she said.

“Now you can’t drag me out of the place.”

Lateo is a member of the Kiama Illawarra Pride Choir, a group that welcomes LGBTQIA+ people and allies from across the South Coast of New South Wales. While the choir is preparing to attend the international Out & Loud Choral Festival in Perth later this year, members say the real story isn’t about performances or travel. It’s about connection.

In an age where loneliness is increasingly recognised as a serious issue for older Australians, community groups such as choirs are providing something many people don’t realise they need until they find it: a sense of belonging.

For co-musical director Jonnell Uptin, that has always been at the heart of the choir’s mission.

“Our mission is to have fun and sing, and to create community,” she said.

“Everybody has a voice.”

It sounds simple, but for many people joining a choir means stepping well outside their comfort zone. Some arrive with years of musical experience, while others haven’t sung since their school days.

The Kiama Illawarra Pride Choir reflects that diversity. Members include retirees, academics, healthcare workers, students and professionals from all walks of life.

What brings them together isn’t musical perfection but a shared willingness to show up and join in.

That inclusive approach is one reason the choir has continued to grow.

“It’s togetherness in the broadest sense,” Lateo said.

“We’re not saying community as in the LGBTQ-plus community. We want to be embraced by the whole community.”

For people entering retirement, moving to a new area, losing a partner or simply looking to meet new people, that sense of community can be invaluable.

Lateo believes many adults underestimate how difficult it can be to make new friends later in life.

The choir, she says, creates connections naturally.

People arrive to sing but often leave with much more than a repertoire of songs.

The group has become what many members describe as a chosen family, offering support, friendship and regular opportunities to connect.

That feeling is perhaps best captured in one of the choir’s favourite songs, Chosen Family, a piece that resonates deeply with members.

According to Uptin, there is also a reason singing feels so good beyond the social aspect.

“One of the most important things about singing is we use every part of our brain to sing,” she said.

“We use our body to breathe and sing, and there’s a spirit side to it as well.”

Research has long suggested that group singing can improve mood, reduce stress and foster social connection, but choir members say the benefits are something they experience every week.

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“At the end of a 90-minute rehearsal you come out feeling energised,” Uptin said.

“It’s what the singing does to you.”

The choir’s repertoire reflects its joyful approach. Alongside contemporary favourites such as Pink Pony Club, audiences might hear Madonna’s Like a Prayer, Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill or Queen’s We Are the Champions.

The focus, however, is not on delivering a flawless performance.

“We’re not into perfection,” Uptin said.

“We’re into joy.”

That philosophy extends beyond the music itself.

Choirs have long played an important role in communities, creating opportunities for people to gather regularly, work towards a shared goal and contribute something larger than themselves.

For older adults in particular, those opportunities can become increasingly important as work, family commitments and social circles change over time.

The choir’s upcoming trip to Perth for the Out & Loud Choral Festival is another example of that shared purpose.

The event will bring together singers from across Australia and overseas in a celebration of music, inclusion and community.

For Uptin, it is particularly exciting to see a regional choir taking part.

“Usually these festivals are dominated by city-based choirs,” she said.

“What’s wonderful about this one is that we’re a regional choir.”

Yet whether members are performing on stage, rehearsing on a Monday night or simply catching up over a cup of tea after practice, the message remains the same.

“Everybody has a voice.”

In a world where many adults find themselves searching for connection, that simple idea may be more powerful than ever.

For Lateo, joining the choir started with curiosity and a willingness to give something new a try.

Now, she cannot imagine her life without it.

And that may be the greatest lesson community singing has to offer: sometimes the friendships, confidence and joy we are looking for are waiting just outside our comfort zone.