Canadian Idol: The First 12
The chosen few (24 to be exact) have finally been ushered to Toronto! This batch of hopefuls that have been branded “the most talented group ever”, are full of nerves, anxiety and of course the hope that they have what it takes to hit the right notes, pick the right songs and hold it together enough to earn the coveted title of the 6th Canadian Idol.
Sitting at the judges table again are Canadian Music Industry notables; Zack Werner, Sass Jordan, Jake Gold, and Farley Flex. If you’re just tuning into the season now, then I fear you may have missed some of the best 15 minutes of fame moments to have ever been broadcasted on Canadian television…and Jully Black. For those of you not in the know, Jully Black is one of Canada’s hottest R&B artists and possibly the funniest woman to reside in the 4-1-6! If you have ANY connections over at CTV, can you pull a few strings and get Jully back? I’d be ever so grateful! Maybe even if it’s just that circle in the corner of the screen where she can make facial expressions to communicate how she feels about the contestants, am I asking too much? Note to CTV, you had already found the star of the season, bring her back!!!!
Alright, let’s get down to it…Idol.
First off, we as Canadians are too nice. This, we know, but our judges should not be so nice. Should it not be mandatory that anyone calling themselves an Idol judge should first go through the Simon Cowell school of serving it up raw? Honesty, the music industry is supposed to be a cold hard place…so what’s with the positive re-inforcement? Let's not sugar coat bad karaoke! Perhaps I’m too harsh? Anyways, without any further adieu, my picks for the contenders based on last nights showing.
In no particular order, Drumroll, please…
Gary Morissette 
If someone could just get this boy to unclench his jaw, I’d say that we have a possible Idol here. He’s entertaining, likes to rock, can sing, work a stage and while and at the risk of being a total girl, it doesn’t hurt that he’s cute. He's got the Hoggard quality, that much I'll say!
Mitch MacDonald 
I don’t know if it’s the last name, but there is something about this contestant that makes me want to supersize! Please please please stick around. I can’t wait to see what Mitch is capable of! This could totally be the start of something good for him and maybe for the Idol franchise for 2008! I know it’s early in the game, but what’s not to like about this kid?
Paul Clifford 
I say this with a heavy heart, the third time isn’t always necessarily a charm. However, I am ready and willing to be proven wrong by Paul Clifford! I get the vibe that there’s this killer rocker waiting to break out, but he’s so cautious that we’re only going to get a few glimpses. Maybe it was the fact that he sang Seether without Amy Lee…but I felt that it was so close to good, yet so far.
Earl Stevenson 
His name...is Earl! Not only do I want Earl to make it to at least the to 5, but I also want to become his best friend! Who can pull off a Dave Matthews version of a Jimi Hendrix cover of a Bob Dylan song and make it totally their own? Despite my numerous attempts by a campfire I’ll confess, I couldn’t, nor did I feel anyone else really could…until now! Go Earl!
Lisa Bell 
Oh wow! This girl can sing and man, can she bring it! That’s really about all I’ve got on this one, her performance said it all! I hope she can sustain it!
That’s my handful of loving for the first 12. There are two other contestants however that are almost there for me, but not quite and they are:
Martin Kerr 
Um, Bryan Adams, your illegitimate child has been found (**disclaimer, as to the best of my knowledge Bryan Adams has not fathered any illegitimate children nor has any biological ties to this contestant)! Other than that, what can be said other than he’s fairly average.
Tetiana Ostapowych 
I want to like her, I really do. All the pieces are here, or at least seem to be, but they aren’t fitting seamlessly. However, she earned the most honest piece of feedback of the evening courtesy of Zack Werner. He nailed it when he said “cruise ship-esque”. She’d rule the love boat, but probably not the charts.
For the most part, I feel that this 12 kinda have it, but probably not enough to move albums off a shelf, or onto your iPod. But we'll see. Practice makes perfect and this group is in for hours of rehersal!
Before I sign off, I’ll say this; I want to believe that Canadian Idol contenders are just as talented as their American counterparts…but I’ve also never been the greatest liar. Hopefully Tues night’s hopefuls are the more talented half and house a David Cook wannabe!
to be on this show, and not have her music
be the center of it. She does not have
the songbook of the Beatles, but she has
had enough hits for the idols to each sing
three or four different songs of hers. I
guess " only in Canada"