Canadian Idol: The Top Ten Perform
Recap by Jon Dos
July 18, 2007
With the semi-finals out of the way, we are finally here in the Top 10. Tonight, we will be reintroduced to the Top 10 and they'll show Canada they have what it takes to be the next Canadian Idol.
Ben welcomes us to the first performance show of the season in the John Bassett Theatre. It's a bigger venue, with a bigger audience, and more importantly, bigger stakes. The Idols will be performing some number one hits but before we get to it, let's check in with the judges.
Ben asks Jake if Canada has already picked its winner. Jake doesn't think so. He thinks that every week, someone does well, then not so well. We still have a long way to go.
Ben follows up with Farley and asks if Canada should base their votes by performances each week, or think long-term. Farley thinks Canada should go on a performance basis. We need to see who will rise to the occasion to the weekly themes and inspirations.
With regards to themes, how to the Idols stay true to themselves? Sass says that they need to lock into the emotion of the song they are performing every time.
Finally, how is the season going for Zack? Zack comments on how amazing he's been looking! On a serious note, it's been a great year.
With the usual introductions out of the way, let's get on with the show! This week's videos are of the Idols in their hometowns and basically giving viewers the chance to get to know them a bit more.
Opening the show is Dwight d'Eon of West Pubnico, NS. He has been a fisherman for nine years. He's been doing this straight out of high school. His dad has taught him the value of hard work and how to be a man. His dad is proud of him for wanting to pursue music and hopes he goes somewhere. Finally, we learn that it was only last year that he decided to pursue music. Really?
Dwight takes on Matchbox Twenty once again. He performs "Unwell" but it's just not as good as "Bright Lights." I said this last week too, but I find it hard to not compare it to the original. It doesn't quite measure up to it but I do think this was a good start to the Top 10. If this is Dwight's comfort zone, I suggest he stick to it because so far it's worked well for him.
Jake: Jake found it interesting that Dwight chose two Matchbox Twenty songs in a row but the delivery for both were different. Dwight sang well but Jake wants him to be more interesting. Overall, the singing and performing was strong.
Farley: The first thing that came to mind for Farley was that Dwight was more ready for the Top 10 than the Top 22. Farley likens this to a marathon in which Dwight is "staying on course."
Sass: Sass prepares the audience to boo because she would've found it more interesting if Dwight sang better.
Zack: Zack acknowledges the fact that this song is hard to sing but he's not concerned with that fact at all. He thinks people will see the growth curve Dwight is on. Although Dwight didn't really sing, he should continue to be here.
Next up is Dorval, QC's Khalila Glanville. As we already know, Khalila works at a daycare. She feels blessed to watch children grow and to know that she's there for them. The support from her family is very special and means a lot. Her brother says that it is bringing them closer together.
Khalila will be singing "Killing Me Softly." I find this choice to be safe and it comes off very boring. It's a good vocal but there's nothing to be blown away by. This is definitely not the route she should've taken if she wants to be the next Canadian Idol.
Farley: What Farley really liked about Khalila is that there's a "weight" to her voice and tone. Khalila sang with lots of intensity and control, and overall it was nicely done.
Sass: Sass found Khalila's performance "really nice."
Zack: Zack raises the question if nice is enough? He thinks it was nice but there was nothing there to wake him up and say, "Wow! That was amazing!"
Jake: Jake believes Khalila did good enough to keep her around another week, but she needs to be more interesting. Vocally, Khalila sang great but Jake wants more emotion.
Mission, BC's Carly Rae Jepsen is next. She writes her own material and her band mates add their own spin to it. She realizes that it only takes some time away to show much you really miss home. She hopes that when she represents Mission, she makes her friends and family proud.
Carly song tonight is Feist's version of the Bee Gees "Love You Inside Out." With the lights off and just the backdrop, she creates a silhouette. It's pretty cool but as she moves around the stage, she just loses me. Sorry, but this just didn't do anything for me. After last week, is Carly loses her steam?
Sass: Sass found Carly's performance cool and loved it.
Zack: Zack didn't get it. It seemed like Carly was short on energy and singing.
Jake: Jake's problem was that there wasn't any dynamics. Carly sang and danced well but Jake prefers when she shows emotions and this song didn't show any.
Farley: Farley applauds Carly's efforts to entertain but he agrees with Jake.
Brian Melo of Hamilton, ON is up next. He loves the people in Hamilton. They're down to earth and have a lot of heart, which makes it a great place to live. He's been with his band for four years and they've been very supportive. They believe he has the passion, intensity, focus, and determination. His family has been his backbone. They make him feel blessed because without them, he wouldn't be here. He feels fortunate to be in this position.
Tonight, Brian has chosen to perform Tonic's "If You Could Only See." He starts off strong but unlike Carly, he's able to keep that momentum all the way until the end. This is easily the best performance of the night so far.
Zack: Zack felt Brian did a good job. Brian jumped in with lots of intensity and had lots of rock star moments. His only advice to Brian is to not aimlessly meander, but to go somewhere because he has a reason and purpose to do so.
Jake: Jake says this was Brian's audition song was happy that he chose it. This is why the judges have been sticking with him. He also thinks Brian did a good job
Farley: Farley found it shaky but Brian is one of the better singers here. He needs to "capture" and come out with more confidence.
Sass: Sass really enjoyed Brian's performance. She saw major intensity from Brian which we haven't seen before which was nice to see.
It's now time for some fro lightning, courtesy of Toronto's Mila Miller. She's been playing the clarinet for seven to eight years. This helped her become a better performer and gave her more confidence. She grew up with her mom and cousins and it's good to have their support. She likes roller coasters and compares the feeling of roller coasters to being on Idol.
Mila, along with the fro, decides to tackle Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered." This is one of my least favourite songs in these competitions. The only time I've actually enjoyed this song was when I saw Stevie himself perform this with Alicia Keys. Mila works the stage naturally but there's nothing special about this performance. Considering the danger she's been during the semis, I think she is doomed tomorrow.
Jake: Stevie Wonder is really tough to sing and Jake thinks Mila didn't do too well. It came off as karaoke and he didn't think Mila owned it.
Farley: Farley is waiting for somebody to grab a hold of the competition and say, "it's mine!" Mila wasn't competitive enough and Farley wants more intensity.
Sass: Sass thinks Mila sang well but found it safe.
Zack: Zack disagrees with Sass and thinks Mila didn't sing well. He does agree with Farley though. The bottom line is, this is the Top 10 and you need to show everyone that you want to win.
It is now Jaydee Bixby's turn. He's from Drumheller, AB which is the dinosaur capital of the world. His community is fantastic and they support him 110%. He loves playing at seniors homes because of the respect they have for the music he sings. He was 6 years old when he had first taste on stage and since then, he's been hooked.
Jaydee is staying old school with "It's Only Make Believe." He once again chooses a song I don't know but this has to be my favourite performance by him. By going with a ballad with some melody in it, he finally shows us some vocal ability. The performance comes off as the teen angel in "Grease," but I really liked this.
Farley: This was a fantastic performance. When Farley first saw Jaydee, he was a novelty but he no longer is a novelty. Jaydee is going to be one of the famous people on this planet.
Sass: It's like Jaydee was transported from another decade which Sass finds incredible.
Zack: "You're the Michael Buble of retro country."
Jake: Jake found Jaydee to be awkward in movement but this was the first "electric" performance of the night.
Next on board is Abbottsford, BC's Greg Neufeld. His family has been super supportive and they've played a big role in his music career. It is his dad's greatest hope for Greg to fulfill his dreams. His dad is a carpenter but Greg doesn't like it. Music entered his life during elementary school when he learned the ukulele. In grade 8, he met the drummer of his band and they performed a Kurt Cobain song for drama class. From that point on, he knew this is what he loved doing. He wants to represent Abbottsford and show Canada what he can do.
Greg will show Canada what he can do with "All These Things That I've Done" by the Killers. I was actually hoping and kind of knew that he would go with the Killers this week, but I would've chosen "Mr. Brightside." This is by far his weakest performance to date! This song does not showcase any vocals and the arrangement doesn't really compliment him. He does have some moments but this is just not good. Rocket man might be in some trouble.
Sass: Greg broke out from his normal stuff but he really delivered and Sass thought it was really good.
Zack: Greg broke out but into stuff he shouldn't be doing. Zach doesn't see Greg as a manic rocker and Greg's upper register was like "chopped nails on a board."
Jake: Jake found some intensity in Greg that we've never seen before which is the stuff he is looking for. This was another highlight of the night.
Farley: Farley calls Greg a prize fighter. Jaydee was the fighter, and Greg is the opponent and said, "I'm taking this back."
Up next is Toronto's Martha Joy. Her mom's side of the family are her biggest supporters. They motivated her and encouraged her to sing. At every party she goes to, she's always singing (that's a given at Filipino parties!) and people have always told her she should try out for Canadian Idol. Her mom says that whenever she sees people's happy expressions after Martha sings, it brings her joy. In addition to singing, she has taken salsa lessons which help her perform better on stage. She's really close to her dad and knows that her family is only a phone call away.
Martha sticks with Celine Dion and sings "Power of Love." I found it to be slow and I was hoping it would pick up a bit. I think there might have been a sharp note or two, but overall, this is another strong performance by her.
Zack: This is one of the weirdest nights ever. For the most part, Martha gave a really strong vocal performance. In a certain marketplace, she can be a star. She is definitely the best singer here.
Jake: Martha was vocally strong but Jake found the arrangement to be deliberate and slow.
Farley: Farley is at the point where he is convinced with Martha's skill set. She chooses songs she grew up with and she is "undeniably amazing."
Sass: Sass thinks Martha sings will for a 16 year old. Technically, Martha was really good but Sass found it sleepy.
Showing us what she's got is Newfoundland's Tara Oram. She wasn't expecting anything big when she came home. She figured it would just be her mom at the airport but word spreads fast in Newfoundland. Her family has been supportive ever since she was little and she wouldn't be there without them. She toured with her band for four years. It's exciting to perform in front of millions each week. She wants to make her hometown proud.
Once again, Tara goes country with "You Win My Love" by Shania Twain. It's nothing different from what we saw of her in the semis. It seems like I'm going to be saying the same thing over and over again so I think I'll pass this time.
Jake: Jake thinks that choosing a Shania song was very predictable. This was Tara's best performance she's ever given.
Farley: Tara pushed harder than before and really absorbed what Farley advised her last week. He finds that lots of young women aspire to be like Tara which is a star quality.
Sass: The performance was really strong, as always. Tara knows her own voice.
Zack: Zack agrees with Sass in regards to Tara's voice. However, he finds that there are limitations in Tara's voice but she knows how to use it. This is the first time since the Top 22 where he dug what Tara did.
Closing the show is Regina's Matt Rapley. He originally discovered music through church. His father is a pastor and Matt has always been in the limelight. His dad finds it funny that before Matt was known because of his father but now it's the other way around. When he visited his school, it was breathtaking. He finds being able to perform to them is a treat and it's like he's giving a gift back to them. His friends are a big part of his life and he is honoured and privileged to be representing them on television.
Matt's choice tonight is "I Heard It Through The Grapevine." This is another of my least favourite songs in this competition. Just like Mila, there's nothing special about this performance. I will say that this is the first time Matt's shown some personality on stage. It's an okay performance but in a night full of poor performances, this just might be enough.
Farley: Matt gave a nice, energetic performance. The arrangement isn't as familiar but the ideology behind it was perfect for Matt in terms of where he is in the competition. It showed a new side to Matt.
Sass: Sass calls Matt a "glider" because he glides through the song.
Zack: Matt gave a pretty strong vocal performance. In a night full of number one hits, Zach wants people to do something cool next week and this is not karaoke.
Jake: Jake agrees with Zack. In Matt's case, he chose a song he relates to and songs he likes to sing. Matt sang okay but Jake didn't get a lot of vibe from it.
So that wraps up our first Top 10 performance show. I was expecting better in a theme where no one had any excuses for a poor performance. The best of the night easily goes to Brian, with Jaydee and Martha not that far behind. Dwight and Matt, both of whom I didn't think would make the Top 10, are next. Khalila and Mila follow. And in the bottom 3 are Tara, and to my surprise, Greg and Carly.
My bottom 3 are the three people with the strongest fan bases so those Tara, Greg, and Carly are safe. Canada is already sold on Jaydee and I think Martha as well, so both of them are safe. I'm pretty sure Khalila and Mila will end up in the bottom for giving safe performances. The third person will be between Dwight and Matt, but I think Dwight will be joining the ladies, only to be sent back to safety first. Unfortunately, I think we'll be saying goodbye to Mila. She has the weakest fan base and her performance this week won't do her any favours.
Will we lose one of my hometown Idol's tomorrow? Join me tomorrow and we'll just have to wait and see.
Jon Dos is a reality TV junkie living in Toronto, ON. He would love to hear from you and will do his best to get back to you. He can be reached at jon.dos@hotmail.com.
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