Canadian Idol: Timeless Appeal to the Standards

The Canadian Idols lit up the stage Wednesday night as they paid tribute to the standards. Proving they are worthy of Canada’s love and devotion, each Idol looked comfortable and sounded sensational performing two selections accompanied by big band musicians.

First up was Theresa, singing “It’s Only a Paper Moon.” Theresa’s voice sounded smooth and sweet. She seemed to be putting more of her unique jazzy tone into her performance, expressing the song powerfully and creatively. Jake said, “We all believe in you,” and Zack told her, “I totally dug it. Thanks for being here.”

Kalan sang Frank Sinatra’s Oscar-winning version of “Moon River” for his first song of the evening. He exposed a delicate side of his voice in a strong performance, capturing audience attention in the first bar and holding it to the very last note. Sass called Kalan “impossibly dreamy.” Zack candidly spoke, saying, “Anybody who watches you do what you do and doesn’t understand what a star you are is too jaded to watch you do what you do.”

Third to sing was Jason with the classic “I Won’t Dance.” Jason had this cool, confident persona about him that he paired with impressive dance moves to charm the audience as well as the judges. Sass gushed, “That was amazing.” Farley said, “You really captured that. I can’t tell you how impressed I am. I tip my hat to you.”

Singing the 1944 hit “Straighten Up and Fly Right,” Jacob concluded the first set of songs for the evening. Jacob was his usual entertaining and energetic self on stage. Jacob’s fun dance moves won over the enthused audience, forcing them to their feet. Zack told Canada, “This dude’s got a distinctive voice that transcends all generations. You’re a star.” Jake added, “One day they’ll be making Jacob Hoggard into a movie star.”

Theresa reappeared on stage for her second song, the 1931 hit “Dream A Little Dream of Me.” Once again her popular soulfulness and vocal ability stood out. Jake told her, “You’re shining right through. You look beautiful.” Making a small margin with his fingers, Zack said, “You need a really serious vocal coach. You’re this much short of being a really great singer.”

Performing “The Way You Look Tonight” from the 1936 academy-award winning film Swingtime, Kalan once again graced the stage. His sound was genuinely beautiful, and he looked calm and confident. Farley said a simple “well done,” and Zack agreed, saying, “It was smooth. I’d give you props for it.”

“It Had to Be You” was the next selection of the night by Jason. Jason let loose and appeared to be having a great deal of fun on stage, dancing and snapping and doing his thing. However, Zack wasn’t overly impressed, saying, “You don’t excite the house the way the other people do.” Jake said, “I don’t think that was your best performance. It took a while for you to get going, but you turned it into a good performance.”

Jacob chose “Unforgettable” for his final performance of the evening. The song peaked at number twelve in 1953 when performed by Nat King Cole and later went gold in 1991 for Cole’s daughter Natalie. Jacob pulled the audience into the song, showing his softer side as well as his unique character. Jake told Jacob, “That was fantastic. You really captured the sentiment of the song.” Farley added, “Your tone is uninhibited no matter what we put you through,” and Sass said, “Unforgettable.”

It requires a great deal of courage to take on the “Idol” challenge. The top competitors stand in front of the country each week and take criticism about their voices, their personalities, and even their clothing. They face the reality of a steep competition ahead of them and still remain focused. They bear their souls to all of Canada, and pray for acceptance in return. This Thursday, one more talented young singer must leave the competition with only memories.

Caroline will have a complete recap of Thursday’s results show. Who will be the final 3? Come back Friday morning.






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