Last night on Canadian Idol, the competitors sang the standards. Smooth, savvy and downright sophisticated, the Idols brought flavour to this musical genre. The seven singers, clad in pin-striped suits and brimmed-hats, sang like never before with satiny tones and layered textures. The judges were full of praise, enjoying the playful performances of the contestants and classic tunes to which they paid tribute.

Suzi Rawn started off the show with a bang, singing “Minnie the Moocher.” She took charge of the stage and had the whole crowd singing along. Suzi once again impressed the judges who were full of smiles and compliments for this Kamloops rocker. Sass called the performance “absolutely fabulous.”

Aaron Walpole was second to sing with “I Can’t Believe That You’re in Love With Me.” He danced a lot, spinning in circles and tipping his hat in true standards style. Aaron accented his performance and got the audience excited with his theatrical voice and facial expressions. The judges loved the performance. Zack called it “fantastic,” and Farley applauded Aaron for “being who he is.” Even Sass liked it.

Melissa O’Neil sang “It’s Delovely.” She was flawless technically and great to watch. Melissa looked like she was having a great time, and her energy was certainly contagious. The judges showered her with praise. Jake thanked Melissa for her performance, saying each week she “embraces the idea” of the theme.

Fourth up was Josh Palmer, singing “When I Fall in Love.” When Josh sings, viewers are captivated by him. It is not his voice alone, but his approach to singing that is beautiful and unique in this competition. The judges were bursting with positive words. Zack told Josh that as he was watching the monitor, he felt “the happiest I’ve ever been to be on this show.”

Rex Goudie was next with “Feeling Good.” Rex was fantastic. He looked more comfortable than ever as he stepped out on stage, and his voice was surprisingly suited to the style of music. All of the judges were once again impressed and full of encouraging words for Rex. Jake said, “I think you sang better than you ever have on this show.”

Casey LeBlanc was the sixth contestant of the evening, singing “I Could Write a Book.” Casey looked pretty, but sounded mediocre as usual. While she had one beautiful moment of high notes, the rest of her singing sounded forced. Farley told her she wasn’t “stepping out there” and the rest of the judges had similar criticisms.

The last of the night was Daryl Brunt with “What a Wonderful World.” Daryl sounded fine but lacked the alluring style of some of the earlier contestants. Zack called the performance “tiny talent time” and Jake said it was the cheesiest performance he’d ever seen on the show.

The standards were easy to sing for some competitors and a struggle for others. I think Daryl or Casey should be eliminated this week because their performances were weak, and their abilities are simply below the other competitors. While both singers have potential, they lack the charisma and the talent to be this year’s Canadian Idol. Who will go home and who will stay to compete for this season’s title? Find out on Wednesday night’s results show!






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