Last night, twelve singers gave it their all to fight for the public’s vote and the second group of twelve will do the same tonight.
Jesse Cottam is the first to perform with “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol. The arrangement is what it would sound like if The Bravery did a cover version of the song. His vocals are shaky throughout most of the song. “You chose the wrong song. That song has nothing to do with the way you sing or your pipes. I don’t know what to say except for next,” says Zach.
And next is Mark Day, singing “Alone” by Heart. The performance is rather dull and his vocals are not good enough to carry off the Ann and Nancy Wilson classic. “I thought it was a good song choice. It got a little shaky near the end. You hit the right notes,” says Jake.
Jessica Sheppard is up next and we’re reminded once again that she did not make it into the top 24 last year. .” Jessica sings “Get Here” by Oleta Adams. She has one of the strongest voices in the competition and an underdog quality working for her, but the performance lacks raw emotion and fails to do Oleta justice. “It felt like you were holding back a bit,” says Zach.
Shaun Francisco sings “Yellow” by Coldplay. He appears to be nervous and as Jake said in his first audition, he is not interesting. The performance is not engaging. “I’ll give you a B+ on the cool factor. There wasn’t just a whole lot of singing going on there,” says Zach. “I like how you played with the band. It felt like this was your band,” says Jake.
Lindsay Robins sings “River Deep Mountain High” by Tina Turner. Her performance is like Avril Lavigne in her “Complicated” days attempting a Tina Turner song, complete with Converse shoes and plaid pants. “Some of the chorus parts were a little screechy. I think you’ve got a great vibe going on,” says Jake. “There’s more energy in you then you’re letting out. Maybe it’s a song thing but in the meantime, I still thought it was pretty good,” says Sass.
Omar Lunan is up next with “Every Breath You Take.” Omar’s brother was killed last December, so no doubt this song is in honour of him. The arrangement is awful and his performance shows that he’s more destined for local gigs than national superstardom. “Wow. That was transcendent. That was really good,” says Sass. “I think your performance will speak for itself. It’s going to be an interesting vote to see if people love you or not,” says Zach.
In the worst song choice of the night, Marie-Pierre Bellerose sings “You Know I’m No Good” by Amy Winehouse. Amy should be hands off for the Canadian Idol contestants. Marie-Pierre is no Amy. “I just thought it was a little too safe. When Amy sings that song, you really feel her singing it. I think you have a little more edge if you’re going to sing that song,” says Jake. “With a singer like Amy Winehouse, who is so very distinctive, the second you sing something she sings, it’s hard not to do a comparison,” says Sass.
The younger Pigott brother, Sebastien, is up next with “Dark Horse” by Amanda Marshall. His vocals are weak but his charisma carries the performance. It is nothing to write home about. “You use your inability to sing as a complete virtue. Potentially the weakest singer here, it was by far the best performance of the night,” says Zach. “You’re a movie star,” says Farley.
Theo Tams sings and plays the piano to Timbaland and OneRepublic’s “Apologize.” Another modern song that draws comparison to the original, his vocals lack substance. “Probably of the 21 performances we’ve seen so far, the best thing we’ve seen,” says Jake. “It wasn’t note perfect but as far as the competition is concerned, Canadian Idol starts now,” says Zach, making Theo an early favourite.
Amberly Thiessen performs barefoot to “What Am I To You” by Norah Jones. We find out from her pre-performance clip she grew up sheltered in a Mennonite home and does not know a lot about music. Her performance is subtle and vulnerable, which pleases the judges. “That was really beautiful. I think you picked the perfect song,” says Sass. “That was awesome. You could go down as one of the great discoveries we’ve had on this program” says Zach.
Adam Castelli sings “Mess Around” by Ray Charles. The performance is frantic and the judges appreciate Adam’s style. “You stayed true to your blue collar roots. It felt like I was watching your show with your band,” says Jake. “You’re one of the reasons why the show is super exciting this year and I think I would even watch it,” adds Sass.
Last to perform is Katelyn Dawn, singing “Hallelujah.” And unfortunately, they didn’t save the best for last. She appears nervous and the performance is rather forgettable. “There was some pitch issues. You sounded really nervous. I don’t think you should be singing that song,” says Jake.
And in another Idol first, instead of the usual results show where the eliminations are dragged out, the top 24 will perform in an intimate showcase live before learning who will be eliminated, in an effort for more music and less talk. The first results show of the season is tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. EST on CTV.
