After 12,000 auditions, 22 semi-finalists, seven theme weeks, and a montage set to Europe’s “The Final Countdown” (which just isn’t the same without seeing GOB attempting a magic trick during it), we’re down to two singers. You must decide who is your Canadian Idol
Opening Credits
It’s time for the final performance show! Ben Mulroney lets us know that Eva and Craig are facing off in the finals. We’ll find out who wins on Sunday, when the Top Ten, Nelly Furtado AND Melissa O’Neil perform for us. Hey, that’s leading into The Amazing Race! Sweet.
Here are YOUR Canadian Idol finalists, Craig and Eva! Ben does some banter with them, and now here are the judges who choose Jake Gold, Sass Jordan, Farley Flex and Zack Werner.
Question/mic check time
Flex – Three songs each, what more can Canada ask for?
Zack – After tonight, it is what it is.
Jake – She’ll (Eva) will win the whole thing.
Sass – I think that both of the competitors need to give themselves a pat on the back.
Ben plugs Sass’ new album, and everyone in the audience gets a copy!
And since we have only six songs tonight, let’s add some quick filler about the “Hit Single”, written by Chantal Kreviazuk, Raine Maida (of Our Lady Peace) and Gabby Moreno.
Now singing “Meant To Fly”, it’s Craig Sharpe.
Jake – Last week, I went up to and said “you better bring it next week, otherwise you’re gonna go home”. Without a doubt, your best performance.
Sass – Wow! Unbelievably great.
Flex – To step up at this point in time shows that you’re a man to be respected.
Zack – I only got this to say… (goes up and hugs Craig)
You can really tell the Kreviazuk influence on the song, with the minor chords and notes. Which begs the question – why does Craig still sound flat? I would say that the song is not as good as “Alive”, and not as instantaneously memorable as “Pretty Vegas” (still the best original song to come out of one of these competitions) but it kills every single original song from American Idol. Speaking of killing, Craig didn’t – although performance-wise I thought he was great (except for trying to get the audience to sing along. This isn’t exactly an “uh-oh uh-oh oh oh” song)- and that may have left the door open for Eva this round. 6.5/10
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Anchorwoman Pamela Wallin’s in the house!
Eva Avila got to exercise her choice of song choice this round, and she’s singing Natasha Bedingfield’s “Wild Horses”.
Sass – You are an international-caliber artist, and you are the jewel in the Canadian Idol crown.
Flex – It was incredibly mature, it was incredibly Eva. That was so well done.
Zack – I’m not so sure how brilliant a choice that was. It was really cool but you haven’t won a Grammy yet, hon.
Jake – The good thing about that choice of song is I think you’re letting in a little peek of what kind of artist you’ll be.
That’s quite a risk Eva took, singing a song that people are unfamiliar with in Canada. But considering Craig also sang an unfamiliar song, it’s a good risk. Especially since Eva chose a song that is absolutely perfect for her to show her vulnerability and power. It’s early, but Craig lost this round. 8.5/10
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It’s now time for Craig Sharpe‘s choice, and he’s singing Celine Dion’s “I Surrender”.
Flex – There’s nothing final about tonight. Fantastic performance.
Zack – You’re the Freddie Mercury of Canada.
Jake – It was very brave to do that song. At times I thought the band maybe overpowered you a bit but it was a good performance.
Sass – You broke out of your shell Craig, God bless you.
Craig also chose an unfamiliar song by a familiar artist. The problem is that the song isn’t in the right range for Craig’s high tenor voice – he’s singing it in a rather low register, which makes his glory note in the middle sound rather unimpressive. I really felt that he didn’t really kick things into gear until the end, and for the finale, it was just a poor choice of song. I surrender, indeed. 5/10
Eva’s version of the hit single comes up after the
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Michael Lansberg is here! Why hasn’t ESPN created their own version of this show yet and canned the moronic PTI, Around the Horn etc.?
Chantal Kreviazuk is back to talk about the “Hit Single”.
Now singing her version of “Meant to Fly” is Eva Avila.
Zack – The fact is, I thought the first half you didn’t show off all your colours, but when you hit the stratosphere in the second half, there is no other singer that is Eva Avila.
Jake – Interesting take on the song. I’d love to hear the recorded version of that song.
Sass – It sounded to me like you even had a hand in writing that song. It was your song, you were a goddess.
Flex – You’re a songwriter’s dream.
Remarkable difference between Eva and Craig’s version – Eva’s using less minor notes, and she sounds, you know, ON KEY. She adds some soul into the song, and incorporates the guitars more. Quite simply, it’s flat out better than Craig’s song, and really, the final performances don’t matter. Your Canadian Idol is Eva Avila. 8/10
Ben is saying all the right words about the finals being too close to call, but if Canada knows what they’re doing this is already over.
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Craig Sharpe is now a dead man walking, but he’s back for his final performance, reprising his favourite song from this season – “What Hurts the Most” by Rascal Flatts.
Jake – I thought that performance was not the best performance you gave tonight, but you did a great version.
Sass – The first time I saw you in Newfoundland, I thought you were a star and that opinion has not changed.
Flex – Good job.
Zack – I don’t think you killed that. The fact is you’ve chosen that to be your defining moment.
Good choice by Craig, since the first time he sang the song, it was with a piano only. But I wonder if the competitors can see each other sing, because Craig should’ve known that he was way behind at this point, and with so much at stake, he could’ve let it all out with this performance. But what we got was a pedestrian performance from Craig, and it’s not nearly enough to sway the voters. 5/10
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Eva Avila has the final performance of the night, and is singing “How Come U Don’t Call Me” by Alicia Keys again.
Sass – Not only are you an impeccable singer, but you have impeccable instincts.
Flex – You ripped it.
Zack – As far as I’m concerned Clive Davis should come down and kiss her Canadian (slaps his ass).
Jake – I can’t agree more. Great choice of song. They (the background singers) know how good you are.
Like there was any doubt at this point. 8.5/10
Now it’s time for the Name Brand Cereal recap and the voting window is open. Roll credits! And for the final time, I get to say, Hit it Rockapella!
