I have given Matt Rapley a hard time during the competition, because while he might be the best singer, I have felt that his performances have been lacking. I was surprised to learn that he actually agreed when I talked to him and I really believe that he has stepped up his game in the last couple of weeks. I enjoyed talking to him on Sunday, as I went behind-the-scenes at the Canadian Idol rehearsal before Monday’s show.
Murtz Jaffer: Ready to rock?
Matt Rapley: Sure, why not?
MJ: You have obviously had an interesting ride on Canadian Idol. While the judges consistently have told you that you probably have the best voice in the competition, they constantly ride you to be more of a performer. For a show that’s about singing, do you find that they put too much of an emphasis on the singing?
MR: No, actually don’t. I actually agree with the judges because as much as the show is a singing competition, it’s for a marketable person. So you have to be able to sing and move around and engage the audience so when they say that I need to perform more, I definitely agree with them 100 percent.
MJ: In that regard, I think that what a lot of people don’t get to see is all these great people behind-the-scenes that help you with every performance. There’s obviously Byrd who helps with the actual singing, JD who helps with the staging, and Orin who helps with the arrangement. How important are they in terms of everybody’s performances on Monday?
MR: Well, Byrd and everybody else, backstage crew, everybody we work with, they’re an unbelievable team. Without them, we for one would not be here. We wouldn’t look as good as we do, we wouldn’t sound as good as we do because Bird is like a world-renowned voice person, so it’s great that we get to be able to work with her. Orin and them are like the best of the best players so that’s unreal. So we just have an amazing sound crew, an amazing lighting and it’s just an amazing experience.
MJ: For most of the Idols this is true, but especially in your case, you have gotten better as the competition has gone along. Obviously everybody remembers “Whipping Post.” I think they are going to be calling you “Whipping Post” from now on. Do you find that you have improved as the competition has gone on?
MR: Oh yes, for sure. Originally, I didn’t perform as well as everyone else. So it was always a real struggle for me to get out there and do what I do. So I always had to work and work and work and then eventually I came out and did “Whipping Post” and then I regressed a little into “Ain’t No Sunshine.” But then I was like you know what? ‘Matthew, if you want to stay in this competition, you have to really stay.’ Cause what Zack was talking about, about how I have talent and how I really have to bring it out there… so I plan on just continuing to work and do my best.
MJ: Can you tell me more about the behind-the-scenes process? For example when you do you decide that this is the song you are singing this week? Tell me more about how you practice before the performance show.
MR: Behind-the-scenes, we get to pick our own songs. We just have to make sure that they are cleared and everything. So after we pick the songs, we just have to work on our songs with the band and with Bird and it’s a very enjoyable process because it’s not like they are not nice. They are very calm. They will work with you if you have a problem because even though they are so high-up, they know that they have to take their time with us. So they take their time and they are just good people.
MJ: Can you walk me through what happens from one performance show to the next? After the results, do you get the next song, then the listening party and then just practice up until Monday?
MR: It’s an interesting process. Things are never really the same. It changes. We get a little practice time. We get maybe an interview here and there. A little confidential thing that you guys will see on the show. A little eating the food or whatever. That’s basically what we do in between the weeks.
MJ: How do you practice each song? Obviously by this point, everybody who sings knows all the words. Do you have a regimen that you do? Do you memorize the lyrics or do you listen to the song over and over? What works for you?
MR: For me, I try to learn the song as a whole and then when I was Bird, when there would be certain parts that aren’t as good, what she would do is she would say ‘you need to take it piece by piece.’ So that’s what I do. Me, I don’t normally listen to a lot of songs outside of Idol, so I often had to sit down and learn the song slowly because I didn’t know that many songs. So that’s basically what I do. I just put on my headphones and put on the instrumental track and learn the lyrics to the music.
MJ: On performance day, what happens? Do you just come over here (Bassett theatre) and start prepping? Walk me through the day of the performance.
MR: The day of the performance is basically us getting here and walking around. Just relax a little to get ready and get into the zone I guess. Then when you go upstairs, then we go and do a little meeting or whatever we do and we start our sound checks and our dress rehearsals and that’s basically it. Then before the show, we do our last-minute run-through. Last minute critiques and just making sure everything is perfect for the show.
MJ: So when you meet with all the guest stars.. like the guys from Queen, Rihanna, and Enrique… when do they come in? It’s obviously after you know what you are singing that week.
MR: Well they obviously are in the music industry or have been in the music industry (like in Queen’s case), so they know how things should sound and how things should work. So obviously it’s like second-nature for them and that’s why we will meet with them later on in the process. It would be kind of pointless for us to be just starting and them to have to work with us the whole entire time.
MJ: Exactly.
MR: So we work with our song, learn our song, learn our lyrics, learn what we are going to do and then we go and just sing it for them. Then they are like ‘okay, just here… maybe change that note or slow down here.’ So basically meeting with them is an opportunity to meet a real live artist and get a few tips here and there and at the same time, just to get the extra little bit of help.
MJ: How do the group performances work that we see on the live shows? When do you start prepping for those?
MR: The group rehearsals, we start prepping on… actually to be honest with you it’s all over. Whenever they give it to us, that’s when we learn it.
MJ: Do you all practice at the same time?
MR: Well, at first we all obviously have our own parts so we go and make sure and get our parts down pat first and then we go and put it all together like piecing together a puzzle.
MJ: I know I told you earlier that everyone’s like “Whipping Post” “Whipping Post” but I wanted to ask you what your favorite performance has been this season?
MR: Well again, it’s been me doing “Whipping Post!” (Laughs).
MJ: Even for you huh?
MR: Oh yeah.
MJ: Do you think you will win this competition?
MR: I think I have the potential to win. I think we all have the potential to win this competition. Obviously we all would not be here if we couldn’t sing or we couldn’t perform. So there’s a possibility that I could win because you know, I can sing. If I go up there and do perform, I can perform. At the same time, so can Dwight, Tara, Brian, Carly and Jaydee. Everyone else can do the exact same thing as me. Maybe not the exact same style but they could also do the exact same thing. So I could win it, but at the same time… so could they.
MJ: So how do you differ from everybody else. What’s the Matt Rapley style?
MR: The Matt Rapley style… the only real difference I would say for me is that my style is more gospel R & B you know? And then everyone else will have their own style. Dwight may be rock. Tara may be country. That’s basically the only real difference between us but the thing is we still get along and we are all still friends and everything.
MJ: That’s perfect, thank you so much.
MR: Thanks!
