By now, you all know who Jaydee Bixby is. And while he was the runner up on the 2007 edition of Canadian Idol, he was undoubtedly one of my favorite contestants this season. I had a pretty good rapport with Drumheller’s darling from the first time I met him and this was my favorite conversation with him so far as I am sure I will be speaking to him again.
Murtz Jaffer: Hey Jaydee, how are you?
Jaydee Bixby: Good man, how are you?
MJ: Good, good. You ready to get started?
JB: Well, first off, I just gotta ask you where do you go shopping man? I loved that suit you were wearing yesterday.
MJ: It’s a finale tradition. I have worn it at every single Canadian Idol finale.
JB: Are you serious?
MJ: Yeah, every single one! And it’s funny because I don’t know if you know this, but you know when you were in the media conference room?
JB: Yeah.
MJ: After the show, did you notice that all the chairs in there were purple so I kind of matched the suit to the chairs!
JB: Has it been like that every year?
MJ: Every year! (Laughs).
JB: Hey man. Awesome.
MJ: I want to start by asking you about Monday. A lot of people seemed to think that nerves got to you. Were you happy with how you performed?
JB: I went out there, did my best. It just really depends on what the judges were looking for. No matter what, I just felt confident that I went out there and did my best and I know people back home are proud of me. It was so good to see my family in the audience. I didn’t leave on a negative note. It was the last show. I had a blast man.
MJ: So you were happy on Monday right? You thought you performed well? You were happy despite what everybody else said?
JB: Man, I was just happy to be on first of all Canadian Idol. Second of all, I am just happy to be in the top two. You know as well as I know, it could have been any of the Top 10 in the Top 2 right? I just feel blessed that I was able to be a part of the Top 2 finale show and you know? How’d you like our duet that Brian and I did?
MJ: Yeah, that was funny. Usually they don’t do them like that. Usually both are singing at the same time but they really took advantage of one being rock and one being country.
JB: That’s what they were looking. We did this whole… like we had to pretend to be rivals and when we were doing dress rehearsal, we would get in each other’s faces… we’d both break out laughing! I was worried about that, that we were going to break out and start laughing but it turned out we didn’t. And I haven’t seen it yet. Have you seen it back yet?
MJ: Yeah. It looked pretty funny. It looked like a boxing match, like they’re trying to hype a boxing match.
JB: They wanted that kind of feeling. It was cool.
MJ: When Ben did say that Brian had won, you almost seemed like you knew. Did you have a feeling that Brian was going to win?
JB: I was prepared to hear “Brian Melo” just as much as I was prepared to hear “Jaydee Bixby.” You know how close it was. You heard that it was 2 percent. For me, Brian and I being in the finale, we broke the record for the most votes ever. For me, that is an accomplishment all on its own and I couldn’t be happier that I was able to be part of the new record.
MJ: On Monday, Brian picked songs that people kind of thought looked like the choices of the Canadian Idol. For his pick, he sang “Hallelujah” and you picked “It’s Not Unusual.” Would you change anything that you did?
JB: I don’t think I would. I went into it and I just sang my heart. I wouldn’t change a thing. I guess if I would have changed one thing, I would have put a sock in there?
MJ: (Obviously confused!) A sock where?
JB: Where Tom Jones puts a sock.
MJ: Too funny. How was it decided that Brian would perform second?
JB: I have no idea. It just turned out that way. Apparently they flipped a coin or something but we’re not around for the coin flip. They do it when we’re not around.
MJ: You have pretty much dominated the competition since the very beginning. You were the only guy who never made it into the bottom three and Brian made it there 3 times. Do you think Drumheller was still behind you because obviously they were, I guess it was just that it was too close to call.
JB: You know the whole if you vote too much… when the whole town votes, all the lines get jammed up. It’s just like everybody in Toronto trying to leave Toronto at the exact same time in their vehicles. Only a certain amount of vehicles are going to get out and start going freely on the highway. The rest are going to take a long time to get through.
MJ: That’s actually a really really good way of looking at it. I like that. The judges rode you pretty hard on Monday. Do you think that they were pushing Canada to vote for Brian?
JB: The finale song just wasn’t for me. I am very happy that Brian won. Second, you know just as well as I do that there is always room. People in second are sometimes are just as much of a success, if not more. Like look at Jacob Hoggard. I am happy. I am going to be able to go my full country because for BMG, they have all the songs written and stuff. It’s going to be good that I can have my own material. I have enough life experience during this competition with emotions and feelings that I am definitely going to be able to put them into any kind of lyrics that I want to write.
MJ: You know, I am going to give them one suggestion for next year. Do you want to know what it is?
JB: What?
MJ: I want them to do a country week because I think that you really had to adapt yourself to Standards Week, Pop/Rock Week but how funny would it have been if we got to see like Dwight and Brian do a Country Week.
JB: It would have been nice to go out in my element but either way, they could have done good… you never know. I can’t see him singing ‘There’s A Tear In My Beer’ by Hank Williams…
MJ: (Laughs).
JB: It’d be interesting, that’s for sure.
MJ: I am sure that you are going to release an album now and I will be one of the first in line to buy it. Can you tell me if you have already started thinking about songs that you want to include?
JB: Absolutely. I already got a producer in Nashville. I’ll tell you this right now. I got a producer in Nashville, (this was before I was in the competition). And now, he’s ready to go full steam ahead right now because we want to get it out while I am still fresh, while people still know who I am. This is a crucial part of time right here so I am going to be doing my schoolwork and everything all in one big thing. So it’s going to be crazy!
MJ: Now the last question I had for you is how excited are you about the tour with Brian and Carly? It’s a pretty big compliment because it has never happened before on Idol.
JB: They have never done that before and it’s great that they can have the Top 3 together, it’s going to be good to be able to hang out with them for a little longer.
MJ: Do you know when the tour is going to start?
JB: We don’t have a start date yet, but keep your eyes peeled. I am pretty sure you are on the CTV website every now and then. You’re going to keep your eyes open. There will definitely be… what’s that word called? Updates on it. They will definitely be advertising it on the website.
MJ: What’s next for you?
JB: We’re able to go back for a little while. I am going to the lake man. I am going to the lake, I am relaxing. I just did a live feed with CTV Calgary and I asked them what the weather was like in my lake area and they said, it’s sunny and 22. Beautiful. So I am ready. I got my boat license. I am going scuba-diving and wakeboarding. I am going to jump off the rocks. I am going to pack the entire summer that I missed into a weekend. We’re actually coming out to do a police show on the 22nd so that’s going to be really cool.
MJ: Very cool. Well, it was fantastic getting to talk to you this summer.
JB: Hey Murtz, being able to have you come and interview us, it feels like I know you now. If ever you see me or I see you, we’ll definitely keep in contact.
MJ: For sure.
JB: You’re a cool guy and I just gotta say, thank you for all the positive support you put towards me. You know? You have been so kind and so gracious and nice. You don’t know much I appreciate that.
MJ: I was a big Jaydee fan. You know I was a big Jaydee fan.
JB: Thanks man. What do you mean ‘was’ a Jaydee fan.
MJ: (Laughs).
JB: Not a Jaydee fan because I have been eliminated now?
MJ: (Laughs). Honestly Jaydee? I am going to tell you this. I have interviewed thousands of people and I will tell you that I think you are one of the bet interviews of all-time. I just think you are an interviewer’s dream.
JB: Thanks buddy.
MJ: Alright Jaydee.
JB: When I turn 19, I am going to come up here and you can show me all the nice spots to go to.
MJ: Man, you gotta come (when you’re 19), come for my party. Ask the CTV publicist about my party every August.
JB: The Murtzfest?
MJ: Yeah man.
JB: When I am 19, I am going to come on up and we’re going to have one mess of a time.
MJ: Sounds awesome. Thanks Jaydee.
JB: Thank you man. Have a good one.
MJ: Peace.
JB: Okay, bye.
