The last time I talked to Brian Melo, he said that he felt that he could become the next Canadian Idol. A couple of weeks have passed, and now Brian Melo is the Canadian Idol. I got the chance to talk to him the day after he was announced as the winner and he told me about what kind of vibe he wants for his new record and how he felt that being in the bottom 3 on three separate occasions really helped him gain momentum (which carried him to the end of the show). It is an interesting read from a very interesting Idol.
Brian Melo: Murtz!
Murtz Jaffer: Hey, what’s up?
BM: What’s up.
MJ: Not too much, not too much.
BM: How you doin’?
MJ: Not too bad. Tired from yesterday!
BM: I know. I saw you cutting a rug man!
MJ: (Laughs).
BM: You were killing it!
MJ: (Laughs).
BM: I didn’t have the legs for it yesterday. I was too tired.
MJ: Yeah, but you had a lot more on your plate than I did. I had nothing to lose. I am sure the first question that you get is always how do you feel, but I am going to start by asking how you managed to beat a kid from Alberta which is where two previous winners came from?
BM: I don’t know man. I think… never underestimate the power of The Hammer. Hamilton really came together. They showed that when one of their own is representing well, that they’ll represent just as well. Seeing the scene at Hamilton Place yesterday was a remarkable, remarkable sight so I think that says it all. Hamilton and the rest of Canada just got behind me.
MJ: And I think you definitely manage to unite Ontario which I don’t think we have really seen since the first season. So do you really think that Ontario had a big role in the win?
BM: Oh, of course. Of course it did. Ontario, I think deserved another idol and I think the only way possible is if I represented them well and by doing that, is just being true to myself. I felt I did that well and that’s all I could ask for. They responded by having me be the next Canadian Idol, so I am very thankful.
MJ: I thought it was very classy of you to remember to thank Byrd last night after hearing that you had won. Did you plan on doing that beforehand or was it just spur of the moment?
BM: I did actually plan on doing that beforehand if I did get the opportunity because she is very deserving. I don’t think people really realize how much of an impact she has on us. She’s amazing. I mean I love her to death. She’s an angel in disguise and she just really takes care of you and there’s a certain aura about her that’s amazing. She always seems to say the right things and knows how to bring you back down to Earth. I mean I love her to death. That’s the least I could do.
MJ: Jaydee was never in the bottom three and I believe you were in the bottom 3 times. Do you think being there ended up helping you because it seemed like you kept gaining more and more momentum as the competition continued?
BM: Yeah. I feel it did. Especially from having the support of my peers. I mean a lot of them (when they started going home) started telling people were saying in their interviews that they wanted me to win. So I think a lot of their fans kind of shifted my way. I felt that kind of worked to my advantage too and I just had to hold up my end of the bargain and that was to perform on stage. Sometimes I did good. Sometimes I was a little shaky. But that just comes with the territory.
MJ: When I interviewed you before, you said that you could win and you ended up winning. Were you surprised at all, especially given how much you dominated on Monday?
BM: I was surprised but at the same time, I had a good feeling that it could happen. It’s not that I didn’t think Jaydee could win because I thought, it’s not like when I was on stage I was like ‘I am going to win for sure.’ It was never like that. I don’t know, I just felt like I gave it my all. I just felt through this whole competition that the stars were just lining up right for me and I just really felt it was my time but you don’t really know until your name is being called. Once Ben actually called my name, it was very satisfying.
MJ: How much of a factor was experience? Jaydee was known for amazing song choices throughout the competition, but on Monday… your songs just seemed like the picks of the winner. Did you know on Monday that you were the favorite to win?
BM: On Monday, no, not at all. What did they say? The voting, there was a 2% difference between the two of us?
MJ: That’s right.
BM: So I mean, I don’t think either of us was much of a favourite. I think on Monday, we really had to step up our game. I was more focused then, than I ever was. When I went on that stage, that whole process, I didn’t talk to anybody on the stage (which I usually do). I kept my head down. Got on the stage. I didn’t listen to the packs. I didn’t listen to the crowd. I just focused on the song and I had to make sure I just lost myself in the moment, each and every time and I really feel that leaving my heart on the stage is what got me that victory.
MJ: Who came up with the idea for you to perform on the red carpet, because I am sure that is not going to be the last red carpet that I will see you on?
BM: That was my idea.
MJ: I thought that was pretty badass.
BM: Thanks man. That was my idea. I don’t know. I just felt it was the right sort of vibe for the song and I thought it would make for a good visual. That was my idea and it worked out really well.
MJ: I know I asked you about this yesterday (at the press conference), but how pivotal was the show when Greg got eliminated because I think that show still sticks out as the moment of this season for me. I still can’t believe that you and Carly were also in the bottom that night.
BM: I know. Me too. To see Greg go home that night, I mean he’s like my best friend. The way I looked at it, was ‘that’s it.’ For awhile, you know, I am looking at Camera 3 and Camera 2 and then I am like ‘screw it.’ After this, I am going out there, I am going to kill it. I am going to give it my all and that’s it. I think ever since then, I started gaining some momentum. And a lot of fans from Greg, came my way when he left too and Greg was the first one to say ‘I want Melo to win’ so he was a big part of my success. I love the guy.
MJ: I love the new single which dropped today. Can you tell me more about it?
BM: I love the single and I really feel that it really catered to myself and someone like a Dwight d’Eon. It has that rocking vibe to it and it has all the right elements and the right pieces to a great song. Plus the lyrics relate to what I have gone through so I can lose myself in the song very easily. I am happy about the song and I’ll be happy to perform it for a very long time.
MJ: How excited are you for the tour with Jaydee and Carly? I am sure it must feel good, knowing that this is the first season that has happened?
BM: I can’t wait. I think it is going to be a fantastic experience. I honestly unfortunately haven’t had a chance to really see Canada as much as I would want to. I have never been down East, I have never been West or to the Prairies so it’s going to be great just to see the rest of the country. There’s so many beautiful places that I haven’t seen… it’s going to be great. It’s just our way of saying a big thank you to all of them.
MJ: Do you have any idea when the tour is going to start?
BM: They are saying around November sometime apparently.
MJ: And finally, when can we expect your album and what can we expect on it?
BM: Well, I don’t know. We are starting our songwriting camp this weekend and I am going to be working with some fantastic writers and I am going to have as much creative input as possible on this. We’re really going to try and take more of an artistic approach to this compared to maybe some other albums. And that’s pretty much it. I really want to keep that indie.rock.alt vibe and hopefully it’s going to be a little bit separate to some of the other albums that have come out of Idol.
MJ: Does it feel weird to say Brian Melo, Canadian Idol? How many times have you said it?
BM: (Laughs). Yeah, it’s a little weird but it has a nice ring to it so I think I could get used to it.
MJ: That’s awesome. Thank you so much.
BM: Alright Murtz, take it easy buddy.
MJ: Alright, we’ll talk soon.
BM: Alright
MJ: Bye bye.
BM: See ya.
