The sixth and final season of Canadian Idol is the sixth and final installation of the Idol series in Canada and premiered on June 3, 2008, on the CTV Television Network. It is again hosted by Ben Mulroney, with the addition of Jully Black as a special correspondent and general mentor to the contestants. Farley Flex, Jake Gold, Sass Jordan and Zack Werner all returned as judges. This season saw a number of major and minor show format changes in an effort to keep the franchise fresh and innovative. The final episode of the season, in which the Canadian Idol was crowned, aired on September 10, 2008. The winner of the sixth season was Theo Tams. The sixth season became the final season of Canadian Idol following its cancellation in 2009.
Auditions Auditions were held in the following cities: Edmonton, Alberta ( January 26–27): 1,000 Auditioned – 13 Received Gold Calgary, Alberta ( February 2–3): 1,000 Auditioned – 19 Received Gold Vancouver, British Columbia ( February 9–10): 1,000 Auditioned – 21 Received Gold Winnipeg, Manitoba ( February 22–23): 700 Auditioned – 24 Received Gold Hamilton, Ontario ( March 1–2): 1,000 Auditioned – 27 Received Gold Ottawa, Ontario ( March 8–9): 660 Auditioned – 20 Received Gold Montreal, Quebec ( March 15–16): 1,000 Auditioned – 27 Received Gold Halifax, Nova Scotia ( March 29–30): 450 Auditioned – 10 Received Gold St. John's, Newfoundland (April 8): 200 Auditioned – 6 Received Gold Toronto, Ontario ( April 12–13): 2,000 Auditioned – 34 Received Gold
Total Auditions: 9,010 Total Gold Tickets: 201
Show Format Changes This year of Canadian Idol had a number of changes and surprises to the usual show format.
Jully Black joined the cast of Canadian Idol as the new correspondent and mentor. As introduced last season, competitors are allowed to play instruments in their auditions and performances. "Last Chance" Online Auditions were introduced to allow competitors who could not make it to an audition city/date, or who did not receive a gold ticket for their in-person audition, to submit a two-minute audition video on the Canadian Idol website (idol.ctv.ca) for consideration. This season, apparently due to the increase in extremely talented contestants, the number of semi-finalist was increased by 2, producing a Top 24. Also for the first time, the chosen semi-finalists were not evenly split between male and female performers: 15 men and 9 women made up the Top 24. Due to the uneven number of men and women, the performance groups during the semi-final rounds were also not being split according to gender. Additionally, during the semi-final elimination rounds the composition of the two performance groups varied from week to week; thus, unlike in previous years, a performer did not always compete against the same sub-group of semifinalists, or on the same performance night. Because of the increase in the total number of semi-finalist (24, instead of 22), the last week of semifinals saw 6 competitors (instead of the usual 4) eliminated in order to have a Top 10. Elimination song changed to "When I'm Gone" by Simple Plan.
Broadcast Schedule The sixth season of Canadian Idol premiered on June 3, 2008. Highlights from the initial auditions held across Canada, and the elimination rounds of "Toronto Week" (Top 200), were aired in 5 one-hour episodes over 3 weeks: Episode 1 (2008-06-03): Auditions held in Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton Episode 2 (2008-06-09): Auditions held in Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg Episode 3 (2008-06-10): Auditions held in Hamilton, Ottawa, St. Johns, Halifax Episode 4 (2008-06-16): Top 200 (day 1 & 2) Initial solo performances and group performances Episode 5 (2008-06-17): Top 200 (day 3) Final solo performances; selection of Top 24 announced
The semifinals (episodes 6–14) began airing June 23 and consisted of 3 weeks of eliminations, resulting in the selection of the final Top 10 contestants. In each of the 3 semifinal weeks, the contestants were split into two groups, one group performing each evening (aired Mondays and Tuesdays); and the results of the public voting are announced on Wednesday evening. The Top 10 was revealed on July 9 (the results show of the last semifinal elimination week).
The finals (episodes 15–32) began airing on July 14, 2008. Performances aired on Monday evenings and the results of the public voting were announced the following evening. Encore presentations of episodes are also broadcast on the now CTV-owned MuchMoreMusic on Thursday nights. The season finale aired September 10, 2008.
Contestants For this season, there was an unexpected format change. Because of the quality of some of the male singers, the producers and the judges decided to make a Top 24 containing the best singers, based on talent not gender. The semifinalists performed for three weeks in mixed-groups, meaning that eliminations were made regardless of gender, until the Top 10 was determined on July 9, 2008.
From a Top 24 composed of 15 males and 9 females (as selected by the judges), the Canada-wide voting during the 3 semifinal elimination rounds produced a final Top 10 comprising 8 male and 2 female contestants.
Top 10 Finalists
Theo Tams, 23, Lethbridge, AB, Student - WINNER, Canadian Idol, Season 6 Mitch MacDonald, 22, Port Hood, NS, Carpenter, Musician (Runner-up, 2008-09-10) Drew Wright, 28, Collingwood, ON, Musician, House Painter (Eliminated 2008-09-02) Earl Stevenson, 23, Lloydminster, AB, Swamper for a Backhoe Operator (Eliminated 2008-08-26) Mookie Morris, 18, Toronto, ON, Musician (Eliminated 2008-08-19) Amberly Thiessen, 19, Seven Persons, AB, Student (Eliminated 2008-08-12) Mark Day, 20, Portugal Cove, NL, Student, Respite Care Worker (Eliminated 2008-08-05) Sebastian Pigott, 25, Toronto, ON, Actor, Writer (Eliminated 2008-07-29) Katherine St-Laurent, 17, Otterburn Park, QC, Student (Eliminated 2008-07-22) Adam Castelli, 26, Hamilton, ON, Carpenter, Singer/Songwriter (Eliminated 2008-07-15)
Semifinalists Eliminated 2008-07-09 from the Top 16: Marie-Pierre Bellerose, 25, Quebec City, QC, Bartender Katelyn Dawn, 19, Winnipeg, MB, Singer/Songwriter Martin Kerr, 25, Edmonton, AB, Independent Singer/Songwriter Omar Lunan, 29, Scarborough, ON, Registered Massage Therapist Gary Morissette, 21, Fruitvale, BC, Musician, Construction Worker Oliver Pigott, 27, Toronto, ON, Singer/Songwriter Eliminated 2008-07-02 from the Top 20: Lisa Bell, 27, Winnipeg, MB, Coffee Shop Manager Paul Clifford, 26, Port Moody, BC, Bartender Jesse Cottam, 23, Calgary, AB, Music Teacher, Musician Jessica Sheppard, 22, Toronto, ON, Visual Manager Eliminated 2008-06-25 from the Top 24: Lindsay Barr, 26, Halifax, NS, Singer, Writer, Art Student Shaun Francisco, 25, Vancouver, BC, Coffee Shop Barista Tetiana Ostapowych, 25, Toronto, ON, Session Singer/Songwriter/Server Lindsay Robins, 21, Montreal, QC, Singer/Songwriter
Regional Representation The breakdown of the Top 24 and Top 10 according to the contestants' home province (provincial region), is as follows:
Region Top 24 Top 10 BC 3 – Prairies 7 3 Ontario 8 4 Quebec 3 1 Atlantic 3 2
Canadian Idol announced the regional representation of the Top 10 using different regional divisions than was used for the Top 24, as follows: West: 3 East: 5 Atlantic: 2
The Semifinals (Top 24) The semifinals consisted of three weeks of elimination rounds to reduce the Top 24 contestants (as chosen by the judges) to the final Top 10 (as decided by public vote). This was the first round in which eliminations are the result of public voting. Performances take place in a more intimate venue with a smaller stage and audience than the finals. Multiple contestants are eliminated each week.
This season, the semifinals saw a number of format changes: from the number of contestants (24, instead of 22), and an uneven gender composition (more males than females), to the performance group division (not by gender), and variation of group composition (changed from week to week). The semifinals results shows also saw some 'surprise' (unannounced) changes, including special 'showcase' performances and judge-selected 'encore' performances, and a variation in the number of contestants eliminated (6, instead of 4, in the final week).
Top 24 week Performances: Group 1 (2008-06-23) Lindsay Barr – "Burning Love" (Elvis Presley) Martin Kerr – "Lost Together" (Blue Rodeo) Gary Morisette – "Good Golly, Miss Molly" (Little Richard) Tetiana Ostapowych – "Feelings" Mitch MacDonald – "Follow Through" (Gavin DeGraw) Paul Clifford – "Broken" (Seether) Earl Stevenson – "All Along the Watchtower" (Bob Dylan) Lisa Bell – "Long Train Running" (The Doobie Brothers) Mookie Morris – "Twist and Shout" (The Beatles) Drew Wright – "Under Pressure" (Queen & David Bowie) Oliver Pigott – "I Hear You Knockin' (But You Can't Come In)" Katherine St-Laurent – "Total Eclipse of the Heart" (Bonnie Tyler) Group 2 (2008-06-24) Jesse Cottam – "Rebel Yell" (Billy Idol) Mark Day – "Alone" (Heart) Jessica Sheppard – "Get Here" (Oleta Adams) Shaun Francisco – "Yellow" (Coldplay) Lindsay Robins – "River Deep, Mountain High" (Ike & Tina Turner) Omar Lunan – "Every Breath You Take" (The Police) Marie-Pierre Bellerose – "You Know I'm No Good" (Amy Winehouse) Sebastian Pigott – "Dark Horse" Theo Tams – "Apologize" (Timbaland & OneRepublic) Amberly Thiessen – "What Am I to You?" Adam Castelli – "Mess Around" Katelyn Dawn – "Hallelujah" (Leonard Cohen)
Results (2008-06-25):
The first 4 contestants eliminated from the Top 24 were (in order announced):
Group 1: Tetiana Ostapowych Lindsay Barr Group 2: Lindsay Robins Shaun Francisco
(There was no bottom 3 announced for each group.)
The first results show departed from the traditional format to present a "showcase performance" from the Top 24, prior to announcing the voting results. The Top 24 performed the following songs, in groups of two to four, as follows:
"Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" (Creedence Clearwater Revival) – Lindsay Robins, Paul Clifford, Shaun Francisco, Martin Kerr "In the Midnight Hour" (Wilson Pickett) – Adam Castelli, Lindsay Barr "Old Time Rock and Roll" (Bob Seger) – Mookie Morris, Earl Stevenson, Mark Day, Jessica Sheppard "Yellow" – Mitch MacDonald, Amberly Thiessen, Jesse Cottam, Katelyn Dawn "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" – Drew Wright, Omar Lunan, Gary Morisette "Fly Like an Eagle" – Tetiana Ostapowych, Oliver Pigott, Sebastian Pigott "Imagine" – Theo Tams, Lisa Bell, Marie-Pierre Bellerose, Katherine St-Laurent
Top 20 week Performances: Group 1 (2008-06-30) Mark Day – "In Love with a Girl" Paul Clifford – "Apparitions" Drew Wright – "The Grace" Marie-Pierre Bellerose – "Beautiful Goodbye" Mookie Morris – "Naïve- The Kooks" Sebastian Pigott – "Daydream" (The Lovin' Spoonful) Martin Kerr – "In Your Eyes" (Peter Gabriel) Lisa Bell – "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" (Otis Redding) Gary Morisette – "Mr. Bojangles" Amberly Thiessen – "Everything I Own" Group 2 (2008-07-01) Adam Castelli – "Gone till November" Jessica Sheppard – "Umbrella" (Rihanna) Jesse Cottam – "Iris" (Goo Goo Dolls) Theo Tams – "Collide" (Howie Day) Katelyn Dawn – "She Talks to Angels" (The Black Crowes) Mitch MacDonald – "I'm Yours" (Jason Mraz) Katherine St-Laurent – "The First Cut Is the Deepest" (Sheryl Crow) Omar Lunan – "Ain't No Sunshine" (Bill Withers) Earl Stevenson – "Something to Talk About" (Bonnie Raitt) Oliver Pigott – "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"
Results (2008-07-02):
The bottom 3 contestants from each performance night were:
Group 1: Marie-Pierre Bellerose Paul Clifford – Eliminated Lisa Bell – Eliminated Group 2: Adam Castelli Jesse Cottam – Eliminated Jessica Sheppard – Eliminated