From a CTV media release:
- Kelly Clarkson Announced as Next Blockbuster Guest for Canadian Idol
- Next Week’s “We Will Rock You: The Music of Queen” Episodes Features the Legendary Brian May and Roger Taylor
Toronto’s Martha Joy is the next singer to be eliminated from Canadian Idol, leaving five males and two females in the competition. The 16-year-old student received the fewest votes following her performance of “True Colors” during Monday’s “Unplugged” show, which was the most-watched Top 10 episode this season with over 1.55 million total viewers. Over 2.8 million votes were recorded Monday, up more than 10 per cent compared to the same episode last year.
CTV also announced tonight that North America’s first Idol, Kelly Clarkson, is the next to join Canadian Idol’s blockbuster guest line-up when she joins the Top 5 competitors for the “My Own Idol” themed episodes on August 20-21. Clarkson will mentor the Top 5 as they rehearse songs originally sung by their musical heroes to be performed August 20, and then takes to the Canadian Idol stage herself to perform on the results show on August 21. The announcement comes as the Top 7 prepare to rehearse tomorrow with the legendary Brian May and Roger Taylor from Queen on the set of We Will Rock You in advance of next week’s Queen-themed episodes.
The “Unplugged” episode saw all eight competitors perform their selections acoustically following mentoring from Latin sensation Enrique Iglesias. Continuing with the theme in tonight’s episode, the Top 8 hit the stage as a group to start the show off with an acoustic arrangement of 10,000 Maniacs’ “These Are Days”. Later in the show, Iglesias performed two unplugged tunes from his new CD Insomniac exclusively for Canadian Idol audiences – “Somebody’s Me” and “Be With You” – before host Ben Mulroney announced the results of last night’s voting.
In this season’s first Bottom Two reveal, Joy was joined on stage by 18-year-old Regina, SK student Matt Rapley. The two teenagers received the fewest votes last night, but ultimately it was Joy who saw her Canadian Idol journey come to an end. Following her elimination, Joy performed “True Colors” one more time before a jam-packed audience at Toronto’s John Bassett Theatre after a touching vignette that charted her progression through the competition.
The remaining seven will waste no time in preparing for next week’s “We Will Rock You: The Music of Queen” episodes. Tomorrow, they will rehearse with Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen on the set of the hit musical We Will Rock You at Toronto’s Canon Theatre. Later that evening, the Top 7 will join May, Taylor and the cast of We Will Rock You on stage for the musical’s show-stopping grand finale. The mentoring sessions and live performances will be featured in next week’s Canadian Idol episodes on Monday, August 6 and in the results show on Tuesday, August 7 (go to idol.ctv.ca to confirm local broadcast times).
In addition to Rapley, the remaining finalists moving on to the Top 7
are:
- Jaydee Bixby, 16, Drumheller, AB, Student
- Dwight d’Eon, 28, West Pubnico, NS, Lobster Fisherman
- Carly Jepsen, 21, Mission, BC, Student/Waitress
- Brian Melo, 24, Hamilton, ON, Construction Worker
- Greg Neufeld, 23, Abbotsford, BC, House Framer
- Tara Oram, 23, Hare Bay, NL, Singer
In less than three weeks, the Top 5 will have the opportunity to workshop with Kelly Clarkson in preparation for the “My Own Idol” shows. Clarkson joins an impressive list of guest stars appearing on Canadian Idol this season which has already featured Rihanna and Enrique Iglesias. In addition to May and Taylor from Queen, additional guest stars lined up for the remainder of the season include Maroon 5, Mika, Avril Lavigne, Kalan Porter and Eva Avila, along with a final superstar guest star to be announced next week.
After the tremendous success of 2004’s Breakaway, which sold 6 million in the U.S. and 11 million worldwide, RCA/SONY BMG artist Kelly Clarkson has released a very personal third album that defies expectations and introduces an artist coming into her own and growing into her powerfully, distinctive vocals. Since winning the first American Idol title six years ago, Clarkson has earned two Grammy Awards; four American Music Awards; three MTV Video Music Awards; a People’s Choice Award; and a staggering 11 Billboard Music Awards.
Tickets to Canadian Idol’s live performance and results shows are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.ca or by telephone. Tickets go on sale at 12 noon on the Monday prior to the next week’s shows and sell out quickly. Rush tickets are also available to the most enthusiastic fans showing up at the John Bassett Theatre two hours before show time. Visit idol.ctv.ca for more information.
