Canadian Idol viewers choose songs

From a CTV media release:

Canadian Idol Viewers Choose the Songs for First-Ever “Judges & People’sChoice” Week, Sept. 3-4 on CTV

• Viewers can vote at idol.ctv.ca from Aug. 21-28 for songs to be performed by the Top 3
• Canadian Idol Judge Sass Jordan to workshop with Top 3 competitors
• Kalan Porter returns to the Idol Stage for expanded Top 3 results show, Sept. 4

For the first time in North America, viewers will decide what songs their favourite competitors will sing on an Idol broadcast. Starting today, viewers can vote at idol.ctv.ca for one of the songs to be performed by Canadian Idol competitors during the Top 3 performance show. In yet another first, an Idol judge will workshop with the competitors when Sass Jordan holds sessions with the Top 3. In addition to the selection chosen by viewers, each competitor will perform another song chosen by the balance of Canadian Idol’s four-member judging panel. The “Judges & People’s Choice” performance episode airs Monday, Sept. 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

CTV also announced today that the Top 3 results episode on Tuesday, Sept. 4 will be expanded to one-hour from 8-9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and will feature a live performance from 2005 Canadian Idol champion Kalan Porter.

“Canadian Idol has always been a participatory process with our viewers and this unique show takes fan interaction one step further,” said Susanne Boyce, CTV President of Programming and Chair of the CTV Media Group.

Viewers can make their selections from a short-list of three songs per competitor posted now at idol.ctv.ca. Viewers can cast as many votes as they like for their picks before the polls close one week from today on Tuesday, August 28 at 12 p.m. PT.

Two competitors will be eliminated before the “Judges & People’s Choice” episode airs. However, the poll will include selections for each of the remaining finalists. The short-list of song selections are:

Jaydee Bixby, 17, Drumheller, AB, Student

1. “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash
2. “Just Pretend” by Elvis Presley
3. “That’s All Right Mama” by Elvis Presley

Dwight d’Eon, 28, West Pubnico, NS, Lobster Fisherman

1. “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” by Nickelback
2. “The Freshmen” by Verve Pipe
3. “Kiss From a Rose” by Seal

Carly Rae Jepsen, 21, Mission, BC, Waitress

1. “Sunday Morning” by Maroon 5
2. “White Flag” by Dido
3. “Til It Happens To You” by Corinne Bailey Rae

Brian Melo, 25, Hamilton, ON, Construction Worker

1. “Dig” by Incubus
2. “Lightning Crashes” by Live
3. “That Song” by Big Wreck

Matt Rapley, 18, Regina, SK, Student

1. “Too Shy To Say” by Stevie Wonder
2. “Tears Dry On Their Own” by Amy Winehouse
3. “It Don’t Have To Change” by John Legend

Canada’s picks will be revealed when they are performed live by the Top 3 on Monday, September 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV. Throughout the one-hour episode, each competitor will perform the “People’s Choice” selection as well as the “Judge’s Choice” pick, as selected by Canadian Idol judges Farley Flex, Jake Gold and Zack Werner.

Following the Top 3 performance show, 2005 champion Kalan Porter returns to the Canadian Idol stage one week after his sophomore album Wake Up Living is released. Porter will perform as part of a special one hour results episode airing Tuesday, September 4 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

Porter’s first single “Awake in a Dream” went eight-times platinum while his debut album 219 Days went double platinum after reaching No. 4 on the Canadian charts in its first week of release. The SONY BMG MUSIC (CANADA) INC. recording artist also received three JUNO Award nominations.