The talent was too good and the stakes too high. On tonight’s Canadian Idol broadcast on CTV, it was revealed that the standard group of 22 semifinalists would expand to 24 this season to accommodate the wealth of talent seen by the judges during this week’s Top 200 episodes.
Top 24 Girls
Back Row L to R: Amberly Thiessen, Tetiana Ostapowych, Marie-Pierre Bellerose, Katherine St-Laurent, Jessica Sheppard, Lisa Bell
Front Row L to R: Lindsay Robins, Katelyn Dawn, Lindsay Barr
The names of the Top 24 revealed on tonight’s broadcast also indicated another change: the Top 24 semifinals and Top 10 finals will no longer be split along gender lines. Fifteen men and nine women begin competing for Canada’s votes with the first live Top 24 performance episode next Monday, June 23 at 8 p.m. ET on CTV.
For the first time ever, the Top 24 will perform in mixed groups over the next three weeks, instead of in groups of guys and girls – meaning that there will be no gender division when it comes to eliminations. The most talented performers will move forward regardless of gender, resulting in the best group of Top 10 performers possible.
Canadian Idol now moves into its most crucial and important stage. In total, 14 competitors will be eliminated in just three short weeks.
“There were just too many good singers,” said Executive Producer John Brunton. ”The judges felt it wouldn’t be fair to viewers to limit ourselves to 22. This is one kick-ass, rocking group of artists.”
“We do it different in Canada,” said Susanne Boyce, President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc. “We continue to offer fresh twists and surprises for Canadian Idol viewers and this season is no different. The Top 24 format changes are guaranteed to result in one of our most dynamic Top 10 groups ever.”
For those who missed last night and/or tonight’s episodes, and in advance of next week’s live Top 24 episodes, CTV will rebroadcast this week’s Top 200 shows back to back this Saturday, June 21 from 8-10 p.m. ET. As well, watch Top 200 highlights, including never-seen-before backstage footage, on demand on the CTV Video Player at idol.CTV.ca.
The Top 24 were selected after Canadian Idol’s sixth exhaustive, cross-country search in 10 cities and, for the first time, online as well. Among the Top 24 singers chosen from 10,000 auditions is a carpenter, a student, a house painter, a respite care worker, a music teacher, a massage therapist and a backhoe operator – all hoping to realize the same dream as past competitors by making music a full-time career.
It’s one of the oldest semi-finalist groups in years, with 20 of the 24 competitors aged 20 or older. Additionally, 20 of the Top 24 play instruments, with over two-thirds having already played in episodes this season. Representing eight provinces, they come from 19 communities from coast to coast, from Vancouver to Portugal Cove, Newfoundland. The provincial breakdown of the Top 24 is: British Columbia (3), Alberta (5), Manitoba (2), Ontario (8), Quebec (3), Nova Scotia (2) and Newfoundland (1). As well, two Albertan competitors were born in Saskatchewan.
Among the Top 24 is a competitor who auditioned online for Canadian Idol, yet another North American first for the series. As well, for the first time ever in the history of the series, the semifinalist group includes two siblings.
This year’s Top 24 is an even more intense and important stage in the competition, with 14 competitors being sent home in the first three weeks alone. Overwhelmed by the diverse and plentiful talent displayed by this year’s competitors, the judges felt compelled to push limits and allow 24 competitors to move to the next phase of the competition and let Canada decide who should stay and compete for their chance to become the next Canadian Idol. Committed to delivering the most talented group of hopefuls possible to the finals, the judges have selected a dynamic, diverse, and unpredictable bunch of finalists that Canada has ever seen.
When Canadian Idol moves to live shows for the balance of the season on Monday, June 23, 12 competitors will perform for viewer votes in a special 90-minute episode. The second group of competitors will take their turn to sing for votes on Tuesday, June 24 in another 90-minute episode. The results of both nights’ voting will be revealed on Wednesday, June 25 in a half-hour results show (go to idol.CTV.ca for local broadcast times). Performances episodes continue Mondays and Tuesdays with results episodes on Wednesdays until the Top 10 is finally revealed on Wednesday, July 9.
Top 24 Guys: Top Row L to R: Gary Morissette, Shaun Francisco, Mitch MacDonald, Earl Stevenson, Theo Tams
Middle Row L to R: Paul Clifford, Mookie Morris, Oliver Pigott, Omar Lunan, Martin Kerr, Jesse Cottam, Adam Castelli
Front Row L to R: Sebastian Pigott, Mark Day, Drew Wright.
Meet the 2008 Canadian Idol Top 24:
Lindsay Barr, 26, Halifax, Singer, Writer, Art Student
Lisa Bell, 27, Winnipeg, Coffee Shop Manager
Marie-Pierre Bellerose, 25, Quebec City, Bartender
Adam Castelli, 26, Hamilton, ON, Carpenter, Singer/Songwriter
Paul Clifford, 26, Port Moody, BC, Bartender
Jesse Cottam, 23, Calgary, Music Teacher, Musician
Katelyn Dawn, 19, Winnipeg, Singer/Songwriter
Mark Day, 20, Portugal Cove, NL, Student, Respite Care Worker
Shaun Francisco, 25, Vancouver, Coffee Shop Barista
Martin Kerr, 25, Edmonton, Independent Singer/Songwriter
Omar Lunan, 29, Scarborough, ON, Registered Massage Therapist
Mitch MacDonald, 22, Port Hood, NS, Carpenter, Musician
Gary Morissette, 21, Fruitvale, BC, Musician, Construction Worker
Mookie Morris, 18, Toronto, Musician
Tetiana Ostapowych, 25, Toronto, Session Singer/Songwriter/Server
Oliver Pigott, 27, Toronto, Singer/Songwriter
Sebastian Pigott, 25, Toronto, Actor, Writer
Lindsay Robins, 21, Montreal, Singer/Songwriter
Jessica Sheppard, 22, Toronto, Visual Manager
Earl Stevenson, 23, Lloydminster, AB, Swamper for a Backhoe Operator
Katherine St-Laurent, 17, Otterburn Park, QC, Student
Theo Tams, 22, Lethbridge, AB, Student
Amberly Thiessen, 19, Seven Persons, AB, Student
Drew Wright, 28, Collingwood, ON, Musician, House Painter
Learn more about the Top 24 in Monday’s special Canadian Idol Top 24 guide in Metro newspapers across the country, or at idol.CTV.ca, the official online portal for the series and the source for everything Idol. Offering more features than ever for Season 6, idol.CTV.ca features exclusive video, interviews, competitor blogs and photography. Visitors can experience full-length interviews with the judges; custom behind-the-scenes footage; telecast out-takes; past competitor updates; message boards; merchandise; games; and much more.
Canadian Idol was created by Simon Fuller and is produced in association with CTV by Insight Productions.