Melissa O'Neil won the title of the first female Canadian Idol and the youngest Idol in Canada in 2005, beating runner-up Rex Goudie.
Semi-finals
Semifinal Group 1 (14 June 2005) Order Artist Song (original artists) Result1Matt Humphreys"Chariot" (Gavin DeGraw)Eliminated2Jenn Beaupré"Cheek to Cheek" (Frank Sinatra)Eliminated3Melody Bonicel"All in Love Is Fair" (Stevie Wonder)Eliminated4Daryl Brunt"When You Believe" (Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston)Advanced5Dianelys Hernandez"Summertime" (Abbie Mitchell)Eliminated6Stephane Aubin"Georgia on My Mind" (Ray Charles)Eliminated7Ashley Leitão"Colors of the Wind" (Vanessa Williams)Advanced8Cher Maendel"Bohemian Rhapsody" (Queen)Eliminated Notes Daryl Brunt and Ashley Leitão advanced to the top 10 of the competition. The other 6 contestants were eliminated. Dianelys Hernandez and Stephane Aubin returned for a second chance at the top 10 in the Wildcard Round.
Semifinal Group 2 (21 June 2005) Order Artist Song (original artists) Result1Dave Moffatt"Overjoyed" (Stevie Wonder)Eliminated2Alinka Chambers"Black Velvet" (Alannah Myles)Eliminated3David Mongar"Only the Good Die Young" (Billy Joel)Eliminated4Casey LeBlanc"Bring It On Home to Me" (Sam Cooke)Advanced5Josh Palmer"Love Having You Around" (Stevie Wonder)Eliminated6Julie Tellier"Dirty Man" (Joss Stone)Eliminated7Vince Benenati"What a Wonderful World" (Louis Armstrong)Eliminated8Emily Vinette"Don't Cry Out Loud" (Melissa Manchester)Advanced Notes Casey LeBlanc and Emily Vinette advanced to the top 10 of the competition. The other 6 contestants were eliminated. Josh Palmer and Vince Benenati returned for a second chance at the top 10 in the Wildcard Round.
Semifinal Group 3 (28 June 2005) Order Artist Song (original artists) Result1Barbra Preisman"I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby" (Billie Holiday)Eliminated2Giselle Correia"Brass in Pocket" (Pretenders)Eliminated3Diego Alvarez"One More Try" (George Michael)Eliminated4Devika Mathur"Hero" (Mariah Carey)Eliminated5Rex Goudie"After the Rain" (Blue Rodeo)Advanced6Michelle Madeira"One Moment in Time" (Whitney Houston)Eliminated7Barrett Peitsch"Walking in Memphis" (Marc Cohn)Eliminated8Amber Fleury"I Can't Make You Love Me" (Bonnie Raitt)Advanced Notes Amber Fleury and Rex Goudie advanced to the top 10 of the competition. The other 6 contestants were eliminated. Devika Mathur and Barrett Peitsch returned for a second chance at the top 10 in the Wildcard Round.
Semifinal Group 4 (5 July 2005) Order Artist Song (original artists) Result1Genevieve Nadeau"Some Kind of Wonderful" (Soul Brothers Six)Eliminated2Luke O'Reilly"Bless the Broken Road" (Rascal Flatts)Eliminated3Keely Hutton"Don't Cry Out Loud" (Melissa Manchester)Eliminated4Aaron Walpole"Try" (Blue Rodeo)Eliminated5Danian Vickers"Get Here" (Oleta Adams)Eliminated6Suzi Rawn"Fortunate Son" (Creedence Clearwater Revival)Advanced7Matt Kennedy"I'll Be" (Edwin McCain)Eliminated8Melissa O'Neil"Concrete Angel" (Martina McBride)Advanced Notes Melissa O'Neil and Suzi Rawn advanced to the top 10 of the competition. The other 6 contestants were eliminated. Luke O'Reilly and Aaron Walpole returned for a second chance at the top 10 in the Wildcard Round.
Wildcard (12 July 2005) Order Artist Song (original artists) Result1Stephane Aubin"Ain't No Sunshine" (Bill Withers)Eliminated2Barrett Peitsch"At This Moment" (Billy Vera)Eliminated3Devika Mathur"Un-Break My Heart" (Toni Braxton)Eliminated4Vince Benenati"I Could Not Ask for More" (Edwin McCain)Eliminated5Aaron Walpole"Drift Away" (Dobie Gray)Advanced6Dianelys Hernandez"Unchain My Heart" (Joe Cocker)Eliminated7Luke O'Reilly"Amazed" (Lonestar)Eliminated8Josh Palmer"Fooled Around and Fell in Love" (Elvin Bishop)Advanced Notes Aaron Walpole and Josh Palmer received the most votes, and completed the top 10.
Finals
Top 10 (19 July 2005) Theme: Canadian Hits OrderArtistSong (original artists)Result1Aaron Walpole"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" (Bachman-Turner Overdrive)Safe2Emily Vinette"Crying" (Roy Orbison)Eliminated3Daryl Brunt"With These Eyes" (Roch Voisine)Bottom two4Suzi Rawn"Everytime I See Your Picture" (Luba)Safe5Melissa O'Neil"Believe in You" (Amanda Marshall)Bottom three6Ashley Leitão"Let It Rain" (Amanda Marshall)Safe7Rex Goudie"Born to Be Wild" (Steppenwolf)Safe8Amber Fleury"Possession" (Sarah McLachlan)Safe9Josh Palmer"Hallelujah" (Leonard Cohen)Safe10Casey LeBlanc"From This Moment On" (Shania Twain)Safe
Top 9 (26 July 2005) Theme: Stevie Wonder OrderArtistSongResult1Casey LeBlanc"Heaven Help Us All"Safe2Josh Palmer"That Girl"Bottom three3Amber Fleury"Lately"Safe4Daryl Brunt"Superstition"Safe5Ashley Leitão"Sir Duke"Eliminated6Rex Goudie"Pastime Paradise"Safe7Melissa O'Neil"Living for the City"Bottom two8Aaron Walpole"You Haven't Done Nothin'"Safe9Suzi Rawn"Higher Ground"Safe
Top 8 (2 August 2005) Theme: The 80s OrderArtistSong (original artists)Result1Amber Fleury"Just Like Jesse James" (Cher)Eliminated2Rex Goudie"Every Breath You Take" (The Police)Safe3Casey LeBlanc"Like a Prayer" (Madonna)Safe4Daryl Brunt"Tainted Love" (Soft Cell)Safe5Suzi Rawn"Heartbreaker" (Pat Benatar)Bottom two6Aaron Walpole"Working for the Weekend" (Loverboy)Safe7Josh Palmer"In the Air Tonight" (Phil Collins)Bottom three8Melissa O'Neil"Holding Out for a Hero" (Bonnie Tyler)Safe
Top 7 (9 August 2005) Theme: Standards OrderArtistSong (original artists)Result1Suzi Rawn"Minnie the Moocher" (Cab Calloway)Safe2Aaron Walpole"I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me" (Dean Martin)Bottom two3Melissa O'Neil"It's De-Lovely" (Ella Fitzgerald)Safe4Josh Palmer"When I Fall in Love" (Nat King Cole)Safe5Rex Goudie"Feeling Good" (Nina Simone)Safe6Casey LeBlanc"I Could Write a Book" (Dinah Washington)Bottom three7Daryl Brunt"What a Wonderful World" (Louis Armstrong)Eliminated
Top 6 (16 August 2005) Theme: Classic Rock OrderArtistSong (original artists)Result1Melissa O'Neil"Alone" (Heart)Safe2Rex Goudie"Turn the Page" (Bob Seger)Bottom three3Casey LeBlanc"I'll Stand by You" (The Pretenders)Safe4Aaron Walpole"Hot Blooded" (Foreigner)Safe5Suzi Rawn"Piece of My Heart" (Janis Joplin)Bottom two6Josh Palmer"Layla" (Derek and the Dominos)Eliminated
Top 5 (23 August 2005) Theme: Burton Cummings & The Guess Who OrderArtistSong (original artists)Result1Rex Goudie"No Sugar Tonight" (The Guess Who)Safe2Casey LeBlanc"Timeless Love" (Burton Cummings)Eliminated3Suzi Rawn"American Woman" (The Guess Who)Bottom two4Melissa O'Neil"My Own Way to Rock" (Burton Cummings)Safe5Aaron Walpole"These Eyes" (The Guess Who)Safe
Top 4 (30 August 2005) Theme: Elvis Presley OrderArtistFirst songSecond songResult1Aaron Walpole"(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear""Love Me Tender"Safe2Suzi Rawn"Heartbreak Hotel""Can't Help Falling in Love"Eliminated3Melissa O'Neil"A Little Less Conversation""You'll Never Walk Alone"Safe4Rex Goudie"Blue Suede Shoes""If I Can Dream"Safe
Top 3 (6 September 2005) Theme: Barenaked Ladies OrderArtistFirst songSecond songResult1Rex Goudie"Brian Wilson""Call and Answer"Safe2Aaron Walpole"Break Your Heart""Enid"Eliminated3Melissa O'Neil"The Old Apartment""When I Fall"Safe
Top 2 (13 September 2005) OrderArtistFirst songSecond songThird songResult1Melissa O'Neil"Angel of the Morning""A Broken Wing""Alive"Winner2Rex Goudie"Alive""Bulletproof""Superman (It's Not Easy)"Runner-up
Elimination Chart Week:Top 10Top 9Top 8Top 7Top 6Top 5Top 4Top 3Top 2PlaceContestantResult1Melissa O'Neil Bottom 3 Bottom 2 Won2Rex Goudie Bottom 3Elim3Aaron Walpole Bottom 2Elim4Suzi Rawn Bottom 2 Bottom 2 Bottom 2Elim5Casey LeBlanc Bottom 3Elim6Josh Palmer Bottom 3 Bottom 3Elim7Daryl Brunt Bottom 2Elim8Amber FleuryElim9Ashley LeitaoElim10Emily VinetteElim
Reception
The season's three-night premiere received 2.3 million, 2.1 million, and 1.8 million viewers, up roughly 25% from season two. The finale drew 2.7 million viewers.
References