Cape Breton artist advances to top 20 of Canadian Idol
got this from The Cape Breton Post
TORONTO — After spending some time travelling and working overseas, musician Mitch MacDonald returned home to Cape Breton earlier this year unsure of what his next step would be.
“I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to do when I got home, if I was going to move back out west because I’m a carpenter or if I was going to stick around home and play gigs,” said the Port Hood native, who at the encouragement of friends and family decided to audition for Canadian Idol. “It just kinda seemed like the right timing. I just wanted to come home and relax and I figured ‘why not?’. It was a nonchalant decision but I’m very happy that I decided to make it because it’s been quite the experience so far.”
Indeed it has.
After advancing to the top 200 from his audition in Halifax, MacDonald impressed Idol judges Zack Werner, Sass Jordan, Farley Flex and Jake Gold once again in Toronto earning himself a spot in the top 24. Now his fate is in the hands of the Canadian public. Last week, MacDonald survived the first round of fan voting, following his live performance of Gavin DeGraw’s Follow Through.
“You have a very unique tone and that’s one of the reasons why I think we picked you for your tone and you got a chance to show that today. At times your voice went a little bit pitchy but overall I thought you represented yourself well,” said Gold, of MacDonald’s performance.
“There’s something really lovely just about listening to you sing,” added Jordan.
MacDonald learned he’d made the cut on Wednesday’s results show and although the whirlwind Idol schedule doesn’t leave him much time to talk with family and friends, he’s certainly feeling their support.
“I think people are proud at home,” he said. “I’ll get to check my e-mail now and then and everybody’s saying they voted a hundred times or 10 times or a thousand times so the support ... is definitely there. I just hope that it continues throughout the competition.”
The youngest of seven kids to parents Cecil and Mary Janet MacDonald, the 22-year-old comes by his love of music honestly as it was simply a part of everyday life in the MacDonald house as Mary Janet, a well-known stepdancer, taught her children early.
“All of us learned how to stepdance at a young age and that’s where the musical connection started,” said MacDonald, who also recalls branching out on his own musically as a young kid. “I used to be a hardcore Alan Jackson fan when I was a little kid. I can remember when I was in Grade Primary I sang “Chasin’ that Neon Rainbow” in front of my school in an Alan Jackson sweater down to my knees and a cowboy hat on. That’s when it kinda started, I guess.”
MacDonald returns to the Idol stage this week with 10 of the top 20 slated to perform tonight and 10 taking the stage Tuesday; both nights at 9 p.m. AT on CTV. The results show is Wednesday night.
The show will be down to its top 10, July 9.
MacDonald, who admits Canadian Idol was a “little too mainstream” for his liking in its first few seasons, said the show has really evolved and he’s thrilled to be in the company of the talented group of singers and musicians in this year’s top 20.
“Last year they started allowing to you use your instrument and me, being a guitar player, that seemed to make me a little more interested because (Canadian Idol) is a huge window of opportunity and exposure to the country and even to the world,” he said, noting, at last check there was about 18,000 YouTube views of his Idol audition in Halifax.
“I’m very happy that I’ve made it this far. It’s top 20 out of 10,000 or more auditions across Canada. I’m definitely happy and proud to be here but whatever happens — if I’m gone in a week or I make it to the end — it’s a blast and I’m just happy I decided to try out because I don’t know what I’d be doing if I wasn’t here.
“Hammering nails, I guess.”
TORONTO — After spending some time travelling and working overseas, musician Mitch MacDonald returned home to Cape Breton earlier this year unsure of what his next step would be.
“I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to do when I got home, if I was going to move back out west because I’m a carpenter or if I was going to stick around home and play gigs,” said the Port Hood native, who at the encouragement of friends and family decided to audition for Canadian Idol. “It just kinda seemed like the right timing. I just wanted to come home and relax and I figured ‘why not?’. It was a nonchalant decision but I’m very happy that I decided to make it because it’s been quite the experience so far.”
Indeed it has.
After advancing to the top 200 from his audition in Halifax, MacDonald impressed Idol judges Zack Werner, Sass Jordan, Farley Flex and Jake Gold once again in Toronto earning himself a spot in the top 24. Now his fate is in the hands of the Canadian public. Last week, MacDonald survived the first round of fan voting, following his live performance of Gavin DeGraw’s Follow Through.
“You have a very unique tone and that’s one of the reasons why I think we picked you for your tone and you got a chance to show that today. At times your voice went a little bit pitchy but overall I thought you represented yourself well,” said Gold, of MacDonald’s performance.
“There’s something really lovely just about listening to you sing,” added Jordan.
MacDonald learned he’d made the cut on Wednesday’s results show and although the whirlwind Idol schedule doesn’t leave him much time to talk with family and friends, he’s certainly feeling their support.
“I think people are proud at home,” he said. “I’ll get to check my e-mail now and then and everybody’s saying they voted a hundred times or 10 times or a thousand times so the support ... is definitely there. I just hope that it continues throughout the competition.”
The youngest of seven kids to parents Cecil and Mary Janet MacDonald, the 22-year-old comes by his love of music honestly as it was simply a part of everyday life in the MacDonald house as Mary Janet, a well-known stepdancer, taught her children early.
“All of us learned how to stepdance at a young age and that’s where the musical connection started,” said MacDonald, who also recalls branching out on his own musically as a young kid. “I used to be a hardcore Alan Jackson fan when I was a little kid. I can remember when I was in Grade Primary I sang “Chasin’ that Neon Rainbow” in front of my school in an Alan Jackson sweater down to my knees and a cowboy hat on. That’s when it kinda started, I guess.”
MacDonald returns to the Idol stage this week with 10 of the top 20 slated to perform tonight and 10 taking the stage Tuesday; both nights at 9 p.m. AT on CTV. The results show is Wednesday night.
The show will be down to its top 10, July 9.
MacDonald, who admits Canadian Idol was a “little too mainstream” for his liking in its first few seasons, said the show has really evolved and he’s thrilled to be in the company of the talented group of singers and musicians in this year’s top 20.
“Last year they started allowing to you use your instrument and me, being a guitar player, that seemed to make me a little more interested because (Canadian Idol) is a huge window of opportunity and exposure to the country and even to the world,” he said, noting, at last check there was about 18,000 YouTube views of his Idol audition in Halifax.
“I’m very happy that I’ve made it this far. It’s top 20 out of 10,000 or more auditions across Canada. I’m definitely happy and proud to be here but whatever happens — if I’m gone in a week or I make it to the end — it’s a blast and I’m just happy I decided to try out because I don’t know what I’d be doing if I wasn’t here.
“Hammering nails, I guess.”
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