Mainstream rock singer Brian Melo has been crowned winner of Canadian Idol 2007 (Season five). The 25-year old Hamilton, Ontario native sang in front of an audience at the Air Canada Place in Toronto, Ontario. The show was two-hours.
Seventeen year old Johnny Cash and Elvis-inspired country singer Jaydee Bixby of Drumheller, Alberta finished in second.
The Canadian Idol Top 10 started off the show last night singing Jon Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name".
The top 10, and a duet with the top two, did several performances throughout the show.
Canadian-International pop-rock singer Avril Lavigne performed "Hot" and "When You're Gone" from her third new album the "Best Damn Thing".
Season four winner of Canadian Idol, Eva Avila performed her song "Fallin' For You". Melo and Bixby presented her with gold and platinum disk awards for her debut single "Meant To Fly" and her debut album "Somewhere Else".
Country-rock singer Jon Bon Jovi, who mentored the singers for Monday's performances, sang their new song "Lost Highway" and 2000 song "It's My Life".
Canadian Idol allowed auditioners, their top 22, and top 10 to perform with instruments this year. No other Idol shows have allowed this. Top ten competitors Greg Neufeld sang and performed with his guitar and Dwight d'Eon sang and performed with his electrical guitar, with the top 10 last night.
Canadian Idol's official top 3 competitors, including top three's eliminated Carly Rae Jepson from Mission, British Columbia, are set to have an "Idol Winner's" tour across 15 Canadian cities this fall. The tour will start November 18, 2007 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. They are expected to tour cities in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. It finishes with a final show in Edmonton, Alberta on December 12, 2007.
It's the first tour the show has ever done.
Melo, the winner, was a construction worker in Hamilton. He auditioned at the nearby Toronto auditions.
At the beginning of the season Bixby and Melo appeared as stiff performers but changed drastically throughout the weeks. Melo was in the bottom three, three times.
"Just remember that you are so privileged and enjoy every minute but you never know how long it's going to last," Avila said before the winner was announced by host Ben Mulroney.
An estimated five million votes were cast following Monday's performances.
Local Hamiltonians gathered last night at Hamilton Place Theatre. Approximately 2,000 fans were there. Most people and fans from, or around, the town of Drumheller gathered in a local hockey rink to show their support for Bixby.
Melo's new single "All I Ever Wanted" will be released on radio's and online music stores through Sony BMG Music Canada at 12:00am on September 13, 2007. His debut album will be out this winter.
"I want to grow and get better with each album. I want to be an international star, I'm thinking of big things. I want to hit the American market, I want to hit the European market as much as I can," Melo said.
Melo says he will go the full way and write songs for his album. He also said he has planned dates to meet with songwriters for some input on what he'll write.
"But being in this process, there's been so many songwriters, so many great musicians that haven't gotten the credit . . . that they deserve. So hopefully I'll be able to change that," Melo said.
"'Keep positive, keep on the positive side of things'," Bixby said. "And you know, there's nothing negative about coming in second in a national audition, so I'm very happy. I'm glad I made my parents proud."
"I didn't think a year ago that I would be standing here. If it wasn't for the fans, my friends, my family and everyone in the Hammer... (Hamilton) It's been amazing," said Melo.

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Brian Melo crowned winner of Canadian Idol