TORONTO, Canada (BMG Canada/ www.ctv.ca) -
Kalan Porter has triumphed over 8,977 other competitors to become Canada's next Canadian Idol, it was announced live on CTV yesterday.
The 18-year-old Medicine Hat, Alberta native bested runner-up Theresa Sokyrka after receiving the majority of 3.6 million votes cast last night following their final performance showdown.
Immediately following tonight's broadcast, Porter signed a recording contract with Lisa Zbitnew, President, BMG Canada Inc.
Porter's first single, Awake in a Dream, will begin airplay on radio stations across the country tomorrow morning. Porter begins preparation next week on an album to be released this fall.
Last night's final performance episode was the most-watched Canadian Idol episode ever, with a record audience of 3.3 million viewers (AMA, 2+),* Last night's votes also pushed the final vote tally to over 32 million, an increase of 57 per cent compared to last year.
Porter's win tonight is the culmination of a process that began February 13 in Ottawa and took producers across the country this winter and spring on a nine-city tour in search of Canada's best and brightest young singers. In May, 155 "gold ticket" winners from across the country journeyed to Toronto with the hope of making it to the coveted "Top 32." In June, the Top 32 took to the stage and viewers took to the phones, reducing the 32 semi-finalists to a diverse group of ten competitors. As the show progressed through the summer, these ten, formerly unknown, amateur singers would become household names.
The Top 10 returned to the stage for tonight's live, two-hour broadcast. The group performed three times: "Share the Land" by the Guess Who; a brand new medley of Canadian hits; and a brand new medley of rock and British Invasion hits. The Top 8, minus Porter and Sokyrka, performed a "Greatest Moments" medley - a reprise of songs they performed in competition. vIn addition, previous winner Ryan Malcolm performed for the first time on the Canadian Idol stage since his win exactly one year ago tonight. Tonight's show also featured an emotionally riveting duet by Porter and Sokyrka, Cyndi Lauper's "True Colours."
Attending tonight's show were a handful of political dignitaries including the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Finance; the Honourable Lorne Calvert, Premier of Saskatchewan; Medicine Hat MP Monte Solberg; and Palliser (Saskatchewan) MP Dave Batters.
Canadian Idol is produced in association with CTV by Insight Productions, along with Atlantic Canada-based Rink Rat Productions and Alberta-based Aquila Productions. John Brunton and Barbara Bowlby are Executive Producers. Ed Robinson is Senior Vice-President, Comedy, Variety and Talk, CTV Inc. Rick Lewchuk is Senior Vice-President, Program Planning and Promotion, CTV Inc. Susanne Boyce is CTV President of Programming and Chair of the Media Group.
