Last week, I had the privilege of checking out Canadian Idol backstage. As part of my experience, I got a chance to talk to the final four contestants hours before they heard the results of who would be moving on and who would be eliminated. My next chat was with Collingwood Ontario’s Drew Wright.

Murtz Jaffer: I think the first question that I have for you involves the behind-the-scenes process that we don’t see. Can you tell me what happens on a performance night that fans don’t see on TV?

Drew Wright: Well, we run through the show quite a few times during the day to make sure that everything is going to run smooth when we hit it live. We run through each of our performances probably twice, then we have our dress rehearsal and then we do the performance. Other than that, it’s just making sure everything runs smoothly. The stage blocking, the camera blocking and all that stuff.

MJ: One of the things that I noticed when I was sitting backstage was the fact that you have a whole group of people around and while you’re in the middle of talking to Theo or something, somebody’s fixing your mic or your hair or your collar… was that weird for you to get used to?

DW: Certainly, at first you’re thrown to the sharks. You really don’t know what to expect when you come down here, coming from a small town in Ontario and next thing you know you’re here and it’s exactly what you are describing so you have someone fixing your make-up or even doing make-up, you’re not familiar with that. Always people just making sure that you look your best and it’s good that way but really odd.

MJ: One of the things that I noticed about you on the show in particular is how you have changed looks. I know obviously given Jake’s comment, but was that what prompted it or is that something you always wanted to change as the show moved along?

DW: Not in the least. Jake keeps taking credit for that and it’s funny but I mean my interpretation of what I was trying to come across that night was misinterpreted by him. With the song, I wanted to feel very relaxed. I wanted to make it seem like it was at a friend’s house, getting together or something like that. Getting together and having a jam or something like that. For unplugged night, I really wanted it to look that way. It was funny when he discredited me for looking that way when all the other competitors were virtually looking the same way.

MJ: Just jeans and a shirt right?

DW: Yeah, jeans and a shirt. Theo had jeans and a t-shirt on, but he also had a scarf on so I don’t know if that differentiated him but either way it doesn’t matter. I think you try to look the part for whatever song you’re singing. You take the lyrics into account and you just try to fit the bill.

MJ: That’s actually a really good point because I never made the association between the look and the actual song. I just was like well if it is Rock ‘N Roll Heaven week, maybe you’ll just thrown on a leather jacket. Is it really the song that influences wardrobe selection?

DW: Certainly. For me it is anyway. That’s what I think about when I talk to wardrobe. The people who take care of us. I try to really think about what the lyrics mean and try to incorporate that into the song.

MJ: How much creative control do you have in terms of wardrobe selection?

DW: Well, there’s definite distinctions. So you say ‘okay, so I am doing this song and what I have in mind is this, this and this’ and then you say that you’d like to get a vest and they’d say ‘well, Mitch is wearing a vest this week so maybe we can take this route.’ They give you alternate ideas. They’re just there to kind of help and guide you along.

MJ: One of the things that I have noticed about your song selection is that leaving this week aside, you have gone for very mainstream, really popular ones. Whenever I get the songlist, I am always looking straight to yours. Do you gauge whether the audience will know the song when you decide what you’re doing or does it not even matter?

DW: No, it doesn’t really matter to me. I like a lot of popular music I guess but I like a lot of underground stuff as well. You want to do something that people recognize and that’s part and partial of being on the show. You want to do something that people can relate to and hopefully connect with.

MJ: Is it strategy too?

DW: It’s not really strategy, I don’t think. You just want to perform something that maybe someone can connect with or sing along with at home. It’s not a ploy to get votes or anything. It’s just taking the performance into account and hopefully people will enjoy it.

MJ: Can you have a strategy in a competition like Idol? Can you sort of decide to pick songs that people will know and that the theater can get behind… is that an advantage or is it not even a consideration?

DW: I think you just gotta be yourself. Depending on what kind of album you want to put out or music you want to perform is what you should really focus on doing and just let people know at home what you’re all about and if they vote you through, then that’s what they are going to get. I think that’s the main thing. I don’t think at this time and at this point in the competition or even before, we ever really considered it to be a competition. As soon as it became 24, we all kind of bonded and made friends and it wasn’t really looked at that way.

MJ: I cover both American and Canadian Idol and I have never seen a season that was so dominated by one gender. I am sure you get the question all the time. What was it like not having a lot of girls around? Was it more of a fraternity kind of atmosphere?

DW: No, we have had that a few times but it definitely hasn’t been that. Everybody’s kind of at the age now where it’s like you keep your nose to the grindstone. There hasn’t been a lot of time outside of what is going on here to fraternize and party or do any of that stuff. Everybody’s pretty serious about the whole thing and takes it that way so you come in and you do your workshop and anytime you spend at home, you’re relaxing and just trying to catch up on sleep for the next day.

MJ: What a lot of people don’t bring about Idol this year is that you are all kind of seasoned. You have been on stage before and Idol is kind of changing in that way. No longer is it about the 16-year old guy who is like singing in his shower. It’s more about giving artists a platform who couldn’t get one otherwise. Is that how you see the competition too?

DW: I think it is getting that way. I think a smart step for change was last year when they decided to incorporate the ability to use instruments on the show and I think that really brought people who weren’t just glorified karaoke sings out to the competition. I think that gives them opportunity not to just showcase their voice but their talents elsewhere. I think that’s a great thing.

MJ: There’s a big rock influence this year, just in terms of Mookie, Earl and you. Do you ever find that Idol can hurt your mainstream rock credibility because there still is that stereotype of it just being a pop show. A show that 14-year old girls watch.

DW: I believe so. I mean, it’s unfortunate but true. It’s a platform and you just kind of gotta do your own thing. It can rocket you into high speed very fast and you become a household name and that’s just the way it works. You just gotta take it for what it’s worth. It’s a platform for you to do your thing and in this stage of the game, wherever you end off, you gotta make sure you do your best to put out an album that you’re proud of and hopefully people will latch onto it and go from there. Guys like Jacob Hoggard from Hedley were able to break the chain. It’s feasible. It’s something that you can do. It’s just how far you can take it once you get out of the bubble.

MJ: Who do you think is going to win the competition? Final two and winner?

DW: No clue at this stage of the game really. We have no idea what the voting is. It’s tough to say. It’s apples and oranges all the way around. I guess Theo has a good shot. I really think he is marketable in that sense and has a great talent but other than that, I love Mitch’s down-home style and I think Earl’s got his own thing going on… very unique tonality. I do my own thing as well. It all depends on Canada and what they think.

MJ: That’s perfect, thank you.

DW: Thank you.