Canadian Idol Update: Clarkson Rooted And Rapley Booted

Despite a very strong performance on Monday night, Matt Rapley was the odd man out on Tuesday night's Canadian Idol elimination show.

The group number was Eric Clapton's "Change The World," which was done with a kind of bright-eyed optimism that almost made me believe that their singing would put an end to world hunger, hurricanes, conflict in the Middle East and Paris Hilton's inexplicable fame.

After a video recap of "the best show of the season" (host Ben Mulroney's words, not mine), it was time for Kelly Clarkson's performance.

Let it be known that Clarkson is second only to Shakira on my list of guilty pleasures. I love her. She's talented, spunky, grounded and, despite her manufactured beginnings, she's real. She's also living proof that this zany Idol franchise has the potential to create actual stars. (P.S. I grabbed a veggie burger after the show and Ryan Malcolm served me.)

The original American Idol performed her acidic new single, "Never Again," and sounded flipping ah-maz-ing. Her voice filled the auditorium and her face contorted with sincere anger and raw emotion. I wouldn't like to be the ex-boyfriend who she wrote that little ditty about. Kitten likes to scratch.

After Mulroney presented Clarkson with a platinum award for My December, she did an impressive minimalist acoustic version of "Because Of You." The girl is famous for a reason. I realize that Clarkson is a seasoned professional by this point, but the power behind this woman's voice makes some of our Idols' seem pretty laughable in comparison.

Elimination time wasn't kind to Rapley or Dwight D'Eon, who were both relegated to the bottom two.

Alas, I continue to over-estimate Canada's taste and knowledge in music and it was Rapley and not D'Eon who was eliminated.

Rapley seemed relatively cool with the turn of events and sang himself out on a high note with "Higher Ground." His powerful final performance put a couple of the remaining contenders (cough, D'Eon, cough, cough, Brian Melo, cough) to absolute shame.

Next week: The final four meet the original Canadian Idol: Paul Anka.