Shield your ears, Canada: CBC is launching a new reality TV show with Canadians singing Canadian songs
A singing-focused reality TV show not called Canadian Idol is slated to hit the CBC airwaves this fall, and, well, it’s the ultimate CRTC wet dream. On Cover Me Canada, undiscovered musically inclined Canadians (we’re waiting before we use the word “talent” here) will sing songs every week in hopes of receiving a cash prize of $100,000, the opportunity to record an original single for distribution by Universal Music Canada and, according to the CBC, “the chance to win the hearts and minds of the country.” But here’s the catch: the contestants are limited to covering “iconic” Canadian tunes (read: top 40 hits from the late ’80s).
Is it just us, or does it seem like Cover Me Canada is set on propagating a Canadian image that’s nearly as embarrassing as the Vancouver 2010 closing ceremony? To audition for the program, applicants must submit a video of themselves performing one of four iconic song choices: Sundown by Gordon Lightfoot, Run To You by Bryan Adams, Life is a Highway by Tom Cochrane or Black Velvet by Alannah Myles.
In a so-Canadian-it-hurts approach to reality television, Cover Me Canada will start with the nine finalists and move on from there. That’s right: there’ll be none of this, or this, or even this. And what’s the point of watching reality TV that’s not (at least a little) mean?
It’s been some weeks since you wrote this and I have to say the contestants are proving your skepticism about Canadian talent is unwarranted. I’ve been following this on YouTube and I’ve seen some amazing videos by the hopefuls who are giving this a shot. There’s a lot of talent in Canada. My only regret about this opportunity CBC is giving our musicians is that some of the best won’t be seen as they select only 8 (now …not 9) for the actual show. What a shame. We’ll have to go to YouTube to see the others. Yes, granted, there’s a lot of yuk between the yum and I suppose we all do get a charge out of seeing those who shouldn’t have tried, but hey, there’s enough “mean” on TV already.