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The first 'Canadian Idol' is coming to Pembroke

Ryan Malcolm wants to make it on his own

Posted By BY SEAN CHASE, STAFF WRITER

Posted 1 day ago

Don't remind Ryan Malcolm he was the first Canadian Idol winner.

While he's grateful for the doors that the talent show opened for him, the Kingston-born singer is looking to the future and wants to avoid becoming a pop culture footnote.

"It was a huge surprise," Mr. Malcolm says of being crowned Canadian Idol. He didn't believe he would eventually rise out of a field of 16,000 contestants to take the top spot. "It hadn't been done in Canada, so I didn't know what to expect."

Speaking to The Daily Observer days before his band, Low Level Flight, performs at Logger's in Pembroke this Saturday night, the 28-year-old rocker has just completed a whirlwind tour of Mexico, California and Europe. However, he looks at his Canadian Idol win as a double-edged sword -a successful move that he would like to leave in the past.

"It didn't create a career. That was something I had to do on my own," he explains. "It was just a foot in the door. It got my face out there. The stuff I do now is much more credible and real."

Growing up in Amherstview, it was the Kingston-based Tragically Hip that musically inspired Mr. Malcolm. During the inaugural season of Canadian Idol in 2003, he didn't even crack the top 10 but was awarded a wildcard spot after the vote was so close. His debut single "Something More" stayed at number one on the Canadian singles charts for 14 straight weeks. His debut album "Home" went platinum, selling 170,000 copies and earned him a Juno nomination for best pop album.

In 2006, he formed the Indie band, Low Level Flight, with his friends James Rooke, Dave Carter, Brandon Merenick and Shaun Noronha. The band released their first single "Change for Me" in February, 2007. Their most recent hit single "Say" has made it to the Canadian Hot 30.

"It's been crazy," Mr. Malcolm says of the wave he's been riding over the last five years.

During that time, he's performed with the likes of Elton John, Spice Girl Victoria Beckham and Annie Lennox. He has also formed a friendship with fellow Idol alumni Kelly Clarkson. He admits they don't really talk about their Idol experiences.

"We're both pretty tired of talking about Idol,"he adds. "She is an incredible person and a great vocalist."

Mr. Malcolm remains upbeat that Low Level Flight will break into the upper echelon of Canadian bands. The nation has spawned a wealth of talent, from rock pioneers The Guess Who and Steppenwolf to new hit acts Simple Plan and Billy Talent, and he hopes to follow in their footsteps.

"There's never a shortage of amazing Canadian bands," he remarks. "It's really something to see these bands in their beginning stages."

Mr. Malcolm has divided his time between Low Level Flight and running his record company, I Heart Records, a small Toronto-based independent label. He's planning an album release in Ireland later this year. As for the band, their next tour will be opening for Bon Jovi. He says he's not letting the newfound success change him.

"We've all stayed grounded and we don't let the success go to our heads," he adds.

He's looking forward to coming to Pembroke, adding it's fun to play outside Toronto where the fan base sometimes becomes too complacent to having easy access to Top 40 acts.

"People will pay for a band because they love the music," he notes.