Publié : lun. juin 12, 2006 7:02 pm
Rex and Melissa lean on each other
Updated Mon. Jun. 12 2006 3:44 PM ET Canadian Press
TORONTO -- Brangelina, Bennifer and .... Relissa?
Not if Canadian Idol couple Melissa O'Neil and Rex Goudie - have anything to say about it.
Why do people want to amalgamate names?" O'Neil, 17, said in a recent phone interview.
"It's a bad omen," added Goudie, 20, on the line from his Toronto apartment.
O'Neil, the Calgary songstress who won the Idol crown last summer and Goudie, the trucker hat-wearing Newfoundlander who finished second, began their romance while competing on Idol last summer.
They say their relationship grew stronger after the show ended, when they toured the country performing songs from their freshman albums. O'Neil describes the experience as "probably the coolest friggin' thing ever."
After hitting the road for 2 1/2 months, they wrapped up with a performance in St. John's, N.L., which was filmed by CTV for a special called Melissa and Rex: Let it Go, set to air Tuesday night.
Goudie said it was unreal to embark on his first tour with his girlfriend by his side.
"You're going through probably the biggest thing in your life and the person that you love is there with you while you're doing it," Goudie said in his thick Newfoundland accent.
O'Neil agreed, adding that dating a budding rock star isn't as different as some may believe.
"It's pretty much the same as dating other guys except you have girls throwing stuff at him."
But life hasn't been all high notes since the pair left the Idol stage in September 2005.
Immediately following the finale, the two singers were rushed into studios where, in a matter of weeks, they each recorded a pop album.
Goudie's Under the Lights has received mixed reviews. While his album may have earned Juno nominations, his live performances in cities like Edmonton and Regina were panned by critics.
"Rex and I both have really tough skin. We're not there to impress the people that are there to criticize us, we're not there to impress the media. We're there to put on the show for the people that came to see us," O'Neil said of the negative notices.
Both said some critics seem to discredit their work because they emerged from a TV show, a criticism Goudie thinks will go away with time.
While O'Neil's live performances received favourable critical reviews, her self-titled debut album has not received any major award nominations. She also admits she's getting tired of listening to her own songs.
"I love that (Let it Go) is being played on the radio, it makes me smile," she said. "But at the same time I turn it off everytime I hear it. I'm to a point where I really need to like what I do.
"My mindset is thinking about the future and I know that in the future I don't want to do this type of music."
O'Neil said she plans to do some soul searching this summer to decide what direction she wants to take on her next album.
Her life has changed drastically since her Idol win.
After the Idol win, O'Neil left her home and family in Calgary for Toronto, something she said has been made easier by having Goudie at her side. But what she still hasn't got over is the loss of her friends.
O'Neil missed her final year of high school to make her album and tour the country. When she returned, things had changed.
"When I went back to finish everyone treated me differently, and it's a bit of a sore spot for me right now because it's a bit of a fresh wound," she said.
"I was blown away by how much everyone had changed around me. It broke my heart."
For his part, Goudie said he's still treated the same when he goes home to Burlington, N.L.
"I love going home because I can be who I always was," he said.
The couple say they have yet to fully adapt to Toronto life, but are thankful to have each other.
"We're very much a ying and yang. We balance each other out perfectly," said O'Neil.
SOURCE
Updated Mon. Jun. 12 2006 3:44 PM ET Canadian Press
TORONTO -- Brangelina, Bennifer and .... Relissa?
Not if Canadian Idol couple Melissa O'Neil and Rex Goudie - have anything to say about it.
Why do people want to amalgamate names?" O'Neil, 17, said in a recent phone interview.
"It's a bad omen," added Goudie, 20, on the line from his Toronto apartment.
O'Neil, the Calgary songstress who won the Idol crown last summer and Goudie, the trucker hat-wearing Newfoundlander who finished second, began their romance while competing on Idol last summer.
They say their relationship grew stronger after the show ended, when they toured the country performing songs from their freshman albums. O'Neil describes the experience as "probably the coolest friggin' thing ever."
After hitting the road for 2 1/2 months, they wrapped up with a performance in St. John's, N.L., which was filmed by CTV for a special called Melissa and Rex: Let it Go, set to air Tuesday night.
Goudie said it was unreal to embark on his first tour with his girlfriend by his side.
"You're going through probably the biggest thing in your life and the person that you love is there with you while you're doing it," Goudie said in his thick Newfoundland accent.
O'Neil agreed, adding that dating a budding rock star isn't as different as some may believe.
"It's pretty much the same as dating other guys except you have girls throwing stuff at him."
But life hasn't been all high notes since the pair left the Idol stage in September 2005.
Immediately following the finale, the two singers were rushed into studios where, in a matter of weeks, they each recorded a pop album.
Goudie's Under the Lights has received mixed reviews. While his album may have earned Juno nominations, his live performances in cities like Edmonton and Regina were panned by critics.
"Rex and I both have really tough skin. We're not there to impress the people that are there to criticize us, we're not there to impress the media. We're there to put on the show for the people that came to see us," O'Neil said of the negative notices.
Both said some critics seem to discredit their work because they emerged from a TV show, a criticism Goudie thinks will go away with time.
While O'Neil's live performances received favourable critical reviews, her self-titled debut album has not received any major award nominations. She also admits she's getting tired of listening to her own songs.
"I love that (Let it Go) is being played on the radio, it makes me smile," she said. "But at the same time I turn it off everytime I hear it. I'm to a point where I really need to like what I do.
"My mindset is thinking about the future and I know that in the future I don't want to do this type of music."
O'Neil said she plans to do some soul searching this summer to decide what direction she wants to take on her next album.
Her life has changed drastically since her Idol win.
After the Idol win, O'Neil left her home and family in Calgary for Toronto, something she said has been made easier by having Goudie at her side. But what she still hasn't got over is the loss of her friends.
O'Neil missed her final year of high school to make her album and tour the country. When she returned, things had changed.
"When I went back to finish everyone treated me differently, and it's a bit of a sore spot for me right now because it's a bit of a fresh wound," she said.
"I was blown away by how much everyone had changed around me. It broke my heart."
For his part, Goudie said he's still treated the same when he goes home to Burlington, N.L.
"I love going home because I can be who I always was," he said.
The couple say they have yet to fully adapt to Toronto life, but are thankful to have each other.
"We're very much a ying and yang. We balance each other out perfectly," said O'Neil.
SOURCE