Kalan Porter 219 Days Lyrics

Kalan Porter unequivocally has ‘it’ – a combination of compelling voice, charismatic looks and star quality that had much of Canada in his corner when it came to final rounds of Canadian Idol 2. Porter also added two qualities unique to the game; humility for one (his shyness proved near painful, making his transition to charisma king even more dramatic). Secondly, Porter studied as a classical musician, both in voice and as a violin and viola student at the Royal Conservatory of Music. In fact, the opening 44 second violin solo, "Praeludium and Allegro" shows Porter’s diversity and talents straight out of the gate.

On Canadian Idol 2, Porter’s voting audience seemingly consisted of teenage girls determined to vote their boy to number one. As a result, the material chosen for his debut disc, 219 Days, is considerably different from the music that Kalan admits to being inspired by (everything from Radiohead to Christian rock). Much of the first half is pure-pop radio cuts like "She’s So Dangerous" and "I Don’t Wanna Miss You", while the second half is where it loosens up a little, drifting more into the rock-inspired vein. One of Canada’s original musical idols, Randy Bachman, participates on this disc both as a guitar player and also co-author of two tracks, the Shania-styled "In Spite of it All", as well as the eighties-influenced sounds of "And We Drive".

The emphasis on contemporary pop will likely make Porter’s teen fans happy. His future, however, is rooted in his love of timeless melodies. In fact, the disc’s highlight is the cover of Cyndi Lauper’s "True Colours" with fellow Idol alumni Theresa Sokyrka, a reminder that Porter’s voice makes a great song even greater--which will serve him well as he grows into a Canadian adult, rather than just an Idol. --Denise Sheppard