Ryan Malcolm
Updated Fri. May. 19 2006 6:54 PM ET
Age: 26
Hometown: Kingston, Ont.
Audition City: Ottawa, Ont.
The original Canadian Idol, Ryan Malcolm, is now focused on his upcoming album, which he has been writing for more than a year. The smooth-talking crooner says its release will surprise fans with more of a rock sound than he has taken on in the past.
"I think people will definitely notice a big change in my music," he told Eye on Idol in an e-mail, pointing out his all-star cast of co-writers including Dave Martin (Edwin) and Gavin Brown (Three Days Grace, Billy Talent).
He expects the album to hit store shelves later this year.
Nominated for a Juno Award in 2005 for pop album of the year, Malcolm's debut release Home sold more than 110,000 copies, and the single "Something More" spent 34 weeks on Canada's singles charts.
In addition to full time work in the music studio in recent months, the Kingston native spent more than a month during the 2005/2006 holiday season acting in Ross Petty's Snow White and the Group of Seven, which played at Toronto's Elgin Theatre.
Alongside comedian Séan Cullen, former Glass Tiger member Alan Frew and former Idol competitors Elena Juatco, Gary Beals and Billy Klippert, Malcolm performed more than 45 shows in just over a month. The production received positive reviews from both national and international press.
Ryan has also had some fantastic singing opportunities since his Idol win, playing London, England's Royal Albert Hall, where he shared the stage with world-class performers including Annie Lennox and first-ever American Idol Kelly Clarkson.
He also flew to Prague to perform on a televised Christmas special that was broadcast in six European countries.
While he may be busy keeping the momentum from his Idol win on cruise control, Malcolm has also managed to fit in some time for himself. He just got back from Columbia, where he was researching for a television show and working on his tan.
Malcolm has been tight-lipped on the series' content, simply saying that he is writing it with bandmate Smash Hitley and that more news on the project will surface soon.
The busy year continues a trend that has not let up since Malcolm took the 2003 Canadian Idol crown.
Only months after capturing the win, he was off to compete in World Idol, where he placed sixth. In early 2004, Ryan sold out shows across Eastern Canada on his first solo concert tour.
Malcolm also performed the national anthem at the 91st Annual Grey Cup, and presented an award alongside fellow Canadian Idol finalist Audrey de Montigny at the 2004 Juno Awards in Edmonton.
