JB- A lot of people go onto the show having a vision of the type of performer that they want to be. We always hear about the song selection and the type of artist that people . . . we see them as one way when they start the show, and as the show progresses and the season goes on sometimes they change, sometimes they morph into something completely different. Are you still the same type of artist? The way you think about music, the way you feel about music, is it still the same way as you did before you went on?

CD- I think so. I mean, I've just become more knowledgeable of the whole business. I've become more knowledgeable as to different types of music. I may be not as single-minded as I used to be. I do everything. I do a lot of blues-y stuff. I do some hard rock stuff. I do some soft rock stuff. But I still think I represented myself well on Idol. I chose songs that I felt represented me and I still think that they would represent me well - all the songs I chose on there. I just know a little bit more now what I want to do. Back then when I was 17 it was all a whirlwind and I knew I wanted to do as well as possible. I'm almost glad that things worked out the way they did, because it's allowed me these opportunities before rushing into this business to kind of learn more and to just be more aware of what I want to accomplish.

JB- A lot of people say that once you make the finals on Idol you're pretty much set in your career. Everything is handed to you on a silver platter. Do you find that, or did you have to figure it out the hard way?

CD- Yeah, nothing was handed to me at all, and I don't think it is to most people. It can create a lot of opportunities. The winner is the only one guaranteed a contract, and even then you know, as you see, it's not guaranteed as a blow-up success. You still have to work for it if you win. But if you don't win you might be fortunate enough that someone's going to offer you a deal. But the way the Canadian music business is right now, that just isn't happening right now. Labels aren't just willing to throw around deals as much as they used to. They want to be sure that you're going to do well and that you're ready for it. So I've had to really work. Like I said I've done everything for myself. Idol's been great and the people at CTV have been really supportive of everything, but I've been booking all my shows. I've been making my own CDs. Just doing everything, and a lot of people that come to my shows don't even know that I'm from Idol. My looks have kind of changed, and that's kind of a good way for me to make it on my own. If people happen to recognize me, then that's great. But if they don't, at least they're appreciating the music, right?

JB- That's something that I was going to ask you. People obviously recognize Idol contestants anywhere they go now. Has that happened? You said you've recently changed your look, but do you think that's a good thing or bad thing? There was really nothing wrong with the look you had before though, was there?

CD- I just looked like a 17-year-old kid on the show. It's been two-and-a-half years and you got to look a little different. I got a little bit longer hair and I've just grown up a bit. The fact is that some people recognize me. Obviously back home they recognize me more, and a few people recognize me in Toronto. It's a very big compliment when they do, but I don't take any slack for people not noticing me. It doesn't really make a difference to me. I don't care about that aspect. It's more about people wanting to hear my music and giving me feedback on that and coming out to shows and things along those lines. Idol is a weird world. Once the season's done and once the next season starts it can be very easy for . . . people kind of have a single-season mindset and sometimes they remember people from that year and it's hard to remember the people from the years before because there have been so many of us.

JB- Do you find that too when you watch the show? I've noticed it with some of the American Idol contestants. I've got to follow it every week and talk about it. It's interesting when you have the finale and you bring out the top 14 or top 20 and I don't remember some of the people.

CD- Yeah, it's kind of the world that it is. It's, like, 'Oh, yeah, she was there.' And that's just a couple months after, right, during the same season? So once a few years have passed, unless you've already done your thing and grabbed onto the success of Idol you're kind of on your own. Some people don't want to do it that way; they want to kind of grab on to the success of Idol, and me, I'll take what I can get from Idol but also . . . I wasn't ready. I want this to be a career. I don't want this to be a couple-year thing. So I've taken my time and still, who knows how many years it will be before it breaks through? I feel very good about where I am right now. I'm recording an album out in Vancouver and I'm working with some great people there, but it's a weird, weird world. People can be forgotten, but the key is to not let that worry you and give them something to remember you for.

JB- A lot of people go onto the show and their dream is to be that big, next star, rock star, whatever, and you've said that you've gone on your own path now from a business perspective. So where do you see things. . . or do you think you'll have the same vision 10 years down the road? Where will Chad Doucette be 10 years down the road?

CD- I mean, 10 years I expect to be a full-fledge musician and self-employed still. Right now, like I said, I'm recording an album in Vancouver, which we plan to shop to labels very soon. I've done a debut EP album. Besides that I plan on making a great record. I plan on getting my band together in a couple months. I've been doing a lot of acoustic shows, but I'm ready to get the full band out there, and I'm just ready to tour as much as I can. I'm ready to get my music out there. It's just like any hardworking musician. I got a job on the side. I'm working at a music store, which is a lot of fun. But it's just something to pay rent. It's not this glamorous life, but I've been blessed to write with a lot of really great people, and I'm getting known for my writing around here, which is really amazing as well. So I'm really happy where it's going. It's a long process, but it's the way that I wanted it too.

JB- Also at the same time it's more rewarding when you know you've done all the hard work to get it there rather than just falling under the wing of a big label to do all the stuff for you.

CD- Right. Exactly. I have no problem with being with a label. It'd be great if they came to one of my shows, noticed how much work I've put into it, noticed how hard I've worked on writing the songs and then they wanted to come on board, because they know that I'm ready. Like you said, it will be a lot more rewarding if that's the way it goes down. I feel like I have the ability to do something great in the music business, and every musician believes that. They wouldn't be in it if not. So I just got to keep on pushing myself to do more and everything hopefully will work out the way that I want it to.

JB- Do you think listeners or audiences still have the same appreciation for music? You know the type of hard work that goes into writing, producing, recording, all that stuff. Do you think . . .nowadays songs are on the charts maybe two weeks and then all of a sudden they're off the radio.

CD- Like I said earlier, it's a really funny time in the business. It's not the best time in the music business. A lot of songs, they just don't have the same grit that they used to. When the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and the Eagles. I mean, we've had all the eras of all this great music, and there's still a lot of good music out today. But I find that some of the songs I hear on the radio, every single song sounds the same. Maybe that's why they have their couple weeks that they're really hot and they're easily forgettable. It's really weird. Everybody's trying to capitalize on the popular sound at the time, and I feel like people should really focus on trying to make the best sound for them more than anything else. It's just a weird world and everybody wants to be successful at this. It's a lie to try to think otherwise. Everybody wants to make this their career, and that's the thing. If people are liking this music, then people are going to keep making it. It's good stuff, but it's a weird, weird business right now.