Newfoundland's Rex Goudie is one of many vocalists to be brought to international attention by the Idol franchise. Raised in a small port town of 300, Goudie had limited musical experience, but set his heart on a life in music nonetheless. He organized rock bands among friends throughout his teen years, before leaving his hometown to study engineering at Newfoundland's Memorial University. Goudie auditioned and was accepted as a competitor on the hit TV show Canadian Idol. A runner-up on the program's third season, Goudie didn't require a win on the show to trade in on the recognition that he'd earned there. Following the end of his run on Idol, Goudie signed a significant deal with Sony/BMG for the release of his debut CD, Under the Lights. The record achieved gold status in Canada within the first month of its release. His second record, Look Closer, was released on December 12, 2006, and debuted at number 11 on national charts. Though selling well in the first few weeks, Look Closer soon disappeared from public attention completely. Though by some estimations Goudie's 15 minutes of fame were up, in 2007 he received the Canadian Radio Music Award for Best New Solo Artist. Rex Goudie continues to write and perform actively, one of many recording artists who find themselves riding the powerful yet unpredictable waves made by the industry's new Idol machine. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez