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Canada's Got Talent - S3E9: The Million Dollar Season comes to a close. Time to find out who Canada chose.

Bob Kapur     May 14, 2024



TrishStratus.com special guest columnist Bob Kapur recaps Canada's Got Talent airing Tuesdays on Citytv.

Welcome, everyone, to our continuing coverage of Canada’s Got Talent on TrishStratus.com.

As always, my name is Bob Kapur, and I’m excited to have you join me for the big finale. After weeks of amazing performances, it all comes down to this: Canada will vote to determine who wins The Million Dollar Season and becomes our country’s next big star.

Befitting the grandeur of the night, the episode started off with a big musical performance by Lindsay Ell, who was joined by season 1 winner Jeanick Fournier, and a chorus line of singer-dancers. The lyrics were all about tonight’s finale night, including individual stanzas dedicated to each of the judges, who came out to the stage when mentioned (except for Howie, who got a bit hung up with his special introduction that saw him being lowered from the ceiling in a harness).

After he untangled himself, Howie said that all of the acts were worthy of winning the million-dollar prize. As such, Canada has a difficult – and important – decision to make. Because the decision will change someone’s life. Not only tonight, but forever.

So, with no further ado, let’s get to the acts for the final time this season.

EPISODE RECAP
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8

Natalie Morris




Natalie got a surprise Golden Buzzer from the judges during last week’s Elimination round, and she’s hoping for the same sort of result this week from Canada. She said she wants to not just be seen as the national anthem singer for the Toronto Maple Leafs who gets forgotten about as soon as she leaves the ice.

And with this performance, there’s no way she’s going to be forgotten – this was a star-making moment. From her huge opening note of Jesse J’s “Mamma Knows Best” all the way to the end, Natalie simply owned the song and the stage. With soaring vocals, she delivered a bombastic and brazen performance that reminded me of Jennifer Hudson or even a young Tina Turner. What a great start to the night.

Kardinal said that Natalie absolutely owned it, and Howie said that Natalie set the bar high with that performance. Wow, what a way to start the night.

Mark Clearview




Mark, the second surprise Golden Buzzer from last week, talked about his father, who was his biggest influence in his life and his mentor and partner in magic, before they had a falling out and became estranged. After his father passed away, Mark came to regret not getting to reconcile with him. So he wants to use this opportunity to honour his father.

A row of female assistants joined Mark on stage, standing in a row behind him, and they lifted a blue curtain in front of them. When the curtain dropped, Mark’s mopey-looking assistant Michael was sitting there in a kiddie car was there, having magically appeared. Mark then paid all the assistants, even finally giving away his wallet to one of them, as they left the stage. This didn’t land too well, and was plagued by audio problems with his headset.

When the stage cleared, things got better. He took out a lint-roller and a single piece of confetti. He placed the lint roller on the judges’ table, and asked each judge to pick a number between 1 and 10. He asked Howie to write that 4-digit number on the confetti, and had Howie personalize it with a little drawing of a stick figure.

Mark then put the piece of confetti into a confetti cannon that Michael was holding and had Michael mix it up. Michael then retrieved the lint roller from the judges’ table, and had Michael shoot the cannon towards him, launching a thousand pieces of confetti. After the shot, there was a single piece stuck to the lint roller, and it was the one that Howie had marked and personalized. After that, Mark unspooled the lint roller, and written on the inside were the 4-digit number and a stick figure.

Mark then made a champagne bottle appear out of nowhere and toasted his father.

The judges and the audience were amazed by the trick. Howie said that Mark ticks every box, and that he would buy a ticket to see Mark do a show in Las Vegas. Lilly said that Mark is unforgettable and that he makes Canada proud.

My hot take: In both of the last two weeks, I predicted that Mark would win it all. But tonight’s performance didn’t do it for me. The trick, I felt, was underwhelming, and didn’t seem special. I felt like I’ve seen that trick performed before by other magicians and executed more spectacularly. I really like Mark and am a fan – I’d definitely buy a ticket to see him live. But I think he stepped it down this week, and I worry that – if Canada votes on this week’s performances only and not his full run – this might have cost him the win.

Rebecca Strong




Rebecca said that she’s had to learn to overcome her shyness to get to where she is today. She said she is glad to have the opportunity to inspire people to do what it takes to try to achieve their dreams. She hopes that winning the competition will allow her to change her life and her family’s lives for the better, and to show others that they can change theirs as well.

That confidence was on full display during her belting version of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep”. Her voice was strong, sassy, and genuine. She never got shouty like lesser voices often do when singing this one. And while she hit a couple of off-notes, nothing clunked so bad as to take away from the overall strong showing.

That said, I don’t think it was as good a performance as Natalie’s was earlier, so that might hurt her chances. Still, the judges were impressed, with Lilly proud that Rebecca was her Golden Buzzer pick. Kardinal said that Rebecca is not just representing Indigenous people on the stage, but has transcended that – and is now representing all talented singers across the nation.

Travis Lindsay




Travis is hoping to win the competition in order to take care of his grandmother, who was the one who raised him. He said he would go do anything to try to repay her for the love and support she’s given him throughout his entire life.

He paid homage to Trish with a wrestling-inspired introduction complete with pyrotechnics, and was wearing a black leather jumpsuit adorned with the word Travisfaction.

His routine talked about the differences between Canada and the United States, specifically the differences in the McDonald’s restaurant offerings in each country. Perhaps his nerves got to him, because at one point, he botched a line, but recovered as best as he could. Even putting that aside, this was kind of a miss – the material was okay, but didn’t elicit any real laughs.

Howie said he is a fan of Travis – indeed, he invited him to open for Howie during a stand-up show at the Fallsview Casino (home of the OLG Stage where CGT is held) the other night – but struggled to relate to Travis’ material tonight. Trish similarly likes Travis’ personality, but didn’t seem particularly blown away by his routine.

Funkanometry




This dance duo looks to blend the old-school and new-school, in a way that engages everyone. To really do that, they said that tonight they were going to put the power in the hands of the judges – by giving them the power to control Funkanometry’s routine, as if they were playing a real-life video game. They acknowledge the risk of performing this kind of improvised choreography, but noted that big risks can lead to big rewards, and that’s the achievement they’re trying to unlock.

Their routine, danced to Queen’s “We Are the Champions” started off with some Matrix-life moves with perfectly-synchronized robot moves, and some slow- and fast-motion flips. Then, they adjusted their movements based on cards held up by the judges, who could command them to change the pace or direction at any point.

In a neat touch, the DJ who was on stage with them would adjust the tempo of the song as well to align with the dance moves – a nice touch that only enhanced the presentation of the gimmick. The visuals of them doing body pops and robots at various speeds – including in their facial contortions and reactions – was simply fascinating.

This was another incredible performance by these guys. So far, this is the act to beat.

Lilly was impressed by their gutsiness in allowing the judges to throw curveballs at them on the biggest night of their lives. She said that this continued their streak of perfect performances throughout the season. Kardi agreed, saying that the creativity and the execution could have earned them the win. Howie said that he loved them when they were on America’s Got Talent, but felt that this is their time.

Eshan Sobti




Eshan was one of the acts voted into the finals by the Canadian voters. He said that Canada’s vote helped validate his love for music, which helped him find his identity when he otherwise never fit in. That included initial reluctance from his parents who didn’t initially support him pursuing an artistic career before eventually turning around and becoming his biggest fans.

He’s probably going to get some more fans after his performance of “Titanium” by David Guetta. Well, at least during the choruses, as he hit a couple of pitchy moments during the versus. He did hit the big notes, though, and the falsetto climax, and based on the audience and judges’ reactions, those runs were impressive enough for them to overlook the few sour tones.

Kardinal was glad that Eshan never gave up on himself, since it would have meant he never would have been able to give the crowd the strong performance he gave. An emotional Trish said that she loved Eshan’s story and she said that Canada felt the same – and because it resonated with them, that put Eshan back on the stage tonight. She said his song gave her goosebumps and that if Canada is feeling the same feels, Eshan could go on to win it all. Lilly also felt the emotions, saying that she can relate to the cultural / parental pressures that Eshan faced as a young Punjabi kid looking to go into the arts. She said he proved it can be done, and that he’s made himself a star.

Sterling Scott




Sterling was Trish’s Golden Buzzer pick, and was saved by Canada’s vote last week, after having been heckled by an audience member during his routine. Sterling said that he has been struggling since the pandemic, as he lost his livelihood when comedy clubs shut down. That left him without a home, making it a challenge to spend time with his three children, who he co-parents with their mother. He wants to win the competition to allow him to give more time, and everything else, to his kids.

Sterling’s act started off with a big, energetic announcement – delivered by himself – as he made his way to the stage from the audience floor to the stage. His routine was about being raised in a tough Scarborough neighbourhood by a no-nonsense mother who was (and is) willing to fight anyone to protect her son. At one point, his mother even got involved in the act, as she had a microphone and delivered the punchline to one of his stories.

Sterling’s a bit of a frustrating act. His comedy isn’t side-splitting or anything, but his delivery is intense, energetic, and passionate. It’s like he would make a great TV host or announcer, or maybe a hype-man like Flava Flav. But would I pay to see him do comedy? No, I would not.

But it seems like Howie would – in fact, Sterling also was one of his openers at his Fallsview show. Howie loved Sterling’s uniqueness, authenticity, and his creativity. He also appreciate the viral moment that Sterling’s mom’s appearance will be. Kardinal appreciated how Sterling was able to incorporate ideas from each of his appearances so far and incorporate them into callbacks in this act. Trish said she is happy and proud to be a part of Sterling’s journey, and she admired his strength and perseverance to keep that journey going.

Mat & Mym




This roller-skating stunt duo was Kardinal’s Golden Buzzer pick. They talked about how their life is in constant motion – and not only because their act is on wheels – so they are hoping that a win tonight could help them lay down some roots in a house. They teased that a win could also potentially lead to them getting married – something that Howie hoped he would see from the couple at some point.

For their finale act, they used a shorter circular podium, this time only a few feet off the ground. But what it lacked in height, it certainly made up for in artistry, strength, and wonder. Backdropped by an intense gothic version of Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love”, the routine saw the duo doing their signature spinning dance, with Mat using his power to either hold Mym by her outstretched limbs or press her over his head, all the time spinning around at breakneck speed. At one point, he transitioned her from laying astride his neck down to a position where he held her by her ankles as she bobbed up and down, her head coming within inches from the platform as they rotated. Later, he hung upside down on a harness and used his teeth to pull her up by another harness wrapped in her hair. As they spun around in dizzying fashion, she did a quick-change move that saw her dark black and purple dress instantaneously change into a white wedding dress. This whole routine was intense and sexy and thrilling all at once.

Kardinal said that one of the things the judges look for is how an act can level up with every subsequent performance – and they did, reaffirming his instincts when he gave them the Golden Buzzer. Howie wasn’t sure if this routine was higher-level than their last one, but said that was ultimately up to Canada to decide. Lilly fought him on that, saying that she felt it did.

Canada Votes:


Lindsay Ell announced the Top 4 vote-getters, who were – in no particular order – as follows:
  • Mark Clearview
  • Funkanometry
  • Eshan Sobti
  • Rebecca Strong

Meaning we say goodbye to: Travis Lindsay, Natalie Morris, Sterling Scott, and Mat & Mym.

Of those, based on the performances tonight, I have to say I’m most surprised by Natalie Morris not going forward. Of the three singers, I thought she had the best performance by far, and would have swapped her for Eshan, who I think was the weakest of the three.

After the final commercial break, Lindsay then announced that Mark Clearview had taken fourth place, and Eshan Sobti came in third.

Lindsay then announced the winner of the Million Dollar Season: Rebecca Strong



As the crowd cheered, Lindsay and the judges congratulated and celebrated with Rebecca to end the show, and the Million Dollar season.

So, what did you think? Did you think Rebecca’s performance was “strong” enough to win? Or do you think that someone else should have been Canada’s choice? Let me know your thoughts. Comment below, or hit me up on the socials (@ReadBobsTweets on X, or @BobKapur on the ‘gram).

Thanks again for joining me for these recaps. I had a great time, and I hope you did, too. Stay safe, take care of yourselves. And hopefully we’ll see you again.

Other notes:
  • Wardrobe-wise, all the judges and Lindsay Ell stepped it up for the finale. Lindsay kicked off her intro number in a red rhinestoned ballroom gown, but then changed into a black gown; Lilly opted for her red power suit; Trish looked gorgeously regal in a classic full-length complete with long gloves; a newly-bearded Kardinal was looking sharp in a white tux; while Howie went with a classic black tux. Kudos to the wardrobe team for the stylish thread choices.

  • Scotties Tissues got a hefty dose of plugs tonight, with a pre-show bit that saw a wagon full of Scottie dogs in bowties come out to the stage. As their competitors opted to leave the Canadian market, we’ll shed no tears for them. See what I did there?

  • I always question them opening the voting at the top of the show before the performances start. To me, it always seems that gives an advantage to the earlier acts. As people only have three votes available to them, they might use those votes up before they see someone who impresses them even more. I like how they do it on the Idol franchise – i.e. where the voting isn’t open until all acts have finished. But then Natalie Morris got eliminated by the voting – so what the heck do I know?

  • There was lots of shout-outs for various sponsors tonight, including the upcoming movie If, which is about childhood secret friends coming to life. I remember that movie from when it was called Drop Dead Fred, which was an under-rated classic. And I’m not just saying that because Phoebe Cates was my first childhood crush.

  • During the voting, they showed clips of the contestants talking about what they’d do if they won the million dollars. Travis said he’d buy front row seats to WrestleMania to attend with his grandma. Don’t worry, Travis. If you don’t get to go to Mania, you can always check out all the results at SlamWrestling.net (the site I write for), which is Canada’s (and one of the world’s) longest-running and largest professional wrestling journalism websites. #CheapPlug, to steal a catchphrase from WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley.

  • Thanks again to Trish Stratus and the entire team at TrishStratus.com for the chance to be part of the show and part of the site. It’s been a pleasure.

Stills from episode »

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