(born July 12 , 1988 in Calgary, Alberta ) was the winner of the third season of '' Canadian Idol ''. She attended Lester B. Pearson High School , and was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta (parents Tim O'Neil and Alison Yeung). O'Neil has worked at a daycare centre, and has been involved in local musical theatre productions. Her mother has been quoted as saying that the singing only really started three years ago. Melissa has one sibling, a younger brother named Colin whom she is very close to.
O'Neil's heritage is Chinese, Irish and French. Her Chinese name (奧詩敏 {Link without Title} ) given to her by her maternal grandfather is pronounced ''Oh Seemun'' in Cantonese.
A few months after the competition ended, first runner-up Rex Goudie confessed that he and Canadian Idol season three winner Melissa O'Neil had had a "thing" going on since practically the beginning of the competition. In an interview with Canadian Press, Rex confirmed that they were dating.
Currently in the writing phase of her second album, O'Neil is getting ready to showcase a new sound featuring a pared-down band and her own lyrics. The album is expected to be released Summer 2007. {Link without Title}
- O'Neil's audition was not featured on the Western Auditions episode of ''Canadian Idol''.
- During the Top 100 round, O'Neil wasn't featured a whole lot but on the first day, she was shown singing "Concrete Angel" acappella. On the final day of competition, she was seen freezing and forgetting her song. It didn't matter, however, as the judges agreed she should move on to the Top 32.
- O'Neil became a member of the Top 10 after receiving the highest amount of votes in her Top 32 group, singing Martina McBride 's "Concrete Angel". She was in the bottom three the first two weeks of competition, despite the judges' approval of her performances. However, from the third week on, O'Neil became, in the words of Zack Werner , "a threat to win the whole thing". She was not in the bottom three after that point.
- On September 13 , 2005 (the Top 2 showdown), judge Zack Werner told O'Neil that the headlines of the next day's newspapers would be "The King Porter is dead, long live the Queen."
- On September 14 , 2005 , O'Neil defeated Rex Goudie to become the third Canadian Idol and the first female winner. She won a recording contract with Sony BMG as well the chance to release the winner's single, "Alive". "Alive" proved to be extremely popular with radio stations and is still receives airplay.
- Melissa O'Neil is still the youngest Canadian Idol to date.
- O'Neil's single "Alive" was released to stores on October 4th, 2005. The single entered the Nielsen SoundScan charts at # 1 and remained at that position as late as November 3rd. {Link without Title} In January 2006, Alive was certified a Quadruple Platinum Single.
- '' Melissa O'Neil '', her self-titled debut, was released on November 22, 2005 and was certified gold in Canada (50,000 album units shipped) in the March of 2006. She was presented with a certified gold award on the Season 4 finale.
- She was nominated for the 2007 Juno Award for Best New Artist along with successor, Eva Avila ; Tomi Swick won the award.
- ''Canadian Idol: High Notes'' (2005)
Track #6: Concrete Angel
- ''Rex Goudie: Under The Lights'' (2005)
Track #11: Whiskey Lullaby
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