Hamilton's Adam Castelli got some lukewarm reviews from the judges this week, but he still managed to gain barely enough votes from viewers to remain among the final 16 contestants in the running for Canadian Idol.

Castelli had some nervous moments last night, being called to the stage as one of six contestants who received the lowest votes following this week's performance episodes on Monday and Tuesday.

But the 26-year-old construction worker and former punk rocker made the cut and will return again next week to compete for the Canadian Idol crown.

Castelli sang Gone 'Til November, by American hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean, during the Tuesday night performance episode of the popular CTV reality program. The judges responded by suggesting it may not have been his best song choice.

"I felt that while the passion was there, I don't think the song had enough melody to really show us how well you could sing," judge Jake Gold told Castelli.

In earlier shows, Castelli has impressed the judges with rootsy renditions of classic songs by artists such as Ray Charles.

Even usually ebullient Sass Jordan thought Castelli was flat. "I think what you should've done is taken a little more licence with the song, you could have made it more melodic."

Also making the cut from the bottom six was Marie-Pierre Bellerose of Quebec City. Eliminated were Paul Clifford, of Port Moody, B.C., Jesse Cottam, of Calgary, and Lisa Bell, of Winnipeg.

Castelli is facing stiff competition from Theo Tams, from Lethbridge, Alta., who was praised for performing Howie Day's Collide, as well as from Toronto's Pigott brothers, Oliver and Sebastian. Other standouts among the competitors this week were Mookie Morris, of Toronto, and Omar Lunan, of Scarborough.

This year's Canadian Idol competition has heavily favoured the male entrants. Alberta's Amberly Thiessen was the only woman who received unanimous praise from the judges this week. Next week's performance episodes run Monday and Tuesday night with the results announced Wednesday.

Viewers, who vote by phone following each performance episode, will continue to eliminate competitors until the final round in September when the winner is announced.

Castelli is hoping to become the second Hamiltonian in a row to win Canadian Idol. Last year's winner was Brian Melo, who was also working as a construction worker when he first auditioned for the show. Melo's victory earned him a recording contract with Sony/BMG. Melo's first solo album, Livin' It, was released late last year.

grockingham@thespec.com

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