Updated: Fri Apr. 28 2006 9:30:18 PM

CTV.ca News Staff

Thousands of young contestants lined up around the block during the early hours of Friday morning for Canadian Idol's audition at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre.

After scouting for talent across the country, the Idol tour is in Toronto for its last two-day stop.

Some eager hopefuls even spent a chilly night outside, lined up at Queen and Yonge Streets.

"I just didn't want to be at the end of the line," Sergio Fazari, 16, said after spending several chilly hours on the sidewalk.

Fazari is also counting on his gravity-defying hair to give him an edge in catching the judge's attention.

This is Canadian Idol's fourth season and judges are expected to be tougher than ever.

But judge Farley Flex told CTV.ca that the best advice is for contestants to be themselves.

"We want them to be as comfortable as possible," Flex said. "So they can give us their best performance."

"Try to be who you are as an individual," he said later during an interview Toronto radio station The Flow. "Not the artist who sang the song."

After speaking to a producer for Canadian Idol, CTV's Dana Levenson learned that this season might have a few surprises.

Without naming any names, the Idol executive hinted that audiences could expect to see some huge international superstars making guest appearances this season.

While the Toronto auditions are expected to bring the greatest number of contestants, the judges stress that you shouldn't expect special treatment.

The judges agreed that many competitors who do well in Toronto seem to feel a sense of entitlement to a spot on the show, where elsewhere they are grateful for the opportunity.

"I've waited for something like this my entire life," contestant Natashia Cadue said Friday during auditions. "Not only have I waited, I've been ready for it ... and just watching other people on TV makes me want it even more."

According to judge Zack Werner, a high self opinion may not impress judges.

"People in Toronto sometimes act like we're lucky to have them audition," judge Zack Werner told CTV's Eye on Idol. "They feel like they're already in a highly competitive marketplace, so if they're any good, they assume they're deserving."

Flex had a similar take on the attitude of some contestants.

"The potential singers are less likely to audition in Toronto," he told Eye on Idol. "They think they're already in the mix, already in Hollywood. Gigging in Toronto makes you feel like you're so close to a recording career, but most people will be doing the same thing in 10 years."

The Toronto auditions run until 5 p.m. Friday and again on Saturday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.