Updated: Tue May. 30 2006 12:46:55 AM

CTV.ca News Staff

Season four of Canadian Idol hit the nation's airwaves Monday night with fanfare and high anticipation at Toronto's Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre.

The Toronto production kicked off with a music video for "The One," a song by Yellowknife rapper Aaron "Godson" Hernandez.

Shot on Yonge Street outside the Toronto auditions, the video featured break dancers, references to the show's cast and cameo appearances by previous Idol winner Melissa O'Neil.

Thousands of people from across the country have competed for a chance to visit Toronto and begin the long and grueling challenge of becoming the next Canadian Idol.

For many, just vying for a judge's invitation to Toronto is an emotional experience.

In Vancouver, a singer and dancer named Josh thought he was sure to win. His girlfriend reportedly thought the judges would be foolish not to send him to the Toronto elimination rounds.

"I think he's a star. Every time I hear him, he shines. He just lights up the room," she insisted when brought in front of the panel.

But Josh did not make the cut and reportedly lashed out at Idol judge Farley Flex saying, "I look way better than you, I smell way better than you, I dance way better than you, and I can sing."

But 200 other would-be pop stars did receive a coveted chance to compete in Toronto.

When the first Idol episode splashed across Canadian television screens Monday evening, the 200 hopefuls had been whittled down to a slate of 22 competitors.

It is a major change from the 32 competitors who appeared at the start of the first three Idol seasons.

Fewer competitors at the start of the show could make for more on-screen excitement.

"It provides for a better assessment of who the viewers would want in their Top 10," Scott Henderson, CTV's senior director of programming communications said. "Going with a Top 22 allows us to eliminate people from the very beginning."

Viewers will start voting for their favourite Idol contenders during the week of Jun. 26.

Performances and voting will continue until the week of Jul. 17 which kicks-off the Top 10 rounds with a 90-minute live show from Toronto's John Bassett Theatre.

Idol will continue for the next eight weeks with live performance shows on one night, and live results the next until a new Canadian Idol is crowned.

With files from Eye on Idol