I’ve been a fan of Jacob Hoggard since he belted out the hits on Canadian Idol. Donning outrageous costumes, Hoggard graced the stage singing Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing,” David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” and-my favourite Hoggard song choice-Paul Anka’s “Put Your Head on My Shoulder.” Hoggard brought such unique talent to season 2 of the Canadian reality show, and had many speculating that the reason Hoggard came in third place was because he wanted out.
After biding adieu to the singing competition, Hoggard quickly returned to the spotlight with his band Hedley. Their 2005 self-titled album went 2x Platinum, with hits like “321″ and “Gunnin.” Two years later the band followed up with Famous Last Words, which went Platinum as well. Canadians are sure to remember when “Never Too Late” blasted on the radio, or the swooning of teenage girls everywhere when Hoggard sang “For the Nights I Can’t Remember.”
Hedley is an incredible band and Hoggard is a true performer. When the band made a stop in my hometown back in 2008, I was lucky enough to score tickets to see them perform (no easy feat, I assure you.) They were incredible to see live; Hoggard’s enthusiasm for performing is clear, and his stage exuberance matches his fantastic voice perfectly.
As a Hedley fan, I was excited to hear singles from the band’s latest album, The Show Must Go. Judging by the two released singles, it sounds like Hedley has another hit album on their hands. Listen below to “Cha-Ching,” a song that every pop culture enthusiast is sure to love. Below that is “Don’t Talk To Strangers,” a definite playlist piece.