Matt Rapley

Updated Tue. Jan. 22 2008 11:41 AM ET

Age: 18
Hometown: Regina, SK        
Audition City: Saskatoon, SK

Matt Rapley doesn't think being on Canadian Idol changed him too much - except his entire outlook on success.

"Before Idol I always thought I would love to be a singer but I never did anything about it," said Rapley, who has performed at multiple events per week since returning to Regina after his elimination. "I realized that if I want things done I have to either do them myself or make sure that they get done."

Since placing sixth on Season 5 of Canadian Idol, the smooth-crooning gospel singer has been going non-stop in the hopes of keeping the momentum rolling on his newfound singing career.

He practices "a good amount" - about three hours a day - and has had to install a second line in his family's home to handle all the booking requests that continue to pour in. There's been a steady stream of such calls right from day one, when he arrived home to learn his mother had already been acting as a booking agent.

"First thing I did when I got home from Idol, I tried to catch up on my sleep but I didn't even get to," he said. "It was just go, go, go. I came back and my mom told me I had 15-20 gigs lined up for the next two weeks."

These days the calls have slowed down to about three a day and the appearances to about four or five a week, said Rapley. That's given him some time to start thinking about what he'd like to put on an album and just what that record will sound like.

"I kind of want my sound to be mostly gospel and inspirational stuff but to have an R&B sound to it," said Rapley, who Idols fans will remember for the way he amazed the judges with a powerhouse version of the Allman Brothers' "Whipping Post."

"I've been talking to somebody who said they're going to have some songs for me to do... I'm aiming to have the album for early March."

In the midst of all of this, Rapley also registered for university, which he started in January.

"I was accepted so I'm in the Faculty of Fine Arts studying music and stuff," he said. "I start on the 7th of January at the University of Regina. I'm extremely excited."

He's certainly got plenty to be happy about. He returned home from the summer of his life to find himself a local celebrity, both at his church - where he still sings - and on the streets of his hometown.

He's earning enough money from singing engagements that he hasn't had to go back to work at Champs Sports -- and has opened his mind to dreaming big.

"I was looking at a school on the Internet the other day, Julliard in New York, and I hear they're a music and theatre powerhouse," said Rapley. "I heard there's a song that says if you can make it in New York you can make it anywhere, so I've been really working hard on my stuff because if I can get into there it would be a lot easier."

Thanks to Canadian Idol, Rapley has a newfound realization of just what he can do with a bit of effort.

"It has made me more aware of life and more determined and more focused," he said. "I wouldn't really say that Idol has changed me at all. I would just say it's allowed me to change my whole concept of thinking."