Article sur Eva dans l'Ottawa Sun

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Citation :High-flying Eva keeps grounded

By ANN MARIE MCQUEEN, OTTAWA SUN




Eva Avila's entire life has changed in a matter of months.

That's why the sight of Ottawa's St. Laurent Centre was so symbolic to her as she drove past it yesterday morning.

It's where Avila tried out for Canadian Idol last winter -- a fateful decision if there ever was one.

"I'm in a totally different place in my life," Avila said. "It doesn't constantly occur to me... but sometimes when it hits me, it hits me hard."

During an interview at the Westin Hotel, the 19-year-old Gatineau native said she's barely had time to catch her breath since winning Idol on Sept. 17.

Now living in Toronto, on her own for the first time in her life, Avila just finished recording her first album -- which drops Nov. 14 -- just four days ago.

STRAIGHT TO NO. 1

Her first single Meant to Fly hit No. 1 on the Nielsen SoundScan charts.She's been pegged to sing O Canada at the Grey Cup in Winnipeg Nov. 19.

She helped open the NHL season Oct. 4 by singing the anthem at a Senators-Leafs game, a role she reprised at Scotiabank Place Thursday night.

Avila has been travelling at such a whirlwind pace she chose to skip the game itself and head home.

Avila tries to take care of herself by meditating in the morning, doing breathing exercises at night and downing vitamins, greens, ginseng and protein shakes in between.

"If I get a cold, then I'm done," she said. "I can't be lazy about my health."

The pace isn't about to taper off. Avila will soon shoot a video, then begin a cross-country promo tour.

Then it's rehearsals for a concert tour next year.

"It's like my lifelong dream is coming true, but so fast and so drastically," she said, adding she knows things could fall apart "if I don't take some time, to take some perspective, and just calm down a little bit."

Thursday's autograph session at Galleries D'Hull, which saw over 1,500 people turn out in just over two hours, was one of her more surreal moments.

After all, just a few months ago, she was working at the post office inside.

"All the staff, all the people, all the customers, they all know who I am," she said. "It's like I changed personalities, I didn't change as a person."

Avila worries she won't be able to see all her friends on this short visit home -- "I wish I could be cloned, and have like 10 Evas!" -- and says it's hard to find time to spend with her boyfriend, Idol finalist Chad Doucette.

Doucette, of East Chezzetcook, N.S., has flown in frequently to see Avila since her win. He plans to move to Toronto soon.

Ultimately, Avila knows this is all a gift compared to what was running through her head before the Idol auditions.

"It's something I've been waiting for so long, the career I want is here, it's in the palm of my hands, so I don't give myself the right to complain.

"A year ago my worries were like 'am I ever going to make it? Where am I going to get the money to record my demo? When can I get out of this crappy job?"

source:
http://ottsun.canoe.ca/News/National/20 ... 4-sun.html

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