My boss wanted me to watch at least one instalment of Popstars so that I could comment on Canada's new made-for-TV pop group, but I never got around to it. I was busy trying to jam an icepick into my eardrums.

The must-see episode revealing the final lineup and the name of the group - Sugar Jones (chosen by the girls themselves, indicating a "craving for something sweet") - ran opposite the Oscars. So ... I don't know these girls. I heard the single, found it lame, frankly don't care.

But at least they're up front about the "manufactured" part of it. As teen pop impresario Lou Pearlman knows, bubblegum pop groups are often created by cattle call auditions, the members chosen as much for looks as singing and/or dancing talent. In this case, they just put the results in a reality TV show. The final five of Sugar Jones were whittled down from a musical bootcamp of more than 4,000 would-be Spice Girls. They have to have something going for them.

For anyone who doesn't know, PopStars is the Canadian, female version of MTV's Making the Band, which yielded the boy band O-Town - not to be confused with Mytown (Irish boy group) or Crazy Town (L.A. rap 'n' rock band) or O-Ring (defective part that may have caused the space shuttle Challenger disaster). Despite dismal reviews for its self-titled debut album, O-Town was a hit - for about a week. According to Power-92 assistant program director Chad "the Pog" Martin, the song Liquid Dreams peaked at about No. 25 in North America and then sank like a stone.

"It was more of a curiosity factor," he says.

Which is precisely why Power 92 will add Sugar Jones's new single, Days Like That - as much of a snappy pop confection as one might expect - after it's released on April 1.

"It's definitely something that's going to grab the attention of our listeners who have been watching the series," the Pog says. "I was pleasantly surprised at the sound of it and what came out of the group. It definitely fits into the mould of what we're playing and the sound that's going on right now."

Will Sugar Jones keep its flavour on the bedpost overnight? The TV show was a hit, drawing Survivor-like ratings, especially in Toronto. Canada's PopStars is a clone of the Australian show of the same name, which yielded the all-female group Bardot. Who? Exactly. There are no guarantees in this business. But remember that the Monkees was a made-for-TV pop group. So what if they didn't write their own songs? It wasn't about the music. It was about the rebellion.

After a small change following a scandal - one of the finalists stole a credit card and was booted out - Sugar Jones consists of Julie Crochetiere, Maiko Watson, Mirella Dell'Aquila, Sahara MacDonald and Andrea Henry - ranging in age from late teens to early '20s and hailing everywhere from Vancouver to Quebec. Maybe I don't know my teen pop like I should, but they look terrific.

Their debut album is expected in June.