Suzi Rawn isn't going to let a little thing like getting voted off Canadian Idol dampen her spirit.

In fact, the rocker from Kamloops, who became the seventh person eliminated from the national singing contest on her 23rd birthday Wednesday, got one of the best birthday gifts of her life.

"I flew in at 11 p.m. (Thursday) and there were about 300 people at the airport. I couldn't believe it," she says.

"When you are living in the Canadian Idol bubble, you are living in the Canadian Idol bubble -- you don't really understand the effect the show has until you get out. It's a total trip. I'm really happy to be home."

Though Rawn didn't become the next Canadian Idol, she did accomplish everything she set out to do -- for herself, her two-year-old daughter and her band King Size Suzi.

"I was sitting here all last winter with no money and no opportunities thinking 'What can I do to get our band's name out?' It worked and I'm so grateful."

That's not to say Rawn isn't a tad disappointed. The former Calgarian had already been in discussions with lawyers to have King Size Suzi back her on her CD had she won.

"It's tough, but I'm starting to make plans with the band already," she says, adding they'll soon be selling their CDs online at kingsizesuzi.com

"No matter what happens or how old I get, even when I'm 90, I'm going to be doing music. I'm just gonna keep rockin'."

Rawn's departure from Idol means Calgary's Melissa O'Neil, 17, Newfoundland's Rex Goudie, 19, and Ontario's Aaron Walpole, 26, will fight for the Idol crown. It'll be a close race, says Rawn.

"They are all so talented. Melissa blows me away every time she walks on that stage -- I can't believe she is only 17. Rex is totally down to earth and the nicest dude and Aaron is such a charmer. He kept me laughing the whole time I was there."

While Rawn won't take a guess at who the next Kalan Porter will be, she believes two of the final three may have the advantage.

"People may want a girl to win Canadian Idol, but there are a lot of young girls who vote for the cute guys. I think it will definitely be between Rex and Melissa, but it's really hard to predict who will win," she says.

Tomorrow, the Top 3 will salute The Barenaked Ladies as they fight for a spot on the Sept. 14 finale.

O'Neil, who has spent the week preparing for the show, will perform one slow and one upbeat song from the BNL catalogue along with the band.

"I'm really excited to meet them. It's going to be a lot of fun," she says. "The lyrical quality of their songs is fantastic. They are so talented and I really admire they way they kept working at it."

With the Canadian Idol competition coming to an end, O'Neil's definitely got her eye on the prize -- a guaranteed major recording contract. But, win or lose, the Lester B. Pearson high school student says she's not dropping out of school.

"If it happens, there will be a tutor. I am not going to take a year off," she says. "That's not an option for me."

Canadian Idol airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. and Wednesday's at 7:30 p.m. on CTV.