By STEPANIE McGRATH
AllPop

TORONTO -- Canada's latest "Popstars" were unveiled in Toronto on Monday.

The girl group, saddled with the unlikely moniker of Sugar Jones, was created through an open audition across Canada that has been documented for the eight weeks on the Global TV/Lone Eagle Entertainment series "Popstars".

According to Global, "Popstars" is the "highest rated Canadian, non-hockey program". The success of the show has encouraged the network to add two extra episodes of the series and pick up the show for a second season.

Unlike ABC's "Making The Band" -- which resulted in the birth of American boy band O-Town -- the second season of "Popstars" will not continue to follow the exploits of Sugar Jones, but will focus instead on the creation of an entirely new pop group, which will include both men and women.

Meanwhile, the five finalists who survived the brutal open-call and a week of intense musical and dance auditions are: Sahara MacDonald, Julie Crochetiere, Mirella Dell'Auila, Andrea Henry, and Maiko Watson.

Sitting in a small theatre in downtown Toronto, the girls are well coiffed and expertly dressed. They held each other's hands and informed reporters that they're very "touchy-feely".

Sunday night's episode of "Popstars" featured a number of chaotic events, including the exit of one of the original five members, Marla Joy Berman, who recently plead guilty to stealing a handbag. Andrea, her replacement, has been with the group since November.

Questioned about Marla, Lone Eagle Entertainment boss Michael Geddes was reluctant to discuss the issue.

"We had a situation that was real life," he says. "It was four minutes in the show, and we moved on."

"We all wish her well," says Maiko. "But we're trying to focus on what's important right now."

The group members are now concentrating on recording music and are very vocal about their desire to write material for their first album.

Sugar Jones has a contract with Universal Music Canada, which will release their album later this year.

This Sunday, Sugar Jones will debut their first single, "Days Like That," on "Popstars". The song will be released to radio the following Tuesday.

Although the group didn't write "Days Like That", Sahara says at least one of their own songs will find its way onto their debut CD.

"We've had a lot of creative insight into things," she says about the group's progress.

Sahara and the other members also had a say in the band's name.

"I have a bit of a thing for second-hand, vintage clothes, second-hand books," explains Sahara.

The singer found a bright-pink book while on a second-hand shopping excursion one day that was called "Sugar Street".

She liked the "retro, old term for cravings" but thought "street was too sweet".

Then she and the group came up with Sugar Jones.

"It's very representative of our music," says Andrea.

Universal's Brian Heatherman, who was an original "Popstars" judge, describes Sugar Jones' music as a "mish-mash, a funky stew".

"The songs are great," he says. "No one can predict whether people will buy it or not, but you know, music is turning and the girls really want to bring an air of credibility to the project, and I think that's showing through."

Since Sugar Jones is a "creation" in the same way as the Spice Girls were, some expect the Canadian girl act to follow in the footsteps of Ginger, Sporty, Posh, Scary and Baby.

"We're trying to avoid stereotyping each individual," says Sahara when questioned about who in the group is the "leader" and who is the "romantic". "We have no intention of having one lead singer."

To prove to their small audience that they really can sing, the five girls broke into a chorus of "Amazing Grace", after glancing over to Geddes for an official OK. Their short performance featured impressive harmonies and won a burst of applause from the room.

Read this week's "Popstars" recap HERE.

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