Susan Boyle

By now, most people, including my middle-aged mother, have at least heard of Susan Boyle; the Scotland native who lives alone with her cat. Though she may look dumpy and well beyond her 48 years, she has a voice that even Mariah Carey could respect. Boyle brought down the house on the popular television show Britain’s Got Talent, and left infamous reality television show judge Simon Cowel with his jaw around his knees. When she first stepped out on stage, an audible ripple of laughter ran through the audience; they were all prepared to make fun of her. Who was this elderly lady with a funny accent who openly admitted her failures with the opposite sex and “wanted to be a [professional] singer” at the delicate age of 48? The answer: a singing sensation and a “stunning” performer.
The judges all scrambled to speak after her performance. The infamous Piers Morgan admitted that when she said she “wanted to be like “Elaine Paige” [another singer/actress famous for her work in musical theatre] everyone was laughing at [her], but no one is laughing now!” Amanda Holden, the only female judge on the show, expressed how, in the beginning, the entire audience expected her to fail utterly, but in all actuality Susan Boyle was “a complete privilege” to listen to. All the judges and I were completely enthralled by her voice. Though she certainly is not much to look at, Susan Boyle, based on voice alone, could very well be the next musical theatre phenomenon.
The song she decided to sing for the show, “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical Les Miserables, has made an incredible jump on the iTunes music charts and ticket sales for The Vancouver Arts Production of Les Miserables have increased as well. Overnight, Susan Boyle has become an internet sensation and has sent the music world reeling. It is rumored that there may even be a record deal with Sony BMG in the works! Several clips have appeared on YouTube reporting almost 50 million views, and other recordings by Boyle have surfaced.
Personally, when I first saw Susan Boyle, I rolled my eyes in disgust. Here was just another average person that we could all get a laugh out of and instantly forget again. I was not prepared for what came out of her mouth. At first, I thought that perhaps Mrs. Boyle was lip-syncing. A few seconds in however, I realized my mistake and was absolutely floored by her “incredible performance.” This lady had a gift and now that she had been “given the chance,” it was time for her “dream” to be realized.
This story is simply another illustration of the age old saying “you can’t judge a book by its cover.” It is human nature for us to want to watch beautiful people on the television screen. We like to picture ourselves up there as well, succeeding along with them, but that is not real life. The overwhelming response towards Boyle’s musical gift gives hope for the world. It shows how we can accept people despite their physical imperfections, and that we can appreciate a beautiful voice without a Hollywood face. Susan’s performance was without a doubt, one of the “biggest wake-up calls ever!”

A clip of the Britain's Got Talent segment is belowe; or for different clips and opinions regarding Susan Boyle check out the video bar at the bottom of this page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Information about the Vancouver production of Les Miserables can be found at
http://www.artsclub.com/plays/20082009/onstage/les-miserables.htm

Background information for this article was also taken from the following sources:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8005767.stm
http://www.theprovince.com/health/women/Britain+Talent+singing+star+Susan+Boyle+fame+goes+ballistic/1499258/story.html

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/619805