Against all odds, singer Susan Boyle made her dream come true. Could you?
There’s a new album being released today, by a woman whose name we’d never even heard just 11 months ago. You probably remember when you first saw the video of her stepping onto the stage at an audition for “Britain’s Got Talent.” Maybe you saw it on television. Maybe a friend said, “You have to watch this on YouTube.”
The 47-year-old woman, who lived by herself with her cat in Scotland, was overweight, with frizzy gray hair, overbearing eyebrows and an open, somewhat naïve face. She had on a new dress and high heels for the occasion. As she walked to the center of the stage and was interviewed by Simon Cowell, you could see the judges’ skepticism. Cowell rolled his eyes when Boyle said that her hope was to be a professional singer. Amanda Holden nodded. Piers Morgan gave a little chuckle. The audience went wide-eyed and sarcastic when Boyle said she’d like to be as big as British singer Elaine Paige. They laughed at her, and not in a good way. It was as if the entire auditorium was collectively, silently making fun of Boyle.
And then she sang.
You remember this, too. Because you had been judging her on appearance, too – what kind of voice could this frumpy, somewhat misguided woman really have?
We’ve all had that kind of a moment. A moment when we are being made fun of, judged for the wrong reasons, laughed at. A moment when, if we are not careful, we will start doubting ourselves, duck back down, and say “Oh never mind, I didn’t mean it.” A moment when fear and peer pressure makes us turn away from trying something. A moment that can paralyze us with both potential and anxiety.
“The minute she walked onstage we all, and the audience, completely judged her on her appearance and everything else. And I hate saying that,” Holden told Access Hollywood in a later interview. “We judged a book by its cover, unfortunately, and we’re all very cynical.”
Susan Boyle took her moment. She showed us all. She sang “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables, and after the first few lyrics soared from her, it was as if the world stopped for just a second. The judges were agog. Cowell’s eyes opened in pure, delighted surprise.
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Add a Comment14 Comments
Her voice was mediocre. The only reason she's so successful is because of how ugly she is. Everyone feels better about themselves by supporting her. It's awesome she had the courage to sing in front of people and she didn't suck but realistically her success is not about her voice its about how unattractive she is.
December 9, 2009 - 10:30amThis Comment
Apparently, 701,000 people disagree with you, Anon, because that's how many albums she sold in the first week after release, which broke all kinds of records, apparently. And in a recession, that's amazing. No doubt her story has a lot to do with people's interest. But seriously?
Seems like if Susan Boyle's success was just a pity party, she'd have actually won the British reality tv show that introduces us all to her. She came in second. Was she second ugliest?
December 10, 2009 - 8:52amI have to agree with ANON. Both Susan Boyle and Paul Potts are mediocre singers when compared to their professional counterparts but what they do have is oodles of character. Paul Potts is shy and unassuming whilst Susan Boyles is completely batty. People want such characters to strive through adversity because it makes them feel good inside and gives them their own personal sparkle of light which maybe will get a chance to shine too. I don't rate them as singers and I doubt I would want to listen to them for personal pleasure but I do enjoy their stories.
December 21, 2009 - 9:10amShe has an excellent voice. Best example of "you can't judge a book by its cover." Funny that i happen to be on the BGT website listening to her and Paul Potts when I stumbled across this article.
December 18, 2009 - 11:47pmI don't think Susan has a mediocre voice at all, I think it's crystal clear and since she's completely untrained, she has remarkable control.
With all the autotuning in music anymore, some because it's a trend, most because it covers the fact that a lot of our "singing sensations" can't sing well at all - I think her CD - while only a selection of covers - is good!
What it shows - if anything - that looks count for a whole lot in the entertainment industry.
December 21, 2009 - 12:18pmTalent? That's negotiable.
What if Susan Boyle couldn't sing?
People would have humiliated her and felt good about it. Bloggers wouldn't be writing about her. People wouldn't be righteously defending her.
It seems to me that the negative energy that went into humiliating her before she sang is the same negative energy which righteously upholds her only because she can sing.
December 28, 2009 - 11:42amAnon,
A very interesting point. In fact, reality shows like American Idol and Britain's Got Talent exist for two reasons: Viewers love to see people succeed, and they love to see people fail. It's just the way it is.
If you've ever watched American Idol, you know that there are way too many people who are auditioning for the show than those who can really sing. There are some so bad that you shake your head at the television, wondering if they are delusional or simply masochistic to invite criticism.
Based on her appearance and introduction, Susan Boyle looked to all that she'd be in that category. And for that we -- and the judges -- just have to blame our own assumptions. What? She's 47 years old? Frumpy hairstyle? New dress just for this? Overweight but sways her hips? Must be a joke, right? You could hear the amusement in Simon Cowell's voice and the expression on his face as he got ready to listen.
The fame -- and the amazement on the judges faces -- and the millions upon millions of YouTube hits -- and the millions upon millions of sales -- all happened because of what happened NEXT. When Susan Boyle sang, she made everyone blink in surprise. Mouths fell open. Eyebrows went up. The audience is stunned in that moment. Because the reality was SO far from their expectations.
Karma is indeed a force in the universe, and she clearly has some on her side. But if she couldn't sing, she'd have gone the way of the thousands of Idol wanna-bes who have their few (painful) moments in the spotlight and go back to their day jobs afterward.
But you're right. If she couldn't sing, we wouldn't even know her name.
January 7, 2010 - 8:24amTotally, awesome I suddenly became fan of her after hearing her voice, it feels like something crawls all over my body. I even called my cousins to the Philipines to watch her video in Youtube and they were amazed too.
January 6, 2010 - 3:57amI really want to have her CD, and hoping I could find it here in Saudi Arabia.
Susan Boyle was around sort of known for singing in her region. The show's producers just took her put some shit clothes and no make up to make a sensation for the masses. Thats the Susan Boyle moment, an orchestrated plan to shock people and get audience to watch that show and buy the record
January 9, 2010 - 8:24amExactly. I remember seeing her around the village and the pubs with my father. She was quite well known around the area. However, we can't act surprised that a bunch of TV viewers were fooled, eh?
January 11, 2010 - 10:19am