Susan Boyle

Now, who is Susan Boyle? A 21+ London bred British woman whose looks have caught the imagination of the whole world through all forms of communication media, can’t do acting for nuts but happens to be Daniel Craig’s next woman in bed, scandalous relationships for a start and who will die to obscurity in a couple of years. Congratulations, you are partly correct and mostly wrong!

Well, where you are correct are that she is from the UK (Scottish in particular), the most popular woman in the world right now with 25 million YouTube hits and you are wrong by a yard with the rest! She is a 47 year old frumpy ‘never-been-kissed’ (let alone scandalous relationships!) amateur singer and church volunteer who came to public attention on 11 April 2009 when she appeared as a contestant on the third series of “Britain's Got Talent”. Boyle found fame when she sang "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables in the competition's first round. Now the reason why she became so popular is because of her perfect rendition of the song which stumped the judges and audience at the amphitheatre!

I know what you are asking, someone sings well and so she becomes popular? Well there is a history to the whole incident. “Britain's Got Talent” is being judged by three people, Piers Morgan, Amanda Holden and a very hard to please, Sultan of Sarcasm - Simon Cowell. Cowell is notorious as a judge for his unsparingly blunt and often controversial criticisms, insults and wisecracks about contestants and their singing abilities, or lack thereof.

Before she sang, the judges and the audience were skeptical because of the way she was dressed, her unkempt hair and awkward mannerisms! They were cynical by deciding that she would be another joke of the day especially when she said she wanted to be another professional singer to the likes of Elaine Page right from her childhood. Video clippings showed how the audience reacted to replies to the introductory questions from Cowell and I’d be ashamed if I were them.

The stage was set and Boyle starts on the perfect note and seconds later ‘Aaaawh’ went Cowell and Amanda. The next three minutes she enthralled the whole crowd with the song that in the end nothing befitting could be done other than a standing ovation. Morgan mentioned that this was the most exceptional shock that he has received in his life; Amanda said that it was a privilege listening to her sing and Cowell was so bowled over that he is heard to have signed a contract with Boyle for the worldwide release of an album. As for the audience are concerned all the scorn and hostile attitude turned into absolute delight after she was through the auditions to the semi-final.

Don’t judge a book by its cover – this is too popular a saying for me to plagiarize but don’t we all make that mistake almost every day? Even though we have been bred through childhood constantly reminded that every being has a purpose and looks, status etc. do not indicate the character or skills of that person, we never seem to learn. I saw the video and I ain’t a big music buff and this wasn’t just another song but a musical talking about the struggles of 19th century France. But music needs no language and her performance just drew me out that I have watched it close to 15 times! Way to go Susan and I might just be lucky to buy your album soon!

On a side note I’ve got the lyrics of the song that she sang and who better to sing it than the one who chased her dreams to see them soar high – poetic justice indeed!

I dreamed a dream in time gone by, When hope was high
And life worth living, I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving, then I was young and unafraid
When dreams were made and used and wasted, there was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted.

But the tigers come at night, with their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hopes apart, as they turn your dreams to shame

And still I dream he'll come to me, that we will live our lives together
But there are dreams that cannot be, and there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be, so different from this hell I'm living
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.