YouTube Sensation Susan Boyle Hits the U.S.
YouTube marvel Susan Boyle, the Scottish singing sensation who last weekend stunned the judges of the Britain’s Got Talent TV show – including cynical Simon Cowell – has hit American shores.
In what was billed as her “first U.S. performance,” Boyle responded to CBS’s The Early Show hosts Maggie Rodriguez and Harry Smith’s request that she sing and reprised her signature “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical Les Miserables – and, after rendering it a capella, not only nailed it, but won accolades from Broadway’s Patti LuPone, who first introduced the song in 1985.
GO HERE TO WATCH HER SING ON YOU TUBE.
“Susan,” said LuPone, speaking over the phone on the Early Show, “you’ve got pluck, girl.”
Boyle, 47, said from her home in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland, that when she was younger people made fun of her. Now, the reaction is anything but that. “Everyone wishes me very well,” she says. As for the international reaction, especially online, Boyle modestly admitted, “It hasn’t maybe sunk in yet.”
What turned Boyle’s world around was her Britain’s Got Talent appearance. After her entrance triggered snickers and patronizing comments – especially when the dowdy and slightly jumpy Boyle said she wanted to be the next Elaine Paige, a petite blonde British stage musical star – Boyle picked up the microphone and magically delivered “I Dreamed a Dream.”
The result? The audience melted, then stood up and cheered, and after the judges closed their gaping mouths, Cowell termed her performance “extraordinary,” while fellow judge Piers Morgan admitted she was the biggest surprise he’d ever experienced on the show.
Leaving the stage after her number, Boyle – an unemployed charity worker who lives with her cat, Pebbles, and, until recently, had cared for her ailing mother, now deceased – immediately seemed to take it all in stride, until it hit her how much she had wowed the crowd. “Breathtaking, unbelievable, awesome,” Boyle now says of the reaction to her.
To summon the courage to take her act to TV, Boyle said, “You have to take yourself seriously, so what I did was concentrate on the song.” She added, “I wanted to make this a tribute to my mother. I knew this was something I had to do.”
And do it, she did. As of Thursday morning, her YouTube clip – one of several, actually – had generated more than 11 million views and planted Boyle firmly in the pop-culture firmament. On their Twitter sites, Ashton Kutcher posted a link to Boyle’s clip, along with the comment: “This just made my night.” Added his wife, Demi Moore, “You saw it made me teary!”
April 16th, 2009 at 7:11 am
She totally rocks out! She sounds like an angel. We\’ve been blessed to hear her sing.
April 16th, 2009 at 8:04 am
she needs a make over now and then off to broadway!
April 16th, 2009 at 10:46 am
She made me teary too. I love that song and she sang it beautifully.
April 16th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
WOW, talk about not judging people by the way they look. She was fantstic. I hope she goes far.
April 16th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
My favorite part, besides the gorgeous singing, was seeing Simon watch her with his chin in his hands, look very much a smitten schoolboy. LOL.
April 16th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
someone buy her a bra!!
April 16th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Speechless, I have never heard anything like it. So glad to hear something happy !!
April 16th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
When spanning the audience when Ms.Susan first appeared a young lady with black hair was featured on camera with a \’give me a break\’ expression on her face that upset me. What makes her think she\’s so great,in my opinion she wasn\’t any beauty queen and shouldn\’t be judging Susan. I thought Susan was incredible and I hope she comes upon every bit of greatness she deserves. Shame on all you people who judged her!!
April 16th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Les Miserables is a very special play to me, and I Dreamed a Dream, one of its most beautiful. I was moved to tears less than midway through. Susan has brought her viewers to thier feet and has inspired them to look into their into thier hearts to examine just how judgmental we all can be. Susan not only offered us a performance we will carry with us for a lifetime, she has given us a lesson on the old adage, we must never judge a book by its cover. Thank you Susan; Here’s to you, I hope you go far. You have blessed and are destined to bless others with your performance.
April 16th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Les Miserables is a very special play to me, and I Dreamed a Dream , one of its most beautiful songs. I was moved to tears less than midway through. Susan has brought her viewers to thier feet and has inspired them to look into thier hearts to examine just how judgmental we all can be. Susan not only offered us a performance we will carry with us for a lifetime, she has given us a lesson on the old adage, we must never judge a book by its cover. Thank you Susan; Here’s to you, I hope you go far. You have been blessed and are destined to bless others with your performances.
April 16th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
She has the voice of an Angel
April 17th, 2009 at 12:47 am
I have never heard such a beautiful voice. I want to buy a copy and play it in my car everyday to work. Susan Boyle you inspire me!!! I Dreamed a Dream, and you are that!
April 18th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
My college classes end for the semester on Monday. I plan to show Susan’s YouTube video to all my classes as an inspiration as to what they too can achieve. I too had a dream–to achieve a doctorate degree and become a college professor. Some cruel people said I couldn’t do it. Well here I PROUDLY am in a job I love while those who made fun of me and my dream languish in jobs they hate. How grand it was to see Susan receive such enormous praise. And I’ll bet anything that this fine woman harbors no ill feelings for those who made fun of her in the past. A grand lady!