I had not seen the video yet. That was absolutely fabulous! Makes me wonder how many wonderful singers there might be in this country who never had a chance to make a career for themselves, and have no way to do so. Too bad American Idol would not have let her try out since she is "too old". She's a much better singer than many of the young talents that make it onto American Idol.

Joanne

David, I watched this twice yesterday--San sent it. She certainly shut Simon down!

Ah, yes! Susan Boyle has an amazing voice. She just happens to be singing one of my favorite songs. I cried, then I watched it 5 more times and cried some more.

David, you beast! I'm not given to tearing up, but that did it..I'd forgotten how much I liked that song, and coming from such an unassuming woman, wow.
Was it you who posted a similar vid last year of a young boy singing Jesu Requiem? Cuz that made me tear up too.

I never watch American Idol, but just might be tempted to get cable if this is what you get from across the pond.

Thanks David, I just loved it...gotta go...hear it again

Dang, that lady can sing! But the best part was watching the joy in her face when she recieved the 3 votes to go on.

This was a great end to the day, David - thanks. She is a very talented singer and the standing o's must have warmed her heart as her singing does for the listeners.

Brenda

That was amazing. I watched it over and over!

What a beautiful person and what a wondrous voice! Made cold chills on me.

I just finished watching it too, and how spectacular it was!
San sent me the original link, but thanks for reminding me again!

Wow, wow, wow. That was amazing.

AM

That was amazing! What a voice!

Thanks so much for sharing that video :-)

Alexa

Yes that was so impressive, I wanted to send the link to my family in Canada and this morning when I turned on my computer, before I could send the email, one came in from my daughter on Vancouver Island....with that same link. It seems to have spread like wildfire around the web!

And what a voice she has!

SharonCb

I just came over to conversations to post that link, and the second I saw the subject line "Never judge a book by its cover......" I immediately knew Lakeguy had beaten me to it!

At least Britain's got something to talk about. Is anyone even watching American Idol? I'm not hearing any chatter whatsoever this year.

Yes, she is quite amazing. The video was all over the morning news shows. I wonder why no one ever told her to have her eyebrows waxed? Looks like a couple of furry caterpillers on her face. Oh well, her dorkiness is part of her appeal.

What happened to our AI thread? I guess it sank down. I misse it last night, but my faves are Adam, Danny and Allison.

I hate the snarkiness of the judges so I never watch. Delighted for that amazing woman who showed them up.

Those eyebrows are something. From what I glean, she has record contracts underway already.

I thought that she actually had a lot of stage presence when she was performing. I think that she's had some "grooming" or a heck of a lot of practice. Now about her eybrows, hairdo and walking in those high heels...they'd better hire a stylist... quickly!

She was great! I was really surprised, though, when she said she was 47. She gives the impression of being a lot older. I guess if you saw a close-up of her face you might see that she's in her forties, but gee, 47 is young and looking good, and she seemed anything but young!

San sent me the link too. As of today she seems to be the known all around the world. I'm thinking this is the real thing. If she did have any help or input they really let her down with the overall package.

From what I read at links sent around the office today including her first interview I think she is the real deal...eyebrows, dress, hair, and all. Seems she has had a very simply life and spent the last several years caring for her mother who died two years ago.

All I can say at this point is rock on Susan...you really touched my heart and soul.

David

Initially I wondered whether Susan Boyle might have been "groomed" [i.e. a facade] for this performance but as I learned more I abandoned that thought and decided she is what she seems.

Susan Boyle is one of 10 children who grew up in Council housing. She has a learning disability and struggled in school [was bullied]. As a young woman she returned home to care for her dying father and stayed to care for her mother. She hasn't had many opportunities.

Nothing in the Scottish media, including the local sources, contradicts the image she presented. I'm not surprised at her appearance or her dress. Her social contacts must have been minimal; for all I know the dress was her mother's. It's the kind of "best" dress a middle-aged working class woman would have worn in the 60's.

Actually, when I read her bio, what she's achieved is even more amazing.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Glasgow Sunday Mail Bio of Susan Boyle

Great article Carol, thank you for sharing it.

I'm glad she's getting so much attention. I even heard an excerpt on NPR yesterday... It gives a frumpy 47 yo hope ok, I don't have her talent, but David's title is perfect! YAY, Susan!! for knocking a hole in people's judgmental stereotypes!

OK, I've now listened to Susan about a dozen times. She's mesmerizing. Like the over 11M others who've watched this video...when she hit that first note my heart dropped. Her cat, Pebbles, has been very priviledged to hear this voice every day!

I'm a bit concerned for her though. The world is a very cruel place. Susan seems so innocent. So unassuming. So unprepared for what's bound to be a new & very exciting life. A life filled with sharks circling to take advantage of that innocence. I hope I'm reading her wrong. I'm hoping that underneath there's a woman made of steel.

Beautiful. Just beautiful. Music. The language that no matter our differences...we all immediately understand music & recognize a true gifted talent when we see & hear it.

Thanks for the link, David. I've been preoccupied with a family situation that has my DS in surgery tomorrow for reconstruction of his right hand after a nasty accident on the Saturday before Easter & if not for this thread I would have missed seeing Susan's moment. I wish her all the best & look forward to her first CD & live US concert.

/tricia

I've been wondering why everyone is so surprised she can sing. Does a person have to be pretty to have a good voice? I guess that's the way it is in America. Great Britain doesn't put quite as much emphasis on looks - they're more into talent.

Sally

Sally,

It wasn't about her looks that surprised me when she started to sing. It was the accent. While speaking, she had a heavy accent that I was unable to imagine in my mind as a singing voice. When she sang, the accent was reduced to barely discernable.

/t

Sally - I see where you're coming from, but it's not just her looks, it's her entire demeanor. Everything about her - yes, including her looks - seems awkward and unpolished. Then to see her transform into a confident and excellent performer, that was the big shock.

Great Britain doesn't put quite as much emphasis on looks? Maybe, maybe not, I don't know. But isn't this is a British show with British judges and British audience. They were the first ones to be shocked before this made waves around the world.

Susan was just on Fox News. What a lovely person.

Just finished watching the link on Fox News (thanks Cathy). I was correct that she had some lessons (and therefore some presence) but foodonastump is right, it's the transformation...when she opens her mouth to sing. Sally, when you pegged the dress as from the 60's, that makes sense. The little clip on youtube makes the total visual more difficult for me to "read", but that put it into perspective.
I only wish her the greatest success!

I keep coming back to this clip. I know the words by heart now and they are so poignant given her life's history.

Tricia, I share your concern. Hope someone reputable takes it upon themselves to guide her and make sure she is not used and abused.

Can you just imagine what the ratings are going to be on the next episode she sings in!! Man I wish we got it here and I don;t like these Idol shows at all!!! !

As I said hopefully even someone like Simon will watch over her shoulder.

PS: If this turns out to be a sham...which I don't think it is, I will be seriously pi$$ed

That was Carol that pegged the dress as being from the '60's. I'm too fashion illiterate to know something like that. lol

Foodonastump, you're right, the British judges do look surprised by her singing.

Sally

I thought the British audience was more prejudiced about her looks and age than Americans would have been. You could feel the scorn. They were almost jeering at her! That's one reason why it was so sweet that their expectations were upset.

This is enlightening, from a Britain's Got Talent imdb post

by stuart-g 8 hours ago (Wed Apr 15 2009 08:18:54)
Ignore this User : Report Abuse Reply
I was in the audience at Susan's audition in Glasgow back in January and they edited out an awful lot of her audition.

Firstly, Amanda burst out laughing when she said she was going to sing. The audience started booing and heckling her before she had even started singing. When she said she was going to sing Les Mis Simon told her to do a different song because he hated that specific song (although she didn't have another backing track). Amanda then mockingly told her to do some Britney Spears because it would suit the audience better. Amanda was laughing and mocking this poor women before she had even performed. When she started singing though, the whole place gave her an ovation instantly. She won the whole venue over. Amanda even mocked her slightly in her final comment. However, she was, once again, edited to make her look like the angelic person she isn't.

I told people after that audition that she was going to win the show - I still think she is.

'Nuff Said

I don't know that I'm particularly fashion literate. I'm just old, LOL. But looking at that dress I couldn't think of a single shop today that would stock something like that. So that leaves her mother's closet or a charity shop like Oxfam.

I wouldn't draw any conclusions as to British prejudices from a show like this. The whole thing is theater. Every camera angle and moment has been selected for its dramatic potential. It reminds me of Rocky Horror Picture Show or Victorian melodrama. A certain amount of audience participation is part of the game. And the judges, of course, are supposed to be cynical and scornful. That's their role. It's not reality . . . except perhaps for Susan Boyle.

What's being played out is the archetype of the ugly duckling turning into a swan. No matter how old the story is it never gets tired, never loses its power to draw us in.

[And no, I didn't assume she was tone-deaf just because she's plain.]

Carol

Sprout, forgot to say that it wasn't me that posted that vid last year.

Triciae, I was thinking the same. I sure hope her family and friends look out for her. However, given what's she has dealt with she might surprise all of us in that department....even with her challenges. I sure hope all is well with your DS and the surgery.

Thanks for the the heads up on the interview Cathy. Looks like she did have some voice lessons back in her thirties.

Sally, it is sad that so much in todays world is based on looks. I think these type of shows are always looking for the freak factor so to speak. Someone to make fun of and laugh at...get ratings. I guess they thought Susan would fit the bill for them. Sad but true. She sure showed them up though..big time.

I don't know what it is...fate...luck or maybe it was meant to be. She has certainly brought some good feelings into many peoples lives at time when things have been hard for so many. Nothing wrong with that IMHO. Yes, I'll be buying her CD when it is released.

David

Here's some more to read about her. Thank heavens they are thinking not to do a style makeover.

That would be such a mistake.

SharonCb

Just wanted to pop on and post. What a thrill to be able to see this! Wow! I wish I could sing 1/100th as beautiful as that! Truly amazing.

Does anyone remember Hazel (Shirley Booth)? When Susan had begun walking off the stage after singing...then was motioned to go back out...she looked (from her dress to her shoes to her gait) exactly like Hazel Burke being summoned into the room by Mr. B! Oh, I loved Hazel!

Susan...best wishes and hopes for whatever career you're hoping to have!! Bravo!

Hi "Mom" - nice to hear from you! Yes, I remember Hazel very well - I loved her too! And I sure do see the resemblance :)

Momto4kids, I'm so glad to see you here! I'll bet those kids are growing by leaps and bounds, aren't they? Sigh. Makayla still hasn't quite grown into the dress, The Princess is still a size 5. I think she's going to be Ashley's size, about 5'1" and 100 lbs., LOL.

San sent me the link on Susan Doyle too, and I saw the Fox interview. I had to smile when asked about her little "dance" and she said no more, she was going to try to keep it ladylike. LOLOLOL

good for her. I watched American Idol exactly once and as soon as Simon Cowell opened his mouth I turned it off. I can see self important abusive loudmouths every day at work. At least mine are criminals and that gives me some reasoning for their rude behavior. I refuse to watch it voluntarily from arrogant egotists.

Annie