Lesson for the day...

...never judge a book by it's cover!

Susan Boyle: Unemployed 47-year-old becomes overnight music superstar

When 47-year-old small town spinster Susan Boyle stepped on to the stage of Britain's Got Talent and announced she was unemployed, had never been married and "never been kissed, actually," few in the audience would have wondered why. With unkempt hair and Leonid Breshnev eyebrows, and mention of her ten-year-old cat "Pebbles," the Blackburn, Scotland lass resembled basically every other reality TV talent show timewaster who talks big and delivers nothing but personal humiliation on a national stage.

But then Susan Boyle opened her mouth and sang I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables, and her world changed forever.

The audience rose within seconds to applaud her incredible voice as the celebrity judges sat open-mouthed, and remained standing to the end, delivering a standing ovation that had even the most hardened reality TV snob tearing up.

Journalist and TV host Piers Morgan said, "Without a doubt that was the biggest surprise I have had in three years on the show. When you stood there with that cheeky grin and said, 'I wanna be like Elaine Paige', everyone was laughing at you. No one is laughing now. That was stunning, an incredible performance. Amazing. I'm reeling from shock."

Actress Amanda Holden followed, "I am so thrilled because I know that everybody was against you. I honestly think that we were all being very cynical and I think that's the biggest wake up call ever. And I just want to say that it was a complete privilege listening to that."

Even American Idol cynic Simon Cowell couldn't help but get on the Susan Boyle bandwagon, laughingly saying, "From the moment you walked on the stage, I knew..."

The internet duly exploded with Susan Boyle-mania, with her YouTube video bringing 5.6 million viewings in just three days. Her performance has been seen on CNN and been plastered on newspaper pages from Australia to New York.

Britain's Got Talent: Susan Boyle

Increased demand from music downloaders has sent the original cast recording of the song she performed up the iTunes singles chart, and to top it all off, Boyle has said she has already had a meeting with Sony BMG with a view to releasing an album. "I can't say much about it. It's early days and I'm taking baby steps."

All of this fuss must be difficult to comprehend for the youngest of nine children who had given up a potential singing career to look after her sick mother, but it's just beginning. Boyle will be back for the second round of the series, which she's currently rated at odds of 5/2 of winning by UK bookmakers.

cparry@vancouversun.com
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