Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Susan Boyle on Oprah: “It’s like a dream come true”

Updated: Susan Boyle posts (5-11)

More Susan Boyle on Oprah: “I’ve got millions of friends now”

May 11, 2009

Susan Boyle was on Oprah via satellite. It was a show called “The World’s Got Talent” featuring Simon Cowell. One forgets what an utter delight Ms Boyle is. Her mini-makeover made absolutely no difference and folks should just leave her alone. She had been depressed ever since her mum died in 2007 – not even singing. Who knows if she had always wanted to have a little something done but had been reluctant to do so because of how folks already made fun of her. So let it go folks. It’s clear she isn’t going to do anything she isn’t comfortable with. Enjoy her for what she is: lovely, in all ways.

Here’s the story from Oprah’s website.

One phenomenon Simon did not expect was Susan Boyle, the 47-year-old Britain’s Got Talent contestant whose voice has taken the world by storm. Simon says he was in a bad mood and anxious to get the show’s auditions over with on the day he met Susan.

SIMON COWELL: This lady came up, and I’m kind of thinking, ‘This will take five seconds, and I can go have a cup of tea’.

Once he heard her sing, Simon says he immediately knew he’d made a mistake.

COWELL: [I thought], ‘I’m going to look really stupid in a few weeks’ time.’

He’s been doing that for years already.

Since that first audition, Susan’s performance of “I Dreamed a Dream” has gotten more than 100 million hits on YouTube.

COWELL: There was something Susan said before she came out on stage…’I'm going to rock this audience.’ She knew we were going to have that reaction, and just to see that look of satisfaction on her face midway through—it was one of my favorite moments.

I liked that part the best. She was most convincing when she said it. And then she went out there and did it.

And her Britain’s Got Talent audition where she sings “I Dreamed a Dream” is #5 all time on You Tube. As of May 6, she had 186 Million hits so she could be over 200 million by now.

Susan, the youngest of nine, says she started singing when she was 12 years old. Music, she says, helped her cope with a learning disability.

SUSAN BOYLE: I was kind of a slow learner at school, so getting something like singing was a good way of hiding behind that and so boosting my confidence.

Susan says her biggest supporter was her mom, who died in 2007.

BOYLE: After that, there was a wee period where I didn’t sing. You try and keep going through that pain.

To help cope with the loss, Susan says she auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent.

BOYLE: I am very slowly getting over it. One of the reasons I applied for the TV show was to try to see if I could perform in front of an audience.

It was the performance of Susan’s life—and everything changed overnight. Paparazzi now camp outside of the home she’s lived in for 48 years, and her mailbox is filling up with fan mail—with a few letters for her cat, Pebbles, mixed in.

BOYLE: I get asked for autographs.

I’ve been getting quite a few letters and quite a few cards from all over the globe.

Susan says she’s embracing every moment of her newfound fame.

BOYLE: It’s like a dream come true.

Despite constant public scrutiny over her appearance, Susan says she hasn’t had a makeover.

BOYLE: It depends what you mean by a makeover. I said to my best friend, I said, ‘How’s about you do my makeup?’ I mean, that’s hardly a makeover.

Though she cut and colored her hair, Susan says it wasn’t part of a dramatic transformation plan.

BOYLE: I did a bit, but that was just to tidy myself up like any other female would have done.

No matter what, Simon says the competition is all about Susan and her voice.

COWELL: It’s all about you and your singing voice now. Whatever you feel comfortable with, you do. You’ve got practically the whole world behind you now. So I want to say congratulations and wish you the best of luck.

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