I've got to write about Susan Boyle. I imagine that about everybody on the planet has heard about her by now and that at least half of the world's denizens have watched at least one of the gazillion YouTube videos of her performance on Brits Got Talent. If we're not all tired of hearing about her yet, I suppose many will be in short order. No matter.
I have watched her performance maybe a couple dozen times since I first heard of her on CNN's AC360 a couple of nights ago. I fell in love with Susan the moment she walked out on stage, but I must admit, I honestly did not expect what followed when she began singing. It was a moment. A moment to behold. Everybody in the theatre and those who were watching the program live on Brit TV were treated to something special. That totally unexpected moment of victory for the underdog.
It's not only that she nailed the song, that she made it her own, that she could well have been Fontyn for those 2 or 3 minutes. "The Moment" came in the wake of her opening phrase and the responses from the 3 judges and then the entire audience. It was that magic moment that few of us ever have the opportunity, the privilege, to witness.
Some complain that those who prejudged her simply from her looks - her heavily browed face, her rather frizzy hair, her weight, her age, her "cheekiness" - were despicable. And so they were. And so most of us were. That's often the way of it.
Nevertheless, a star was born. What next? It may be that she will not be able to live up to expectations now. How can she top that first moment? It is likely that she can't. She may well wind up winning the competition, but where she goes from there is anybody's guess. Ultimately, the glow may dim. She may, in the end be a hard sell. This sudden attention may tear her life apart. Fame has its really bad side as most of us know.
I truly hope not. I hope that someone will step in if need be to help her cope with the changes that have already begun in her life. I hope somebody kisses her.
I tear up every time I watch. I sing enough myself that I can relate to what she did, to what it takes to pull off that kind of performance.
Ms. Boyle, I'm pulling for you from the bottom of my heart. I hope you have more great moments that you can share with the rest of us. Thank you. It was a joy.
And, for your further listening enjoyment and more of Ms. Boyle's vocal acumen click on this.
Terry S.
3 comments:
Terry,
Did you hear anything about Susan having some sort of brain damage from loss of oxygen at some point in her life?
I can't remember where I read that, maybe Lorena's blog? I'd have to go check again.
Anyway, I heard that from somewhere. Have you heard anything about that?
Yes, I heard that she was oxygen deprived at birth - the old cord around the neck routine. I guess it made her a bit slow in some ways, but it doesn't seem to have affected her singing.
I truly hope she succeeds and doesn't get blown away by the radical changes in her life that it will no doubt bring.
I've recently been slowed by a nasty spring cold. I've come perilously close to pneumonia I think (although I have had a pneumonia shot) as I have a wracking cough but it's almost totally unproductive.
This has been a rough few months for us. Business effectively disappeared from around last October until around late January. Now, I'm so busy I can't keep up. It's either feast or famine.
We have two cars, both of which are on the blink. We can't afford to fix them as the money from all this business hasn't really begun to roll in.
Add to that, computer problems and this damn cold, and I would just like to chuck it all.
Once again, sorry to lay this at your feet, but I needed to vent a little.
TLS :%#/ (I have a rather lumpy nose and a mustache.)
Thanks Terry. Yes, it hasn't affected her voice, nor it seems, her sense of humour. She has a great smile.
I know she has said she doesn't want to change, however, I sense that she will, not really of her own accord but persuasively over time by those who would be involved in promoting her career, if it should come to that.
Yikes! I'm sorry about the cold/near pneumonia you've had. You had that last year too if I recall correctly. BTW, I reopened by Bloomer blog if you want to view the blooms again. :-)
I'm also sorry about the ups and downs of the financial situation you've found yourself in.
Listen, I can take ranting, so vent away my friend. Blogging is a great way to get a good release of all that's within. So, don't apologize. Let it rip.
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