This will bring a tear to your eye:

tomsdesk

Saw a small piece of this on NBC's nightly news...it's well worth the watch.

Pixero

Ooh, it got me.
I love these things. Watched Paul Potts as well.
Youtube Video

Frederik

Although I'm not a big fan of classic music, this was definitely a wake up call...
Like everbody else, I was being very cynical at the beginning, but man she sure can sing...
What a wake up call...

solo

Yeah I saw this on the news this morning, I guess the old saying 'You can't judge a book by it's cover' works here.
Was this not the same show that Paul Potts got his debut?

Paul Russam

On UK TV we have a dearth of this kind of programme, the purpose of which is to find 1 person who can be exploited for 10mins whilst showing us 7 weeks of excruciating embarrassment.
For this reason I go out of my way to avoid them.

But this......

Wow, amazing!
I'll freely admit that I started watching the clip with my 'excruciating embarrassment' mode turned up to full power but wow was I put in my place.

I still won't watch the programme but I'll keep an eye on the highlights on Youtube to see how she does.

Thanks for the heads up and link.

pilou

Talent is talent!

Alan Fraser

This kind of spells it out.
http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/04/susan-boyle-why.html

solo

Fortunately CD's and MP3's are audio only, as she has a face for radio and a voice for Carnegie hall.

Gaieus

You're so cruel, Pete!

EscapeArtist

There's no reason a singer like that couldn't take the lead in a Broadway or West End musical play, she could easily be a lead character.

I was initially surprised when I saw it, but it almost seems planned after Paul Pott's stellar and surprising performance. I mean really, twice we have humble, plain, not-so-great-looking everyday people show up and deliver smashing performances? It almost seems like a setup. I think the show has "jumped the shark", time for it to go.

solo

I wonder why such talent has never been discovered here in the states?....oh I know why, because they have screeners that block any less than desirable folks from even getting heard, as we here need eye candy, talent comes second.

john.warburton

Apparently, the bookies already have her as favourite to win.

I loathe these "reality" talent shows with a passion, but my wife adores them. I did catch most of her performance though, walking in to the room just after she started singing having preferred to do the washing-up rather than watch the show.

She is good, but it is such a shame that to get any further she has to endure the indignity of the rest of this circus

Mike Lucey

Thanks Tom for posting. It did indeed bring a tear to my eye.

So called good looks can become very boring after a short while if there is no inner beauty to back them up. However they do get some very untalented people past the first hurdle.

Susan Boyle was not blessed in the 'good looks' department but she definitely would appear to be a truly beautiful person. She says she has never been kissed but I think she now has as we have kissed her soul just as she has kissed ours.

Mike

PS: Yeah I'm an old softy

tomsdesk

What got me the most was her fiesty attitude before she sang switching to such heartfelt gratitude when the judges said they liked her singing...and then finally breaking down with joy backstage.

Alan Fraser

Beautifully done, but I don’t buy into all the hype that has developed since it hit the news stocking-fillers in the US. She’s done fantastically well for an untrained amateur, but the notion that she knocks spots off the pros is a bit overblown. Of course they’ll come on TV and say how wonderful she is...any publicity... That’s showbiz.

Yes, she has power and a good deal of control, but the real shock comes from seeing a rather homely, unassuming, middle-aged lady talking in a West Lothian accent, then hearing something sounding like it’s coming from someone 20 years younger in perfectly enunciated RP English. The incongruity is staggering; that’s why jaws dropped after only eight notes. Still a remarkably moving performance though...and the obvious good will of the audience added tremendously. I did seem to develop some sort of eye allergy.

dtrarch

Hi Alan

This Lady has superb voice management.
Right on pitch and support / placement like a real pro.
Sounds like a very well trained voice and just who is/was her voice coach.??
Also she has a real love of her music and it shows in the delivery.

dtr
Tenor/Trumpet/Flugel
Legit and Jazz and how very hard it is to nail it like this lady did.
Time to go home and practice.

BTM

Yeah, this has been on the news all day, as-well as another story, quite the opposite of this one...
Youtube Video

Alan Fraser

I thought you guys might be interested in the final result last night. The winners were Diversity, a tremendously original and inventive dance act.
Youtube Video

Second, was Susan Boyle, reprising her first offering, seen at the start of this thread.
Youtube Video

Third was Julian Smith; also reprising his original performance...but giving an unabridged version.
Youtube Video

Sound about right, but I think I'd have switched 2 and 3 around.
akf
Tenor/Accoustic guitar/Blues Harp