Susan Boyle gobsmacks the world with Cry Me A River

Susan Boyle, appearing in the third series of "Britain's Got Talent" on Saturday, 11 April 2009 has gobsmacked the world. The universal reaction to her appearance has ranged from smirking condescension to awed disbelief to almost silent tearful worship. And the word that truly captures it is exactly what Susan herself felt, "Gobsmacked".

The pictures indeed speak volumes as we watch the facial expressions (which in most cases, would mirror our own) as we listen to Susan Boyle's before, during, and after ... Before she sang, During our stunned stage, and After she puts us into an incredulous trance.

Before Susan Boyle sings

Susan Boyle Gobsmacks the world

As Susan Boyle sings!

You can also see her video on many YouTube versions (e.g. from "BritainSoTalented" on Susan Boyle's performance).

About Susan Boyle

At the time of her appearance on Britain's Got Talent  opening third series in April 2009, she was 47 years old, unemployed (charity worker), unmarried, unkissed, and living only with her 10-year old cat, Pebbles.

Born in 1961 in Blackburn, West Lothian in Scotland where is still lives she had only performed in local shows, karaoke, and her local church choir. It is reported everywhere that she has never been kissed though there is at least one report that says that Susan did admit that it was only a joke. Drew Barrymore (star of "Never Been Kissed") has even offered advice to Susan Boyle!

There are even reports about Susan being a virgin. The Australian heraldsun.com.au has even labeled her as "Scottish virgin Susan Boyle" .. all of which has nothing to do with her talent but much to do with the additional fuel of gossip that has launched her globe-wide and made her the darling of millions around the world.

Susan is one of nine children and till recently, she has been taking care of her ailing mother who passed away in 2007 at the age of 91. And it is to her mother's encouragement that she attributes her appearance on Britain's Got Talent. It has been stated that Susan Boyle has "learning disabilities" and that she was bullied and tormented with name calling as a youngster. She says that signing for her was an escape from this bullying.

Since her appearance on Britain's Got Talent

If Susan Boyle was unemployed before, it is not likely she will remain so.

• She is now the current hot favourite to win the contest.
• It has been reported that Simon Cowell is lining up a record deal for her and she confirms that she has had a meeting with Sony BMG (Simon's record label), but no further confirmation of details.
• Video clips of her performance on the internet has risen to 18 million and rising rapidly.
• Since her appearance on Britain's Got Talent, she has been a guest on STV's The Five Thirty Show and has been interviewed on CBS's Early Show, NBC's Today Show, ABC's Good Morning America, had a telephone interview on FOX's America's Newsroom, an appearance on Larry King Live, and an invitation to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show. And she has been featured in just about every big news media.
• Of almost equal prominence as her appearance on Britain's Got Talent, is the unearthed Susan Boyle's version of "Cry Me a River", from a charity cd made in 1999 of which only 1000 copies were made.
  

Analysis: Susan Boyle

It has been reported that judges Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden have issued an apology to Susan Boyle for pre-judging her based solely on her appearance. And multiple comments in multiple blogs and news articles have been confessing to and/or criticizing everyone who has judged Susan on her appearance. Personally I think these critical comments and apologies are unnecessary. It is part of our human ability to function that we do have opinions based on a general concept of what something looks like. It is exactly by these means of having generalized concepts that we can navigate our world .. can differentiate a man from a woman (though admittedly, it does get harder these days), a dog from a cat, one's house from a stranger's house. It is precisely because of her appearance and what our initial appearance of her was and the contrast of that to her stupendous talent that has gobsmacked the world, celebrities, the judges, and prestigious TV shows.

For Susan Boyle, right now, her stars must really be in alignment. To have reached her age, to have been using her singing talents all along and yet to have remained undiscovered till now, must surely show that finally her stars (or fate, or destiny or whatever else one might want to call it) is truly in line. Truly, there seems to be a season for everything, and when it is your time, it can truly be remarkable.

I noticed that in the final standing ovation for Susan Boyle, that just about everyone was on their feet ... except for Simon Cowell (which, with regards to Simon, is not unexpected).

This observation is in no way a comment about Simon's obvious appreciation for Susan's talents. Rather it is a plug for Adam Lambert (from American Idol) in his performance of "Mad World" (8 April) where Simon did stand to give a standing ovation for that young star's immense talent.

On a final note on Simon Cowell: Woah, this man must be a flying (as well as flaying) machine. On 8th April, he is seen in American in American Idol offering a most unheard of standing ovation to Adam, and on 11th April, he is being gobsmacked by Susan Boyle in Britain.