Susan Boyle - a woman of swagger

Susan Boyle

Born 1 April 1961

If you haven’t heard of Susan Boyle, you must be living under a rock. The Scottish singer is undoubtedly the biggest sensation ever to emerge from a TV reality show. Showcasing her flair for singing on Britain’s Got Talent, Boyle sang an awe-inspiring rendition of “I dreamed a dream”, capturing the hearts of millions who watched her. Her video performance was also rampantly circulated in the online sphere, and is ranked the most watched online video, enjoying almost tens of millions hits.

Boyle first took center stage, arm on waist, and made her best model strut entrance. Defying all forms of stereotypes, the unemployed 47 year old neither looked nor dressed the part. Naturally, many in the audience met her appearance with skepticism, and her frivolous antics were frowned upon. Immediately we thought we had another William Hung on our hands.

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When she exclaimed her wish to emulate Elaine Paige and hoped that the show would be her stepping stone to become a professional singer, the judges – and those present – saw her declaration as conceitedness and were cynical. It wasn’t until they heard her big voice that their hostile eyes turned to incredulous ones.

Barely allowing her to finish her first line, the audience erupted into a loud, ebullient cheer that culminated into a standing ovation. Of her performance, Boyle was hailed as the biggest surprise since the show’s inception; that she was a wake-up call to all of us watching: never judge a book by its cover. Her idol, Elaine Paige, personally adulated her performance and gave nod to a possible duet in the near future. She also touted Boyle as the role model for many.

Since becoming a laudable singer, Boyle has appeared on several talk shows including CBS’s Early Show, ABC’s Good Morning America and NBC’s Today. Most notably, she appeared via satellite on The Oprah Winfrey Show; you know you’ve made it when even Oprah wants a piece of you. Boyle has successfully conquered America with just one performance.

Yet, the sweet victory of Susan Boyle and the surreal realization of her dreams give rise to a moral calling. Would Boyle have enjoyed such unprecedented success if she was as pretty as say, Britney Spears? Would she have garnered international attention if she was in her perky 20s? Would the media be so fixated on profiling her if she was of chirpy cheerleader caliber?

Quite frankly, while we are enthralled by her vocal prowess, Boyle has charmed us more with her personality. Long before she belted out her big notes, she already swept us off our feet with her confidence. What she lacks in looks, she definitely makes up for in her zany attitude. She took to the stage, having to deal with the dismay and cold reception of the crowd. Any other person would have succumbed to the harsh scrutiny, but not our beloved Boyle.

Instead, she decided to amuse the critical crowd with a little provocative dance of her own. When asked to introduce herself, she did so with all confidence and no stammering. Only a woman of swagger who knows her strengths and self worth can be so mightily confident.

Attesting the fact that she is a very confident woman, Boyle stood her ground when she got off to a rocky start during her semi final performance. Instead of faltering, she prevailed and managed to sing the rest of “Memory” to the roaring applauses of audience and judges. Needless to say, she earned herself a spot in the Final 2 Britain’s Got Talent competition.

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Reprising the song that propelled her to fame, Boyle sang “I dreamed a dream” for her final performance, this time with even more gusto and vocal powers. Her stunning performance came in light of rumors that the stress of winning was getting to Boyle and she was going to quit the show. In the week leading up to the finale, Boyle had a taste of the cruel side of fame when she became embroiled in a string of controversies. Many were afraid that Boyle was going to under perform and disappoint, but a woman who has such immense talents rarely has an off-day.

Boyle sang “I dreamed a dream” on the stage for the second time, inspiring people around the world to dare to live their dreams, as she had. Even though she was tipped to win the coveted crown, she eventually lost to rival dance group Diversity. Being the good sportsman that she is, she congratulated the group and even referred their victory as deserving and that “the best people won”.

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In our books, Susan Boyle is a winner in her own right. She is an inspiration to us; if we remain undaunted and relentless, our dreams can and will come true. It doesn't matter if we are young or old, it doesn't matter if we are pretty or goodlooking, it doesn't matter how long it takes, as long as we want it enough, as long as we keep trying, we will ultimately catch our big break.