It's like watching the American Dream play out in Britain right now. Unemployed churchgoer Susan Boyle, a complete unknown (even in her own village) a year ago is now one of the biggest surprise stars of 2009. After wowing cynical judges on 'Britain's Got Talent' in summer '09 with her accomplished, operatic performance of 'I Dreamed A Dream', she shot to instant superstardom. Today, her debut album 'I Dreamed a Dream' sold over 700,000 copies, entering the Billboard charts at an astonishing #1.
The singing sensation has drawn frequent criticism over her frumpy looks - the bushy eyebrows, her reluctance to wear makeup or fashionable clothing, even at the height of fame, and in particular her untamable mane of gorse-like gray hair which has inspired many a caricature in daily papers. But there's a lingering feeling that we like her like that. When she plucked her eyebrows two weeks after demolishing opposition in 'Britain's Got Talent', it made front-page news. People were up in arms about it, and for good reason.
Why? Because Ms Boyle represents The Dream to all of us. She is a Nobody who has become a Somebody, whist reminding us that everybody, no matter how unknown, IS a Somebody. Her down-to-earth ways and awestruck attitude to fame shame those record company executives who spend millions of dollars 'creating' stars by hiring groups of pretty 16-year old's who can't sing, grooming and training and advertising them, then acting all surprised when they disappear without trace 12 months later.
If the music business is a monster, it seemed certain that it would eat Susan Boyle alive. Surprise surprise, she not only fought back, but chased the monster into a corner and beat it to death with a bagful of her own eyebrow clippings. Susan Boyle is here to stay, and you need only watch this video of her last performance on 'Britain's Got Talent' to see that.
Good luck Susan. I'll be buying your album.
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