Susan Boyle became an overnight international star after her unexpected performance on Britain’s Got Talent last weekend. She sang ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ from Les Miserables and virtually stopped the show. Since then, the internet has been buzzing with praise for her talent and viewing of her YouTube video. There’s also been some discussion of whether the buzz is because of her talent or Simon Cowell’s marketing hype. Read about it below and see photos and the video and lyrics of her singing ‘I Dreamed a Dream’.

susan boyle

Susan Boyle

If you haven’t heard of Susan Boyle, you haven’t been on the internet this week. She is the 47-year-old woman from a Scottish village who wowed the world last weekend on Britain’s Got Talent with her rendition of Les Miserables, I Dreamed a Dream. Prior to singing, she walked on stage confidently, with un-styled and unruly hair, frumpy dress and overall dowdy appearance. The crowd snickered and rolled their eyes, undoubtedly expecting her to be one of the pathetically untalented contestants that are a staple of both Britain’s Got Talent and the American version of the show, American Idol.

As soon as Susan Boyle started singing, electricity went through the crowd, they were on their feet, eyes were filled with tears and the applause was deafening. The three judges, Piers Morgan, Amanda Holden and Simon Cowell, enthusiastically passed her on to the next stage of the show with glowing assessments of her performance.

And then Susan Boyle became a star. Just like that. Literally overnight. She’s booked on talk shows in Britain and the United States. Her YouTube videos have received millions of hits and everyone on twitter is all atwitter over her.

There has been some discussion about whether Boyle is really as talented as the sensation she has created claims, or if this is another one of Cowell’s brilliant marketing moves that has made him a gazillionaire through his talent shows. Is she that good, or is it hype. Does she have the voice of an angel, or is it because her talented voice comes from such an unexpected appearance.

Britain’s Got Talent judge, Susan Boyle, gave a bit of a hint, probably unintentionally, when she declared she wouldn’t let Simon Cowell give Boyle a ‘Hollywood-style overhaul’ because that would ruin the whole thing.

‘I won’t let Simon Cowell take her to his dentist and I certainly won’t let her near his hairdresser,’ she said.

‘She needs to stay exactly as she is because that’s the reason we love her. She just looks like anybody who could live on your street.

‘The minute we turn her into a glamourpuss is when it’s spoilt.

‘That can perhaps come later when she has signed the album deal and conquered America.

‘For now we’ll keep her exactly as she is because that’s why we’ve all fallen in love with her,’ she told the Mirror.

‘I think it’s the underdog thing.’

Hey don’t hate me for mentioning it. I’m just reporting some of the discussion and asking the question. Is she amazingly talented or does she have a nice voice that people love because she’s such an underdog-type figure? Do they feel guilty for judging her on her appearance and therefore are going overboard praising her talent?

And about the girl the camera focused on, rolling her eyes in the audience when Boyle walked out on stage. People have been saying what a jerk she was and how awful she must feel now that Boyle is such a superstar. Come on, that was the point and that girl wasn’t the only one rolling her eyes. The whole crowd was snickering. The judges were raising their eyebrows and looking smug. Don’t judge the girl unless you can honestly say you didn’t have a similar reaction and weren’t expecting Boyle to be one of the many attention seeking losers that embarrass themselves on that show regularly. Admit it, its the train wrecks that keep people watching Britain’s Got Talent and American Idol.

So what do you think? Talent or hype?

susan boyle susan boyle susan boyle susan boyle

Susan Boyle - Photos

Susan Boyle - I Dreamed a Dream - Video

I Dreamed a Dream - Lyrics

There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
And they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he’ll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I’m living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.