Susan Boyle

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Biography

Susan Magdalane Boyle (born 1 April 1961Scottish genealogist Caroline Gerard found her official birth entry at New Register House in Edinburgh Boyle "just turned 48". "Suddenly Susan!", People (magazine)| People , 4 May 2009, p. 52. As is common with magazines, the issue was published about 10 days before its cover date, implying that her birth date was sometime in April 1961.) is a Scottish http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2011/08/13/cabbie-takes-scots-singing-sensation-susan-boyle-home-to-meet-his-mum-86908-23341492/ singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on the TV programme '' Britain's Got Talent (series 3)|Britain's Got Talent on 11 April 2009, singing " I Dreamed a Dream " from . Her first album was released in November 2009 and debuted as the number one best-selling CD on charts around the globe.

Global interest in Boyle was triggered by the contrast between her powerful mezzo-soprano voice and her plain appearance on stage. The juxtaposition of the audience's first impression of her, with the standing ovation she received during and after her performance, led to an international media and internet response. Within nine days of the audition, videos of Boyle—from the show, various interviews and her 1999 rendition of " Cry Me a River "—had been watched over 100& nbsp;million times. Her audition video has been viewed on the internet several hundred million times. Despite the sustained media interest she later finished in second place in the final of the show behind dance troupe Diversity (dance troupe)|Diversity .

Boyle's debut album, I Dreamed a Dream (album)|I Dreamed a Dream (2009) remains as the UK best-selling debut album of all time, beating previous record holder, Spirit (Leona Lewis album)|Spirit by Leona Lewis . I Dreamed a Dream is ranked fourth in its first week sales according to the Official Chart Company in the United Kingdom. In her first year of fame, Boyle made a fortune of £5 million with the release of I Dreamed a Dream and its lead off singles, " I Dreamed a Dream " and " Wild Horses (The Rolling Stones song)|Wild Horses ". The success was continued with her second album, The Gift (Susan Boyle album)|The Gift (2010), and was followed by Boyle's third album, Someone to Watch Over Me (album)|Someone to Watch Over Me , released on 31 October 2011.

Life and career

Early life and childhood

Boyle was born in Blackburn, West Lothian , Scotland, to Patrick Boyle, a miner, World War II veteran and singer at the Bishop's Blaize, and Bridget, a shorthand typist, who were both immigrants from County Donegal , Ireland. She was the youngest of four brothers and six sisters. Born when her mother was 47, Boyle was briefly Childbirth#Intrapartum asphyxia|deprived of oxygen during the difficult birth and was later diagnosed as having Learning disability|learning difficulties . Boyle says she was bullying|bullied as a child and was nicknamed "Susie Simple" at school.

After leaving school with few qualifications, she was employed for the only time in her life as a trainee cook in the kitchen of West Lothian College for six months, took part in government training programmes, and performed at a number of local venues.

Early musical training and career

Boyle took singing lessons from Vocal coaches|voice coach Fred O'Neil. She attended Edinburgh Acting School and took part in the Edinburgh Fringe . Prior to ''Britain's Got Talent , her main experience had come from singing in her local Catholic church, Our Lady of Lourdes; in local choirs; and in karaoke performances at pubs in and around her village. She had also auditioned several times for My Kind of People ''. She has also long participated in her parish church's pilgrimages to the Knock Shrine , County Mayo , Ireland, and has sung there at the Marian basilica .

Her repertoire through the years has included songs such as " The Way We Were (song)|The Way We Were " and " I Don't Know How to Love Him ." British tabloids claimed "exclusives" of video clips of some early performances. In 1995, her audition for Michael Barrymore 's My Kind of People at the East Kilbride Shopping Centre|Olympia Shopping Centre in East Kilbride was filmedthe amateur video shows Barrymore was more interested in mocking her than in her ability to sing.

In 1999, she recorded a track for a charity CD to commemorate the Millennium produced at a West Lothian school. Only 1,000 copies of the CD, Music for a Millennium Celebration, Sounds of West Lothian , were pressed. An early review in the West Lothian Herald & Post said Boyle's rendition of "Cry Me a River" was "heartbreaking" and "had been on repeat in my CD player ever since I got this CD..." The recording found its way onto the internet following her first televised appearance and the New York Post said it showed that Boyle was "not a one trick pony." Hello! said the recording "cement her status" as a singing star.

In 1999, Boyle used all her savings to pay for a professionally cut demo, copies of which she later sent to record companies, radio talent competitions, local and national TV. The demo consisted of her versions of "Cry Me a River" and " Killing Me Softly with His Song "; the songs were uploaded to the Internet after her BGT audition.

After Boyle won several local singing competitions, her mother urged her to enter ''Britain's Got Talent'' and take the risk of singing in front of an audience larger than her parish church. Former coach O'Neil said Boyle abandoned an audition for The X Factor (UK)|The X Factor because she believed people were being chosen for their looks. She almost abandoned her plan to enter ''Britain's Got Talent'' believing she was too old, but O'Neil persuaded her to audition nevertheless. Boyle said that she was motivated to seek a musical career to pay tribute to her mother. Her performance on the show was the first time she had sung in public since her mother died.

''Britain's Got Talent (2008–2009)

In August 2008, Boyle applied for an audition for the third series of ''Britain's Got Talent (as contestant number 43212) and was accepted after a preliminary audition in Glasgow, Scotland|Glasgow . When Boyle first appeared on Britain's Got Talent'' at the city's Clyde Auditorium , she said that she aspired to become a professional singer "as successful as Elaine Paige ". Boyle sang "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables in the first round of the Britain's Got Talent (series 3)|third series of ''Britain's Got Talent'' , which was watched by over 10& nbsp;million viewers when it aired on 11 April 2009. Programme judge Amanda Holden remarked upon the audience's initially cynical attitude, and the subsequent "biggest wake-up call ever" upon hearing her performance.

This performance was widely reported and tens of millions of people viewed the video on YouTube. Boyle was "absolutely gobsmacked" by the strength of this reaction. Boyle is aware that the audience on ''Britain's Got Talent'' was initially hostile to her because of her appearance, but she has refused to change her image. Since the appearance, Paige has expressed interest in singing a duet with Boyle, and has called her "a role model for everyone who has a dream". Boyle's rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" has been credited with causing a surge in ticket sales in the Vancouver production of Les Misérables . Cameron Mackintosh , the producer of the Les Misérables musical, also praised the performance, as thrilling and uplifting".

She was one of 40 acts that were put through to the semi-finals. She appeared last on the first semi-final on 24 May 2009, performing " Memory (Cats song)|Memory " from the musical Cats (musical)|Cats . In the public vote she was the act to receive the highest number of votes and go through to the final. She was the clear favourite to win the final, but ended up in second place to Diversity (dance troupe)|Diversity ; the UK TV audience was a record of 17.3& nbsp;million viewers.

The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) became concerned by press reports about Boyle's erratic behaviour and speculation about her mental condition and wrote to remind editors about clause 3 (privacy) of their code of press conduct. The day after the final, Boyle was admitted to Priory Group|The Priory , a private psychiatric clinic in London, TalkbackThames explained "Following Saturday night's show, Susan is exhausted and emotionally drained." Her stay in hospital attracted widespread attention, with Prime Minister Gordon Brown wishing her well. Cowell offered to waive Boyle's contractual obligation to take part in the BGT tour. Her family said "she's been battered non-stop for the last seven weeks and it has taken its toll her dream is very much alive," as she had been invited to the Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day celebrations at the White House .

Boyle left the clinic five days after her admission and said she would participate in the BGT tour. Despite health worries, she appeared in 20 of the 24 dates of the tour, and was well received in cities such as Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Dublin, Sheffield, Coventry, Birmingham and London. The Belfast Telegraph said "Despite reports of crumbling under the pressure..., she exuded a confidence resembling that of a veteran who has been performing for years".

I Dreamed a Dream and tour (2009–2010)

Boyle's first album, I Dreamed a Dream (album)|I Dreamed a Dream , was released on 23 November 2009. The album includes covers of " Wild Horses (The Rolling Stones song)|Wild Horses " and " You'll See " as well as "I Dreamed a Dream", and "Cry Me a River". I Dreamed a Dream became Amazon.com's best-selling album in pre-sales on 4 September 2009, three months before the scheduled release.
In Britain, Boyle's debut album was recognised as the fastest selling UK debut album of all time selling 411,820 copies, beating the previous fastest selling debut of all time, Spirit (Leona Lewis album)|Spirit by Leona Lewis . I Dreamed a Dream also outsold the rest of the top 5 albums combined in its first week.

In the U.S., the album sold 701,000 copies in its first week, the best opening week for a debut artist in over a decade. It topped the Billboard chart for six straight weeks and although it narrowly failed to become the best-selling album of 2009, with sales of 3,104,000 compared to 3,217,000 for Taylor Swift 's Fearless (Taylor Swift album)|Fearless , it was one of only two albums to sell over 3& nbsp;million copies in the U.S., and was also the top selling "physical" album of 2009, with only 86,000 of its sales coming from music download|digital download s. This has in turn garnered more media attention, as mentioned by People (magazine)|People magazine.

In Italy, it was the first album of the month in the Italian No. 1 Account by a non-Italian artist ever. In only a week, it sold more than 2& nbsp;million copies worldwide, becoming the fastest selling global female debut album.

Boyle gave a U.S. concert tour in November as a lead-up to the album release. On 13 December 2009 she appeared in her own television special "I Dreamed a Dream: the Susan Boyle Story", featuring a duet with Elaine Paige. It got ratings of 10& nbsp;million viewers in the United Kingdom and in America was the TV Guide Network 's highest rated television special in its history.

In November 2009 it was reported that Boyle's rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" would be the theme song of the anime movie Eagle Talon The Movie 3 which was later released in Japan on 16 January 2010. Boyle performed for Pope Benedict XVI on his tour of Britain in 2010. In May 2010, Susan Boyle was voted by Time (magazine)| Time magazine as the seventh most influential person in the world.

The Gift (2010–2011)

On 9 July 2010, Boyle announced that her second album would be a Christmas album entitled The Gift (Susan Boyle album)|The Gift . As part of the lead up to the album, she held a competition called ''Susan's Search , the winner of which sang a duet with her on her new CD. The album was released on 8 November 2010.

The album was produced by Steve Mac , who said that "Now Susan's used to the studio and the recording process, this time round we might go even further down a traditional route of recording by getting a band together and rehearsing songs before we go into the studio to see what works, how she reacts with certain parts, and so we can change the arrangements that way. I think that’s going to work much better....With Susan it’s very important she connects with the public and the public connect with her. She doesn’t want to sing anything that hasn’t happened to her or she can’t relate to."
Boyle has suggested the album will include some jazz numbers now she's "a bit more content" within herself. "My next album has to have an element of surprise in it again. I'm hoping to make it better and a bit extra special."

In August 2010, British tabloid, News of the World , reported that Boyle was experiencing financial woes as she was unable to access her fortune, which was being controlled by her management team – consisting of Andy Stephens, Ossie Killkenny and Boyle's lawyer and niece, Kirsty Foy. Boyle's brother Gerry said that his sister was fearful of losing her contract and of returning to her previous financial situation and also that she has been unable to move into her £300,000 five-bedroom house in Blackburn because she does not have the cash to furnish it. He said " millions are ring-fenced but Susan has no concept of money" and that she was "extremely distressed" at having to live off £300 a week after being banned from withdrawing money from the bank or owning a credit card.Wootton, Dan (1 August 2010) , News of the World , and would be worth £22& nbsp;million by the time she retired. This story was contradicted the following day, however, by the news that she had bought two houses. It was also reported that Boyle had been on a spending spree in which she had bought a grand piano, an iPhone and five dresses made by Stewart Parvin, the Queen's dressmaker. The press had previously stated that Boyle was suing her brother Gerry for other stories he had sold to the newspapers.

In November 2010, Boyle became only one of three to ever top both the UK and US album charts twice in the same year.
. The others are the Beatles and Monkees.
On 30 November 2010, in the United States, Boyle performed on ABC's The View singing "O Holy Night" and then on NBC's Christmas at Rockefeller Center program performing "Perfect Day" and "Away in a Manger". During her appearance on The View she was unable to finish her song, stating that she had a "frog in her throat"; she wanted to start the song over but was not allowed to. The audience applauded her anyway and she later performed an unaired version of the song which was uploaded to ''The View's YouTube account.

Someone to Watch Over Me (2011–present)

Emeli Sande was reported to have helped Boyle to write songs for her third studio album, which was released on 31 October 2011. Boyle performed on the second semi-final results show of the America's Got Talent (season 6)|sixth season of '' America's Got Talent '', which aired on 31 August 2011.

Boyle made her first appearance in Australia, on X Factor Australia , on 8 November 2011 and sang "Autumm Leaves".

Media impact

Websites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter have been crucial in facilitating Boyle's rapid rise to fame:Leigh Holmwood The Guardian 18 April 2009. The most popular YouTube video submission of her audition garnered nearly 2.5& nbsp;million views in the first 72 hours. On the day following the performance, the YouTube video was the most popular article on Digg and made the front page of Reddit . Within a week, the audition performance had been viewed more than 66& nbsp;million times, setting an online record, while on Wikipedia her biographical article attracted nearly half a million page views. A total of 103 million video views on 20 different Web sites was reached within nine days. The Los Angeles Times wrote that her popularity on YouTube may in part be due to the broad range of emotion packed into a short clip which was "perfect for the Internet". In December 2009 her audition was named the most watched YouTube video of the year with over 120& nbsp;million viewings, more than three times higher than the second most popular video.

Additionally, Boyle’s first on camera interview with Scots journalist Richard Mooney for her local newspaper the West Lothian Courier, was named as YouTube’s Most Memorable Video of 2009. The video went viral after being uploaded to YouTube on 14 April 2009.

Many newspapers around the world (including China, Brazil and the Middle East) carried articles on Boyle's performance. British tabloid The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun gave her the nickname "Paula Potts" in reference to the Britain's Got Talent (series 1)|first series' winner Paul Potts . Later, the British press took to referring to her by a short-form of her name, 'SuBo'. In the U.S., several commentators also drew parallels between Boyle's performance and that of Potts. ABC News hailed "Britain's newest pop sensation", and its Entertainment section headlined Boyle as "The Woman Who Shut Up Simon Cowell".

Within the week following her performance on ''Britain's Got Talent'', Boyle was a guest on STV (TV network)|STV 's The Five Thirty Show . She was interviewed via satellite on CBS's Early Show , Good Morning America , Today (NBC Program)|NBC's Today , Fox News Channel|FOX's '' America's Newsroom . and The Oprah Winfrey Show . Via satellite on Larry King Live '', Boyle performed an a cappella verse of " My Heart Will Go On ". She was also portrayed in Drag (clothing)|drag by Jay Leno , who joked that they were related through his mother's Scottish heritage.

At the invitation of NHK , a major Japanese broadcaster, Boyle appeared as a guest singer for the 60th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen|2009 edition of Kohaku Uta Gassen , annual songfest on 31 December in Tokyo. Yomiuri Shimbun , 25 December 2009, Ver.13S p.25 She was introduced as the by the MCs and appeared on the stage escorted by Takuya Kimura , and sang "I Dreamed a Dream".recorded broadcast on TV Japan , 31 December 2009

Although Boyle was not eligible for the 2010 Grammy Awards , its host Stephen Colbert paid tribute to Boyle at the ceremony, telling its audience "you may be the coolest people in the world, but this year your industry was saved by a 48-year-old Scottish cat lady in sensible shoes." There was also earlier controversy, when Boyle was not nominated in any of the categories for the 2010 Brit Awards.

Stage musical

It was originally planned that Boyle would appear as herself in a musical about her life. She was quoted as saying she hated "having to sit watching people up there" who are actors. However it was later announced that actress Elaine C Smith would be portraying her. Susan Boyle will join the cast of I Dreamed a Dream for a cameo appearance. Its world première will be at the Theatre Royal Newcastle, where it runs from 23 to 31 March 2012, and it thereafter tours the UK and Ireland.

Social analyses

Judging by appearance

The Huffington Post noted that the producers of the show would have anticipated the potential of this story arc , by deliberately presenting Boyle in a manner that would enhance this initial reaction. The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald described Boyle's story as a modern parable and a rebuke to people's tendency to judge others based on their physical appearance. Similarly, Entertainment Weekly said that Boyle's performance was a victory for talent and artistry in a culture obsessed with physical attractiveness and presentation. The Washington Post believed that her initial demeanour and homely appearance caused the judges and audience to be "waiting for her to squawk like a duck". New York's Daily News (New York)|Daily News said that an underdog being ridiculed or humiliated but then enjoying an unexpected triumph is a common trope (literature)|trope in literature, and the stark contrast between the audience's low expectations and the quality of her singing made Boyle's performance such an engaging piece of television.

Feminist view

R.M. Campbell, music critic for The Gathering Note compared her to Ella Fitzgerald , in that " really, really hard to make a career if a woman isn't attractive." In another Huffington Post article, Letty Cottin Pogrebin wrote that although people may "weep for the years of wasted talent", Boyle's performance was a triumph for "women of a certain age" over a youth culture that often dismisses middle-aged women. Tanya Gold wrote in The Guardian that the difference between Boyle's hostile reception and the more neutral response to Paul Potts in his first audition reflected society's expectation that women be both good-looking and talented, with no such expectation existing for men. Los Angeles vocal coach Eric Vetro stated, "She's an Everywoman as opposed to an untouchable fantasy goddess, so maybe that's why people react to her."

American Dream

Several media sources have commented that Boyle's success seemed to have particular resonance in the United States. An American entertainment correspondent was quoted in The Scotsman comparing Boyle's story to the American Dream , as representing talent overcoming adversity and poverty. The Associated Press described this as Boyle's "hardscrabble story", dwelling on her modest lifestyle and what they characterised as urban deprivation in her home town. Similarly, The Independent 's New York correspondent David Usborne wrote that the United States will always respond to "the fairy tale where the apparently unprepossessing suddenly becomes pretty, from Shrek to My Fair Lady ".

Personal life

Boyle still lives in the family home, a four-bedroom council house in Blackburn, with her 10-year-old cat, Pebbles. Her father died in the 1990s, and her siblings had left home. Boyle never married, and she dedicated herself to care for her ageing mother until she died in 2007 at the age of 91. A neighbour reported that when Bridget Boyle died, her daughter "wouldn't come out for three or four days or answer the door or phone." Boyle is a practising Roman Catholic and sang in her church choir at her church in Blackburn. Boyle remains active as a volunteer at her church, visiting elderly members of the congregation in their homes. On a 2010 episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show , Boyle summarised that her daily life was "mundane" and "routine" prior to stardom.

Cultural references

The American cartoon show South Park made a reference to the Susan Boyle craze in the episode " Fatbeard ", which aired on 22 April 2009; the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon show aired a comedy sketch showing the "feel good" effect that Susan Boyle's performance has had on people; The Simpsons aired a new commercial for its 20th-anniversary show "Springfield's Got Talent", in which Homer Simpson talks about his dreams "to be a great singer like Boyle". A European trailer for the video game The Sims 3 includes a character mocked up as Boyle. In June 2009, BBC Radio 4 broadcast a short story called "I Dreamed a Dream" that was based on a combination of Boyle's appearances on ''Britain's Got Talent and the political difficulties of Gordon Brown . The& nbsp;5& nbsp;November 2009 episode of the show 30 Rock '' showed recurring character Kathy Geiss (Marceline Hugot) – who has a dowdy appearance – singing in the style of Susan Boyle as Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghy teared up. In a Season 35 sketch on Saturday Night Live , an accountant ( Andy Samberg ) doing Boyle's taxes, notes that her income for 2008 was $1, $900,000,000 for 2009, and projected to be $1 for 2010. Bobby Moynihan played Boyle in the sketch.

In the Futurama episode " Attack of the Killer App ", Leela (Futurama)|Leela has a boil named Susan ("Susan Boil") that can sing show tunes.

Discography

Studio albums

I Dreamed a Dream (album)|I Dreamed a Dream (2009)

The Gift (Susan Boyle album)|The Gift (2010)

Someone to Watch Over Me (Susan Boyle album)|Someone to Watch Over Me (2011)

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Result
2011	53rd Grammy Awards	I Dreamed a Dream cite web	nom
2012	54th Grammy Awards	The Gift cite web	pending

Copyright Citations

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Classical Music Artists