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She finished second over the weekend in “Britain’s Got Talent,” in case anyone interested missed it, or you just want to cut to the chase.

When I first heard about Susan Boyle, I wanted to stay away from her. Her story reminded me a little bit of Eva Cassidy. Cassidy was a singer-songwriter – best-known as a singer – who was “discovered” primarily after her death in 1996. Segments on NPR and “Nightline” made her a sensation five years after she died at age 33.

People would approach me and ask if I’d heard Cassidy so much that I felt compelled to find out the consensus of which was her best release and pick it up. And ultimately, I was let down. I heard a good singer, but I didn’t hear the vocals that sent others swooning.

It’s interesting how much mass media can convince and influence us.

Boyle became a world-wide sensation on the program “Britain’s Got Talent,” one of the endless series of reality talent competitions. What set Boyle apart at first was her dowdy appearance and a face that kind people would say had “character.”

But then she uncorks a voice that’s amazing. And she tops it off with a saucy personality that seems to even melt Simon Cowell, the king of curmudgeons.

Boyle’s voice, predictably enough, doesn’t do much for me. But I’m not especially fond of the pitch-perfect Broadway style Boyle uses, as much as I respect the technical talent. I’m more won over by her sense of humor and her thrill at performing.

Boyle’s style, though, works for millions, and it’s those millions who will make sure that the weekend’s runner-up finish won’t be the last we hear of her.

Here are Boyle’s first and final performances on the show. If you want to see what the competition was like, YouTube has set up a channel.

First performance:




Finals performance:




Source : herald-review.com