“Aye, There’s the Rub!”

In the past week, a reality TV moment has created a worldwide buzz in the past week-particularly in Britain and here in the USA.  Susan Boyle’s moment of glory on “Britain’s Got Talent” has been hit on over a million times on  You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY )

Susan Boyle, a woman, who by her own admission “has never been kissed”, is an unempolyed Scotswoman who lives outside of Glasgow with her cat. She also idolized Elaine Page. As she stood before the judges and the audience, a dowdy, 47 year old woman, you you could see that neither the judging panel, nor the audience expected much from Ms. Boyle. 

Then Susan Boyle opened her mouth, and she changed everybody’s preconceptions.

The first time I heard her sing “I dreamed a dream” on You Tube, I found myself so overwhelmed by the beauty, emotion and power of her voice, that I found myself getting choked up and tearing up. What added to it, was the fact that Susan Boyle wiped the smug, condescending sneer off Simon Cowell’s mug, and had him smiling in gob-smacked wonderment at what was a bravura performance. 

For the middle-aged Scotswoman who had even been mocked by kids in her neighborhood, who had somehow flown under the radar of anybody with working ears who could listen to that amazing instrument that is her voice-how is it that it took until now to find this hidden gem?

There is a lot to comment on within this growing hoopla. I think that since MTV came to be a force in music in the early 1980’s, it was more important that a female performer had to look good. Talent was secondary. You cannot tell me that pre-MTV that Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Lopez,  Beyounce´or Brittany Spears would have been as big as they are, circa 2009. Music has very much become a realm where style has become way more important that substance. Don’t believe me? Does anybody remember Sheena Easton, a compatriot of Ms. Boyle’s, who gained acclaim in the 1980’s, and had her moment of fame. Ms. Easton had a decent voice, but there is no question in my mind, that the fact that Sheena Easton was also very pretty, certainly did not hurt. (Sorry Sheena, Susan Boyle has more talent in her left tonsil than you ever had in your entire life)

I was at Legends Bar in Northeast Minneapolis yesterday after my rugby tournament, watching the news and having a drink at the bar when the news showed the story of Susan Boyle’s very sudden rise to fame. One of the guys at the bar, an elderly African-American gentleman from Mississippi, remarked “This is the beauty of what music is supposed to be. Music doesn’t know about the color or your skin, or where you are from. If you got Talent, that’s it.”

I also think that Susan Boyle’s emergence is a victory for the average person. The ugly duckling, if you will. Not everybody can be the prettiest or the most handsome. I think for every person who has ever felt un-noticed and un-appreciated, I think that we can take heart of the story of a person who has been a decided underdog throughout her life, get positive feedback and acclaim from something of her own merit. 

I don’t know if Susan Boyle will win the overall title of “Britian’s Got Talent”.  I think that she has already won the hearts of many, many people throughout the world. This is the type of story that could be the screenplay of a movie, but the fact that this is real life makes it that much more amazing. I hope that in the midst of this, that Susan Boyle will have some happiness along with the increased payday that she is surely going to get. 

Elaine Page, Susan Boyle’s idol, has even suggested that she and Ms. Boyle try to record a duet.

Just as Jennifer Hudson- a darker skinned, healthy-sized sister- showcased her amazing voice in Dreamgirls to outshine the much slimmer, “sexier”, lighter skinned Beyounce´and win acclaim (and an Oscar) and stole the show, Susan Boyle serves as a reminder that when it comes to singing, substance IS more important than style.

I think that’s my take-away from all of this.