http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Just goes to show what hidden talents people have.

I saw that too Squigg. I posted it on my facebook the other day. Great voice!!

I saw that too; it's such an uplifting and moving performance. It was horrible the way Cowell et. al. and the audience were so dismissive of Susan Boyle before she sang -- shows how superficial society is. She has clearly had a hard and lonely life, and showed tremendous heart to get out there and sing on tv. Even if she had not been as heartwrenchingly spectacular as she turned out to be, she did not deserve to be ridiculed in the time leading up to the performance. I suppose that's the nature of the show, just like American Idol over here. I'm sure the lyrics of that song about dreams from _Les Miserables_ spoke to her because of the circumstances of her life. Imagine having a talent like that but never being able to pursue it until you're 47.

Exactly - I think the judges faces were a picture throughout. I hope she wins!

so glad that you posted this - just wonderful!

I broke down when I watched this!! I was at work and had to go to the restroom to compose myself!! What a reminder of so many things; the human spirit, true talent, prejudices.... sheessh!! She was AMAZING!!!

I will never forget her. There's a lesson in there for all of us.

LOVED IT!!!

This is so inspiring and certainly goes to show you that you can't judge a book by it's cover! Susan Boyle is on the road to fame, that's for sure.

How so true, but wait til they have got their hands on her, you won't recognise her anymore. She will be preened, dressed and presented beyond recognition.
How fickle the industry is.
She is a lovely warm hearted person as she is, with an extraordinary talent, that actually warmed my heart to the point of tears.

I hope she wins too..... her performance brought me to tears...

I'm glad I wasn't the only one to shed a tear over this. She certainly wiped the smirks off those condescending faces. People can be so superficial and quick to judge on appearances. I wish her every success.

I'm so happy for her!! It's about time people stopped believing you need to look like a movie star to be recognized for your talent. She is just to cool! Bless her heart.

I suspect her looks are a testament to the way she has attended to the needs of others rather than herself throughout her entire life. I think we all love her because she shows that grace and beauty truly are on the inside, something we desperately want to believe but usually doubt. I get choked up by the video not just because of her performance, but because of the way she is able to transform the audience, inspiring them to express their better selves.

She is AWESOME!!!!!

It was great to see the transformation on the people's faces when she started to sing! I think she's going to be a STAR!!

MORE POWER TO HER!!!

In Susan Boyle’s life, we see our failed dreams and unfortunate luck.

Susan Boyle once pursued a singing career, but instead ended up caring for her sick mother who died in 2007, and to whom Susan dedicated her TV show performance. Susan, the youngest of nine children, was born with slight brain damage and never left her childhood home, always living with her parents.

She is unemployed and lives only with her 10-year-old cat Pebbles, but when Susan Boyle sang “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Miserables,” none of this mattered anymore.

In her success, we see a phoenix rising from the ashes of disappointment, sadness and heartbreak. We see prosperity after recession. We see good trumping evil and we see a restoration, albeit ever so slightly, to the belief that dedication and perseverance can pay off in the end.

Boyle has become an Internet sensation. She reportedly has already spoken with Sony about a contract and is expected to eventually be named the winner of the TV show that gave her a worldwide audience.

A Facebook Fan Page dedicated to Boyle has over 22,000 fans, and, as of this writing, has been increasing at a rate of 1,000 fans per hour. You can expect to hear about a Boyle record sometime soon, because this kind of support proves she already has a fan base, even after only singing one song.

In any other year, at any other time, it’s possible that Susan Boyle’s story would just be a nice Cinderella type of tale that reminds us you can’t judge a book by its cover. However, this year, in the midst of a global recession, with so many hard-working people unemployed and out of luck, Susan’s story transcends the cynically colored glasses by which we now view humanity’s successes.

Yes, she has an incredible talent most of us do not have, but if someone with a story like Susan’s can overcome what she’s lived through to become an instant star, then perhaps each of us can persevere and make good on our dreams.



If ever we needed Susan Boyle, we needed her now.

Forgot to say I saw this on "Times on Line"