This video has been watched over an astonishing 27 million times on YouTube alone, but it deserves sharing time and time again. It will go down in history as one of the most (if not the most) memorable and jaw-dropping talent show performances of all time. Against all the odds and with everything seemingly stacked against her, this Scottish woman rose to the top of the musical food chain, and it all started here – at a 2009 Britain’s Got Talent audition. We are, of course, talking about Susan Boyle.
The super successful Scot hailing from West Lothian hasn’t always had an easy time of it, working extremely hard to get where she is today. Suffering from Asperger syndrome, Boyle struggled in school and was bullied. She left with few qualifications but nurtured a dream to be a singer, taking lessons privately and singing in her local church. It was her mother that persuaded her to audition for BGT.
Originally, Boyle had wanted to try for the X-Factor, another Simon Cowell talent show, but she believed that contestants there were chosen for their looks. She very nearly pulled out of BGT too, because she felt that she was getting too old, but family and friends persuaded her to give it a go, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Susan lost her mom and one of her biggest supporters shortly before that fateful 2009 audition, and amazingly it was the first time she’d sung in front of anyone since her mother had passed. It undoubtedly spurred her on to do well, and Boyle says herself that she wanted to be successful to honor her mom. We’re pretty sure she’s managed to do that!
Now a multi-million record selling artist in many countries worldwide, Susan has risen from obscurity to becoming a household name, with it all stacked against her. And you only have to watch the first few cringe-worthy moments of this audition to see it. The audience and the judges are none too impressed with Susan’s look or demeanor – until she starts to sing. So much so, that judge Amanda Holden was quoted as saying it was the “biggest wake-up call ever.”
Sill the original and still the best, this audition will never, ever get old. They’ve tried to replicate it but they never will. If you don’t have goosebumps after watching Susan start to sing – you’re not human!
https://youtu.be/aRiJNS8Oz6E