by Michael King

Created on: January 22, 2010   Last Updated: January 23, 2010

I think Susan Boyle's fame is more then just her singing, but more due to the factor of shock. For this is what Susan Boyle was, she elevated herself into the elite of stardom in an instant, she was, a shock celebrity.

She walked on stage Mrs Boyle, one of those ladies that is doomed to eternal embarrassment, either as a joke or of some ill judged self-praise. The more cynical of the show's viewers were already on the edge of their seats, already preparing merciless jokes at her expense. I for one was already laughing, it seemed an inevitable conclusion.

Her self-presentation didn't help this either, a combination of looks and her brief dialogue with the judges built up a dire picture of gloom. For surely any lady who politely and humbly introduces herself cannot possess any talent? A stupid thesis, naturally, but one simultaneously thought across the nation. Until, of course, she sung.

For this was a lady who blew your mind, "I dreamed a dream" watching that show that night, Les Miserable no more, Susan Boyle became Le fantastique.

So, on she went, singing and singing, for her shock, in bringing about the performance of a lifetime, brought about a lesson. Suddenly head teachers were giving assemblies about never judging people by their looks, not using the tiresome analogy of a book, but now the famed Susan Boyle. Subo was a lesson to us all, that looks mean nothing. No more shall we have to be confined to the one simple metaphor, "Don't judge a book by its cover", for now we can say, "eh! Remember Subo?"

Indeed I felt so bad at my instant visual judgement of her I even bought her CD, despite being of a genre I despise. And yet again Subo pulled a marvellous stunt, for she changed my views yet again, taught me another lesson. Namely theatre, until hearing her sing Les Miserable and Titanic's "My heart will go on", I soon discovered musical theatre, fell in love with musical theatre.

It's a shame that her album contains no songs of her own, but perhaps it was better that way, perhaps better to elapse the classics before her own works. Hopefully she can maintain her fame with her own writing, if not, it will be a shame, but she will always be remembered in my mind.

And so, that is why I will buy whatever she produces, regardless of the cost, for Susan Boyle extended me, and clearly millions of people. This is why Susan Boyle is so famous, this is the story behind the rise to fame of the esteemed Mrs Boyle.

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