Susan Boyle Takes The High Road

After just one week of release, Susan Boyle's album "I Dreamed A Dream" has shot straight to the No.1 position in the UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and most amazing of all, the USA. It has broken sales records all over the place and that takes some doing for a debut album.

It probably hasn't been released in countries where English (or Scottish) isn't the first language but it will be interesting to see how it gets on when that happens.

A few months ago few people outside her home town street knew who she was. Before the advent of the internet, few people outside of the UK would've heard of her either despite her dramatic and highly memorable initial appearance on tv.

Thanks to YouTube and video sites like it, she's rapidly become the most famous Scottish name since Wee Jock McJock, the well known jockey. As far as I know she's not on Twitter or Facebook but it's only a matter of time. I follow Paul Potts on Twitter and would probably follow Ms. Boyle too. It's the only way to know that these people haven't gone back to obscurity.

Of course she's had a bit of a makeover so she no longer looks like a frumpy housewife. With the royalties from her album, she can probably afford a few other nips and tucks but something tells me she won't bother. Susan isn't like that.

We've all heard of lottery/pools winners who blow the lot in less than a year and then blame everyone but themselves for being back to square one. Of course they didn't have an ongoing and bankable 'talent' so that when the money dried up, so did their lives of luxury. Susan won't be like that either.

So far Paul Potts is still living the life and jets all over the world singing in sold out arenas. His schedule would wear out someone half his size. Sorry Paul. Cheap shot. But his story is slightly different and I can only see his career going from strength to strength.

Will Ms. Boyle be as successful and will she care anyway ? Only she knows the answer to that. There will be money men pushing her to cash in on her current fame, even if that fame only lasts a few more months. Her album got rave reviews from those people who would probably have raved about it even if every track was a version of "I Dreamed A Dream." On the Billboard site (US charts), 50% gave it a thumbs up and 50% a thumbs down.

Talk about being a middle of the road artist !

I feel this could be it for Ms. Boyle. I've heard her album and without all the hype preceding it, it wouldn't have made the bottom of the charts. Did we really need another version of Amazing Grace and Silent Night ? Sure she has a decent voice but it's the combination of HER and the decent voice that has propelled her to these dizzy heights. We all love an underdog. We all love someone who gets discovered and makes good, be it a footballer from a ghetto in Brazil or a singer from a village in Scotland.

But ultimately I say - good on you, Susan. Right from the first moment we saw you, you told us that you had a dream, a dream to sing in public. Simple enough.

Well you're living the dream and then some. Even if you've peaked already, you've made a mark that will live on for years to come. You may not be everyone's cup of tea but in this world where stories of talentless celebs and personalities fill our news stands everywhere, your story is a breath of fresh air.

Even if we need subtitles to understand it !