Look up enjoy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Enjoy may refer to:

• Enjoy (play), a comedy by Alan Bennett
• Enjoy! (Descendents album), or the title song
• Enjoy! (Jeanette album), or the title song, "Enjoy (Me)"
• Enjoy, an album by Bob Sinclar
• "Enjoy" (Janet Jackson song)
• "Enjoy", a song by Björk from Post
• Enjoy Records, an American record label

See also[link]

• Happiness

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (August 2008)

Judie Tzuke (born Judie Myers, 3 April 1956 in London) is an English singer/songwriter. She is most well known for her 1979 hit "Stay With Me Till Dawn", which reached no.16 on the UK Singles Chart.

Life and career[link]

Early life[link]

Tzuke's family relocated from Poland to England in the 1920s, and changed their surname from Tzuke to Myers. Her mother, Jean Silverside, was a television actress, and her father, Sefton Myers, was a successful property developer who also managed artists and singers—most notably Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice during the writing of Jesus Christ Superstar. When Tzuke embarked on her singing career, she decided to reclaim the family's Polish name as her stage name.

Educated in the visual arts, performing arts, and music, Tzuke performed in folk clubs from the age of 15. Her meeting with Mike Paxman in 1975 was a turning point and they began to collaborate. Under the name Tzuke & Paxo, they eventually secured a recording contract and the duo released a single, "These are the Laws", which was produced by Tony Visconti.

Early success[link]

Tzuke's career as a solo artist began in 1977, when she signed to Elton John's label Rocket Records. Her first single was on Rocket, "For You", was released in 1978. However, her first major success, "Stay with Me till Dawn", was released in 1979. The track, which was co-written by Tzuke with Mike Paxman, became a Top 20 hit in the UK in the summer of 1979 and a #1 hit in Australia and was featured on Tzuke's 1979 debut album, Welcome to the Cruise, which was also a Top 20 hit. In 2002, "Stay With Me Till Dawn" was chosen by the British public in a poll of the 50 Best British Songs 1952-2002 (ranking at number 39).^[1] The song was also sampled by Mylo in the song "Need You Tonite", which is taken from his 2004 album Destroy Rock & Roll.

Tzuke's second album, Sportscar (1980), charted higher than her debut album (reaching no.7 in the UK), but did not contain any hit singles. Both albums were certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry in 1981. Tzuke became Elton John's support act for his North American tour, and went on to release one more album on Rocket, I Am the Phoenix (1981), which also made the UK Top 20.

1982-1995[link]

In 1982, Tzuke signed to Chrysalis Records and released her fourth album, Shoot The Moon. Although the album reached the UK Top 20, it was Tzuke's last album to do so. Three singles were taken from the album (including a 7" picture disc release for "I'm Not A Loser"), but none were chart hits. Tzuke completed a 57 date tour of the UK, culminating as the headline act at that year's Glastonbury Festival. The performance was recorded for a TV special by ITV. Several performances from the tour were recorded and released at the end of 1982 as a double album, Road Noise: The Official Bootleg.

In 1983, Rocket Records issued a compilation album, The Best of Judie Tzuke, and released the track "Black Furs" as a single (the original version of which was on Tzuke's 1981 album I Am The Phoenix). September 1983 saw the release of Tzuke's fifth studio album, Ritmo (Italian for "rhythm"). The album was somewhat a departure from her previous work with a much more electronic feel. The single "Jeannie No" preceded the album and gained radio airplay but did not chart. An edit and extended remix of the track were issued on 7" and 12" single formats (Tzuke's first). The subsequent single "How Do I Feel?" did not fare any better, and the album itself peaked at no.26 in the UK. Neither the album or singles were released internationally.^{[citation needed]} During autumn 1983, Tzuke toured a series of larger (but fewer) venues.

After two albums, Tzuke left Chrysalis Records, believing that the company was no longer interested in promoting her records. Wanting to take greater control of her work, she signed with the small independent company Legacy Records for the release of her next album. A new single, "You", was released in October 1984. A cover of a lesser-known Marvin Gaye track, Tzuke's version turned a rather sedate piece into a grinding electro production. It peaked at no.92 in the UK, and several different versions of the track were released on 7" and 12" formats. In March 1985, "I'll Be The One" was issued as a new single from Tzuke's forthcoming sixth album, The Cat Is Out, which was mainly recorded at her home studio and released in June 1985. The single peaked at no.97, while the album peaked at no.35 on the UK Album Chart. A third single, "Love Like Fire", was released shortly afterwards, again with several versions on 7" and 12" formats, though this failed to chart. September 1985 saw a fourth single from the album, "This Side of Heaven", which coincided with Tzuke's national concert tour, though this too failed to chart. The show at Fairfield Halls in Croydon was recorded for a television special which, several years later, was issued as a CD/DVD release.

Following the muted reception of The Cat Is Out, Tzuke signed with another major label, Polydor Records, in 1987. She began working on her seventh album, though took some time off in June 1987 when she gave birth to her daughter, Bailey. However, the release of the album was delayed further after Polydor first requested that Tzuke work with a producer of their choice rather than with her usual team. The collaboration with Polydor's preferred producer was strained, not least of all due to Tzuke being pregnant at the time. Eventually, Polydor agreed to allow Tzuke to re-record the entire album with her own team of husband Paul Muggleton and Mike Paxman. The album, Turning Stones, was released in April 1989, peaking at no.57 in the UK Album Chart. It was preceded by the single "We'll Go Dreaming", which had peaked at no.96 several weeks earlier. Further problems arose between Tzuke and Polydor which led to the last minute cancellation of her 1989 tour, enraging fans who had turned up to venues. Tzuke later apologised to fans, and when she appeared as a guest on Radio 1's Friday evening record review show Round Table, she claimed that the cancellation of the tour was out of her control but she had been prevented from saying anything publicly on the matter by the record company.

1990 saw Tzuke switch to another record company, Columbia Records (CBS), her fifth label in less than ten years. In August, she released a new single, a cover version of the Beach Boys classic "God Only Knows". Despite the single being issued in various formats (7", 7" poster wrap, limited edition numbered 10", 12", cassette-single and CD-single) and a video being made, the song failed to gain chart success. A limited promo 12" was issued of a remix made by DJ Judge Jules. The song also featured in an ITV documentary series about recording techniques, where Tzuke and her producers Mike Paxman and Paul Muggleton showed how the song had been constructed using sound bytes of her voice which were transposed into a synthesizer range.

Tzuke's eighth album, Left Hand Talking, was released by Columbia in May 1991. Promotion for the album had begun in March when a 3-track promo had been issued widely to independent record stores, and Tzuke made two live performances at London's Shaw Theatre in April. These performances were the first time neither Muggleton, Paxman or Bob Noble were part of her live band. "Outlaws" was released as a single by Columbia in June 1991, but neither the album nor single made an impact upon the charts despite Radio 1 DJ Richard Skinner making "Outlaws" his record of the week on his Saturday afternoon show. Much like her contract with Polydor, Tzuke's tenure with Columbia ended after only one album.

Tzuke signed with another small independent label for the release of her ninth album, Wonderland, which was released in September 1992 by Essential Records (a subsidiary of the now-defunct Castle Communications). Two singles from the album, "Wonderland" and "Fly", were performed on the BBC1 lunchtime programme Pebble Mill At One in November 1992, after Tzuke had performed a concert tour of smaller venues in October and November. Neither the album nor singles charted, despite featuring the talents of Brian May from Queen and Nigel Kennedy on violin. Tzuke stated in a later interview (used in the inner booklet of the 2002 reissue of the album) that Wonderland was the album she felt most proud of as a songwriter.

August 1995 saw the release of two albums. The BBC issued its recording of Tzuke's "Radio 1 in Concert" performance from 1981, and Polygram issued a compilation album entitled Stay With Me Till Dawn which drew on Tzuke's first three albums released on Rocket Records with tracks from the Turning Stones album on Polydor Records. The album included four single remixes which had not previously been available on CD.

1996-present[link]

Tzuke released her tenth studio album, Under the Angels, in October 1996 on her own label Big Moon Records. The album was previewed by two dates at London's Jazz Cafe in August 1996 and in Dublin in October that year. Three tours to promote the album, playing at over 30 venues, took place in January/February, June and November 1997. Recordings from the tour culminated in another live album, Over the Moon (1997).

In 1998, Tzuke released her eleventh studio album, Secret Agent, again on her own label, Big Moon. Bob Harris of BBC Radio 2 included one of the album's tracks, "Tonight", on his compilation CD Bob Harris Presents... (Vol.1). In 2000, Tzuke gained the rights to her first three albums recorded for Rocket Records and reissued them on CD via Big Moon. She named her tour later that year the "Phoenix Tour", a reference to her last Rocket Records album, I Am the Phoenix. Following this came a new live album, Six Days Before the Flood (2000), and a new studio album Queen Secret Keeper (2001). Another live album, Drive Live, was released in 2002.

Tzuke then released an album of covers, The Beauty of Hindsight, in September 2003. A self-promoted tour in September ended with two nights at London's Bush Hall. Two dates in March 2004 were played at London's Cabot Hall in Canary Wharf as part of the Docklands Music Festival and the following night at Dartford's Mick Jagger Centre, previewing two new tracks - "Addiction" (never released but later part of the B.E.D. Ver 1.0 and Ver 1.5 albums with Tzuke on backing vocals) and "Before I Found My Heart".

In 2004, musician Mylo sampled "Stay With Me Till Dawn" for the single "Need You Tonite" from his debut album Destroy Rock & Roll.

Autumn 2004 saw Tzuke release her thirteenth album, The End of the Beginning, which saw her returning to a much heavier rock style on many of the tracks and the use of strings for the first time since 1981. Most of the album was played as part of her tour in October of that year. 2002 X Factor runner-up Gareth Gates joined Tzuke on stage to sing backing vocals on the track "Bully". The pair were first introduced by Lucie Silvas who had previously been one of Tzuke's backing singers and had also written material for Gates. Silvas and Tzuke also co-wrote most of the songs for Silvas' platinum-selling 2004 album Breathe In, and co-wrote four tracks for Silvas' 2006 album The Same Side. Tzuke also provided backing vocals.

In January 2006, one of Tzuke's co-writes, "Strange Love", hit the UK top twenty for the group Phixx. Later in 2006, Tzuke provided vocals for the song "Falling Down" for the group Hybrid on their album I Choose Noise. In 2007, two other Tzuke co-writes featured on the eponymous album by the Canadian brothers RyanDan. "Like The Sun" and "High" were both released as singles, and the album reached number 7 in the UK album charts.

In 2007, Tzuke released her fifteenth album, Songs 1. It was accompanied by her biggest tour in almost a decade, with her daughter Bailey Tzuke on backing vocals, and collaborations with other musicians, such as Gareth Gates on piano (Gates also co-wrote the album's track "Dark Days" with Tzuke). March 2007 saw the download single release of "Cup of Tea Song" from the album.

Tzuke also collaborated with David P Goodes and co-wrote the song "What's It All For" for Laura Michelle Kelly.

June 2008 saw the release of Tzuke's sixteenth studio album, Songs 2. The same year, Tzuke co-wrote four tracks with the band Morcheeba, and featured as a vocalist on two tracks from their Dive Deep album, including the lead single "Enjoy The Ride". In October 2008, Tzuke reached no.37 in the USA Adult Contemporary chart when she provided vocals for the American Jazz combo Project Grand Slam on their self-titled album. The track, "Captain Of The Heart", was not officially released as a single, but charted through airplay. Hot on the heels of this there was an official USA release (via CD Baby only) and international download release of the single "Christmas And I'm Home", which Tzuke had written with Gareth Gates in 2004 (Gates had already released his own version of the song). Tzuke recorded versions of the song with Haim Cotton, the pianist with Project Grand Slam. Proceeds from sales went to the New York Ronald McDonald's charity.

On 18 July 2009, Tzuke took part in a Teenage Cancer benefit concert at Kilworth House, Leicestershire alongside Lucie Silvas. She performed three tracks solo ("Love Me No More", "Stay With Me Till Dawn" and "If (When You Go)") accompanied by a string quartet. She returned to the stage for an encore performance alongside Silvas, singing their co-written "Place To Hide" as a duet.

In 2010, Tzuke released a thirty year celebratory double-album titled Moon On a Mirrorball, via a new deal with Wrasse Records. The collection featured over thirty songs from her back catalogue, some re-recorded songs and some new songs, one of which, "If (When You Go)", was performed on Michael Ball's Radio 2 show in August 2009. The track was released as a single in April 2010, and the song "Love You No More" was made available as a 1-track promo single. Wrasse also re-released all of Tzuke's Big Moon back catalogue as downloads, and reissued her debut album Welcome To The Cruise on CD. Wrasse also have plans to re-issue Tzuke's 1989 album Turning Stones, which was deleted by Polydor soon after its release and has become something of a rarity since then.

A planned tour for June 2010 to promote Moon On A Mirrorball was delayed, but went ahead in October, encompassing 13 towns and cities. A live album, October Road, was recorded from the tour and was released in March 2011 via Tzuke's official website.

In July 2011, BGO Records remastered and re-issued Tzuke's 1983 album Ritmo.

The track "Solid Shoulders" by The Goodes featuring Judie Tzuke was released as a download single on 25 July 2011.

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Live albums[link]

Personal life[link]

Tzuke married her long-time musical collaborator, Paul Muggleton. The couple have two children: Bailey (also a singer-songwriter, b.1987) and Tallula Muggleton-Tzuke (b.1994). Paul Muggleton also has three children by a previous marriage, including Annie Moody Muggleton (who is married to England Rugby star Lewis Moody).

References[link]

External links[link]

• tzuke.com Official website
• Judie Tzuke on MySpace

Susan Boyle
Susan Boyle in November 2009
Background information
Birth name	Susan Magdalane Boyle[1][2][3]
Born	(1961-04-01) 1 April 1961 (age 51)[1]
Origin	Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland, United Kingdom
Genres	Pop[4]
Occupations	Singer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2009–present
Labels	Sony Music, Syco, Columbia
Associated acts	Elaine Paige, Geraldine McQueen, Emeli Sandé
Website	susanboylemusic.com

Susan Magdalane Boyle (born 1 April 1961^[1][5]) is a Scottish singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on the TV programme Britain's Got Talent on 11 April 2009, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables. Her first album was released in November 2009 and debuted as the number one best-selling album on charts around the globe.

Global interest in Boyle was triggered by the contrast between her powerful mezzo-soprano voice and her plain appearance on stage.^[6] The juxtaposition of the audience's first impression of her, with the standing ovation she received during and after her performance, led to an international media and Internet response. Within nine days of the audition, videos of Boyle—from the show, various interviews and her 1999 rendition of "Cry Me a River"—had been watched over 100 million times.^[7] Her audition video has been viewed on the internet several hundred million times.^[8] Despite the sustained media interest she later finished in second place in the final of the show behind dance troupe Diversity.

Boyle's debut album, I Dreamed a Dream (2009) remains as the UK best-selling debut album of all time, beating previous record holder, Spirit by Leona Lewis.^[9] I Dreamed a Dream is ranked fourth in its first week sales according to the Official Chart Company in the United Kingdom.^[9] In her first year of fame, Boyle made a fortune of £5 million with the release of I Dreamed a Dream and its lead off singles, "I Dreamed a Dream" and "Wild Horses".^[10] The success was continued with her second album, The Gift (2010), and was followed by Boyle's third album, Someone to Watch Over Me, released on 31 October 2011.^[11] On 12 May 2012, Susan returned to Britain's Got Talent to perform as a guest in the final singing "You'll See".^[12] The following day, she performed at Windsor Castle for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Pageant singing "Mull of Kintyre".^[13] Boyle's net worth was estimated at £22 million in April 2012.^[14]

Life and career[link]

Early life and childhood[link]

Boyle was raised in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland,^[15] by her parents Patrick Boyle, a miner, World War II veteran and singer at the Bishop's Blaize, and Bridget, a shorthand typist,^[16] whose family comes from County Donegal, Ireland.^[17] She was the youngest of four brothers and five sisters.^[15] Boyle was briefly deprived of oxygen during a difficult birth resulting in a learning disability.^[18] Boyle says she was bullied as a child^[15][19] and was nicknamed "Susie Simple" at school.^[20]

After leaving school with few qualifications,^[15] she was employed for the only time in her life as a trainee cook in the kitchen of West Lothian College for six months,^[20] took part in government training programmes,^[16] and performed at a number of local venues.^[18]

Early musical training and career[link]

Boyle took singing lessons from voice coach Fred O'Neil.^[15] She attended Edinburgh Acting School and took part in the Edinburgh Fringe.^[18] Prior to Britain's Got Talent, her main experience had come from singing in her local Catholic church, Our Lady of Lourdes; in local choirs; and in karaoke performances at pubs in and around her village. She had also auditioned several times for My Kind of People.^[21] She has also long participated in her parish church's pilgrimages to the Knock Shrine, County Mayo, Ireland, and has sung there at the Marian basilica.^[22]

Her repertoire through the years has included songs such as "The Way We Were" and "I Don't Know How to Love Him." British tabloids claimed "exclusives" of video clips of some early performances.^[23][24] In 1995, her audition for Michael Barrymore's My Kind of People^[18] at the Olympia Shopping Centre in East Kilbride was filmed – the amateur video shows Barrymore was more interested in mocking her than in her ability to sing.^[25]

In 1999, she submitted a track for a charity CD to commemorate the Millennium^[15][26] produced at a West Lothian school. Only 1,000 copies of the CD, Music for a Millennium Celebration, Sounds of West Lothian, were pressed.^[27] An early review in the West Lothian Herald & Post said Boyle's rendition of "Cry Me a River" was "heartbreaking" and "had been on repeat in my CD player ever since I got this CD..."^[28][29] The recording found its way onto the internet following her first televised appearance and the New York Post said it showed that Boyle was "not a one trick pony."^[30] Hello! said the recording "cement[ed] her status" as a singing star.^[31]

In 1998, Boyle recorded three tracks "Cry Me A River", "Killing Me Softly" & "Don't Cry For Me Argentina"at Heartbeat Studio, Midlothian.^[32] She used all her savings to pay for a professionally cut demo, copies of which she later sent to record companies, radio talent competitions, local and national TV. The demo consisted of her versions of "Cry Me a River" and "Killing Me Softly with His Song"; the songs were uploaded to the Internet after her BGT audition.^[33]

After Boyle won several local singing competitions, her mother urged her to enter Britain's Got Talent and take the risk of singing in front of an audience larger than her parish church. Former coach O'Neil said Boyle abandoned an audition for The X Factor because she believed people were being chosen for their looks. She almost abandoned her plan to enter Britain's Got Talent believing she was too old, but O'Neil persuaded her to audition nevertheless.^[34] Boyle said that she was motivated to seek a musical career to pay tribute to her mother.^[15] Her performance on the show was the first time she had sung in public since her mother died.^[35][36]

[edit] Britain's Got Talent (2008–2009)

In August 2008, Boyle applied for an audition for the third series of Britain's Got Talent (as contestant number 43212) and was accepted after a preliminary audition in Glasgow. When Boyle first appeared on Britain's Got Talent at the city's Clyde Auditorium, she said that she aspired to become a professional singer "as successful as Elaine Paige".^[37] Boyle sang "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables in the first round of the third series of Britain's Got Talent, which was watched by over 10 million viewers when it aired on 11 April 2009.^[38] Programme judge Amanda Holden remarked upon the audience's initially cynical attitude, and the subsequent "biggest wake-up call ever" upon hearing her performance.^[39]

This performance was widely reported and tens of millions of people viewed the video on YouTube.^[38] Boyle was "absolutely gobsmacked" by the strength of this reaction.^[40] Since the appearance, Paige has expressed interest in singing a duet with Boyle,^[37] and has called her "a role model for everyone who has a dream".^[41] Boyle's rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" has been credited with causing a surge in ticket sales in the Vancouver production of Les Misérables.^[42][43] Cameron Mackintosh, the producer of the Les Misérables musical, also praised the performance, as "heart-touching, thrilling and uplifting".^[38]

She was one of 40 acts that were put through to the semi-finals.^[44] She appeared last on the first semi-final on 24 May 2009, performing "Memory" from the musical Cats.^[45] In the public vote she was the act to receive the highest number of votes and go through to the final.^[46][47] She was the clear favourite to win the final,^[48] but ended up in second place to Diversity; the UK TV audience was a record of 17.3 million viewers.^[49]

The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) became concerned by press reports about Boyle's erratic behaviour and speculation about her mental condition and wrote to remind editors about clause 3 (privacy) of their code of press conduct.^[48] The day after the final, Boyle was admitted to The Priory, a private psychiatric clinic in London,^[49] TalkbackThames explained "Following Saturday night's show, Susan is exhausted and emotionally drained." Her stay in hospital attracted widespread attention, with Prime Minister Gordon Brown wishing her well.^[51] Cowell offered to waive Boyle's contractual obligation to take part in the BGT tour. Her family said "she's been battered non-stop for the last seven weeks and it has taken its toll [...but...] her dream is very much alive," as she had been invited to the Independence Day celebrations at the White House.^[49]

Boyle left the clinic five days after her admission^[52] and said she would participate in the BGT tour. Despite health worries, she appeared in 20 of the 24 dates of the tour,^[53] and was well received in cities such as Aberdeen,^[54] Edinburgh,^[55] Dublin,^[56] Sheffield,^[57] Coventry,^[58] Birmingham^[59] and London.^[60] The Belfast Telegraph said "Despite reports of crumbling under the pressure..., she exuded a confidence resembling that of a veteran who has been performing for years".^[61]

[edit] I Dreamed a Dream and tour (2009–2010)

Boyle's first album, I Dreamed a Dream, was released on 23 November 2009.^[62] The album includes covers of "Wild Horses" and "You'll See" as well as "I Dreamed a Dream", and "Cry Me a River".^[63] I Dreamed a Dream became Amazon.com's best-selling album in pre-sales on 4 September 2009, three months before the scheduled release.^[64] In Britain, Boyle's debut album was recognised as the fastest selling UK debut album of all time selling 411,820 copies, beating the previous fastest selling debut of all time, Spirit by Leona Lewis.^[65] I Dreamed a Dream also outsold the rest of the top 5 albums combined in its first week.^[66]

In the U.S., the album sold 701,000 copies in its first week, the best opening week for a debut artist in over a decade.^[67] It topped the Billboard chart for six straight weeks and although it narrowly failed to become the best-selling album of 2009, with sales of 3,104,000 compared to 3,217,000 for Taylor Swift's Fearless, it was one of only two albums to sell over 3 million copies in the U.S., and was also the top selling "physical" album of 2009, with only 86,000 of its sales coming from digital downloads.^[68] This has in turn garnered more media attention, as mentioned by People magazine.^[69]

In Italy, it was the first album of the month in the Italian No. 1 Account by a non-Italian artist ever. In only a week, it sold more than 2 million copies worldwide, becoming the fastest selling global female debut album.^[66]

Boyle gave a U.S. concert tour in November as a lead-up to the album release.^[70] On 13 December 2009 she appeared in her own television special "I Dreamed a Dream: the Susan Boyle Story", featuring a duet with Elaine Paige.^[71] It got ratings of 10 million viewers in the United Kingdom^[72] and in America was the TV Guide Network's highest rated television special in its history.^[73]

In November 2009 it was reported^[74] that Boyle's rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" would be the theme song of the anime movie Eagle Talon The Movie 3 which was later released in Japan on 16 January 2010.^[75] Boyle performed for Pope Benedict XVI on his tour of Britain in 2010.^[76] In May 2010, Susan Boyle was voted by Time magazine as the seventh most influential person in the world.^[77][78]

[edit] The Gift (2010–2011)

On 9 July 2010, Boyle announced that her second album would be a Christmas album entitled The Gift.^[79] As part of the lead-up to the album, she held a competition called Susan's Search, the winner of which sang a duet with her on her new CD.^[80] The album was released on 8 November 2010.^[81]

The album was produced by Steve Mac, who said that "Now Susan's used to the studio and the recording process, this time round we might go even further down a traditional route of recording by getting a band together and rehearsing songs before we go into the studio to see what works, how she reacts with certain parts, and so we can change the arrangements that way. I think that’s going to work much better....With Susan it’s very important she connects with the public and the public connect with her. She doesn’t want to sing anything that hasn’t happened to her or she can’t relate to."^[82] Boyle has suggested the album will include some jazz numbers now she's "a bit more content" within herself. "My next album has to have an element of surprise in it again. I'm hoping to make it better and a bit extra special."^[83]

In November 2010, Boyle became one of only three acts ever to top both the UK and US album charts twice in the same year.^[84] On 30 November 2010, in the United States, Boyle performed on ABC's The View singing "O Holy Night" and then on NBC's Christmas at Rockefeller Center program performing "Perfect Day" and "Away in a Manger". During her appearance on The View she was unable to finish her song, stating that she had a "frog in her throat"; she wanted to start the song over but was not allowed to. The audience applauded her anyway and she later performed an unaired version of the song which was uploaded to The View's YouTube account.

[edit] Someone to Watch Over Me (2011–present)

Emeli Sande was reported to have helped Boyle to write songs for her third studio album, which was released on 31 October 2011.^[85] Boyle performed on the second semi-final results show of the sixth season of America's Got Talent, which aired on 31 August 2011.^[86]

Boyle made her first appearance in Australia, on X Factor Australia, on 8 November 2011 and sang "Autumm Leaves".

Media impact[link]

Websites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter have been crucial in facilitating Boyle's rapid rise to fame:^[87] The most popular YouTube video submission of her audition garnered nearly 2.5 million views in the first 72 hours.^[88] On the day following the performance, the YouTube video was the most popular article on Digg^[89] and made the front page of Reddit.^[90] Within a week, the audition performance had been viewed more than 66 million times, setting an online record, while on Wikipedia her biographical article attracted nearly half a million page views. A total of 103 million video views on 20 different Web sites was reached within nine days.^[7] The Los Angeles Times wrote that her popularity on YouTube may in part be due to the broad range of emotion packed into a short clip which was "perfect for the Internet".^[91] In December 2009 her audition was named the most watched YouTube video of the year with over 120 million viewings, more than three times higher than the second most popular video.^[92]

Additionally, Boyle’s first on camera interview with Scots journalist Richard Mooney for her local newspaper the West Lothian Courier, was named as YouTube’s Most Memorable Video of 2009.^[93] The video went viral after being uploaded to YouTube on 14 April 2009.^[94]

Many newspapers around the world^[95][96] (including China,^[97] Brazil^[98] and the Middle East^[99][100]) carried articles on Boyle's performance. British tabloid The Sun gave her the nickname "Paula Potts" in reference to the first series' winner Paul Potts.^[101] Later, the British press took to referring to her by a short-form of her name, 'SuBo'.^[102] In the U.S., several commentators also drew parallels between Boyle's performance and that of Potts.^[103] ABC News hailed "Britain's newest pop sensation", and its Entertainment section headlined Boyle as "The Woman Who Shut Up Simon Cowell".^[104]

Within the week following her performance on Britain's Got Talent, Boyle was a guest on STV's The Five Thirty Show.^[105] She was interviewed via satellite on CBS's Early Show,^[26] Good Morning America,^[106] NBC's Today, FOX's America's Newsroom.^[106][107] and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Via satellite on Larry King Live,^[108] Boyle performed an a cappella verse of "My Heart Will Go On".^[109] She was also portrayed in drag by Jay Leno, who joked that they were related through his mother's Scottish heritage.^[110]

At the invitation of NHK, a major Japanese broadcaster, Boyle appeared as a guest singer for the 2009 edition of Kōhaku Uta Gassen, annual songfest on 31 December in Tokyo.^[111][112] She was introduced as the ouen kashu (応援歌手, lit. "cheering singer"^?) by the MCs and appeared on the stage escorted by Takuya Kimura, and sang "I Dreamed a Dream".^[113]

Although Boyle was not eligible for the 2010 Grammy Awards,^[114] its host Stephen Colbert paid tribute to Boyle at the ceremony, telling its audience "you may be the coolest people in the world, but this year your industry was saved by a 48-year-old Scottish cat lady in sensible shoes."^[115] There was also earlier controversy, when Boyle was not nominated in any of the categories for the 2010 Brit Awards.^[116]

Stage musical[link]

A stage musical of Boyle's life was originally planned with Boyle appearing as herself. She said she hated "having to sit watching people up there" who are actors.^[117] However it was later decided that actress Elaine C Smith would portray her ^[118] and Boyle would join the cast of I Dreamed a Dream for a cameo appearance.

I Dreamed a Dream opened on 27 March 2012 with fans from all over the world occupying the Theatre Royal, Newcastle for the opening week.^[119] The musical received rave reviews.^[120] David Cavendish wrote in his 5 star review “The overall shape of the show is hard to fault, and in matching the gutsy good humour of its heroine without stooping to hagiography, this is a delight that deserves to go far, and fast, as she has done.”^[121] John Dixon from his 5 star review on WhatsOnStage.com wrote "This production is a standalone show that should still play to audiences long after Elaine C Smith and Susan Boyle have left. In fact it deserves to become recognised as the Scottish equivalent to Blood Brothers, so strong are the production values. There is no doubting I Dreamed A Dream is one of the musical events of the year."^[122]

The musical will later tour the UK and Ireland.^[123]

Social analyses[link]

Judging by appearance[link]

The Huffington Post noted that the producers of the show would have anticipated the potential of this story arc, by deliberately presenting Boyle in a manner that would enhance this initial reaction.^[124] The Herald described Boyle's story as a modern parable and a rebuke to people's tendency to judge others based on their physical appearance.^[125] Similarly, Entertainment Weekly said that Boyle's performance was a victory for talent and artistry in a culture obsessed with physical attractiveness and presentation.^[126]

The Washington Post believed that her initial demeanour and homely appearance caused the judges and audience to be "waiting for her to squawk like a duck".^[128] New York's Daily News said that an underdog being ridiculed or humiliated but then enjoying an unexpected triumph is a common trope in literature, and the stark contrast between the audience's low expectations and the quality of her singing made Boyle's performance such an engaging piece of television.^[129]

Feminist view[link]

R.M. Campbell, music critic for The Gathering Note compared her to Ella Fitzgerald, in that "[... it is] really, really hard to make a career if a woman isn't attractive."^[130] In another Huffington Post article, Letty Cottin Pogrebin wrote that although people may "weep for the years of wasted talent", Boyle's performance was a triumph for "women of a certain age" over a youth culture that often dismisses middle-aged women.^[131] Tanya Gold wrote in The Guardian that the difference between Boyle's hostile reception and the more neutral response to Paul Potts in his first audition reflected society's expectation that women be both good-looking and talented, with no such expectation existing for men.^[132] Los Angeles vocal coach Eric Vetro stated, "She's an Everywoman as opposed to an untouchable fantasy goddess, so maybe that's why people react to her."^[133]

American Dream[link]

Several media sources have commented that Boyle's success seemed to have particular resonance in the United States. An American entertainment correspondent was quoted in The Scotsman comparing Boyle's story to the American Dream, as representing talent overcoming adversity and poverty.^[134] The Associated Press described this as Boyle's "hardscrabble story", dwelling on her modest lifestyle and what they characterised as urban deprivation in her home town.^[36] Similarly, The Independent's New York correspondent David Usborne wrote that the United States will always respond to "the fairy tale where the apparently unprepossessing suddenly becomes pretty, from Shrek to My Fair Lady".^[135]

Personal life[link]

Boyle still lives in the family home, a four-bedroom council house in Blackburn which she purchased from her earnings in 2010.^[15][136] Her father died in the 1990s, and her siblings had left home. Boyle never married, and she dedicated herself to care for her ageing mother until she died in 2007 at the age of 91. A neighbour reported that when Bridget Boyle died, her daughter "wouldn't come out for three or four days or answer the door or phone."^[137] Boyle is a practising Roman Catholic and sang in her church choir at her church in Blackburn.^[138] Boyle remains active as a volunteer at her church, visiting elderly members of the congregation in their homes.^[19] On a 2010 episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show, Boyle summarised that her daily life was "mundane" and "routine" prior to stardom.

In August 2010, British tabloid, News of the World, reported that Boyle was experiencing financial woes as she was unable to access her fortune, which was being controlled by her management team – consisting of Andy Stephens, Ossie Killkenny and Boyle's lawyer and niece, Kirsty Foy. Boyle's brother Gerry said that his sister was fearful of losing her contract and of returning to her previous financial situation and also that she has been unable to move into her £300,000 five-bedroom house in Blackburn because she does not have the cash to furnish it. He said "[Her] millions are ring-fenced but Susan has no concept of money" and that she was "extremely distressed" at having to live off £300 a week after being banned from withdrawing money from the bank or owning a credit card.^[139] This story was contradicted the following day, however, by the news that she had bought two houses.^[136] It was also reported that Boyle had been on a spending spree in which she had bought a grand piano, an iPhone and five dresses made by Stewart Parvin, the Queen's dressmaker.^[140] The press had previously stated that Boyle was suing her brother Gerry for other stories he had sold to the newspapers.^[141]

Cultural references[link]

The American cartoon show South Park made a reference to the Susan Boyle craze in the episode "Fatbeard", which aired on 22 April 2009;^[142][143] the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon show aired a comedy sketch showing the "feel good" effect that Susan Boyle's performance has had on people;^[144] The Simpsons aired a new commercial for its 20th-anniversary show "Springfield's Got Talent", in which Homer Simpson talks about his dreams "to be a great singer like Boyle".^[145][146] A European trailer for the video game The Sims 3 includes a character mocked up as Boyle.^[147] In June 2009, BBC Radio 4 broadcast a short story called "I Dreamed a Dream" that was based on a combination of Boyle's appearances on Britain's Got Talent and the political difficulties of Gordon Brown.^[148] The 5 November 2009 episode of the show 30 Rock showed recurring character Kathy Geiss (Marceline Hugot) – who has a dowdy appearance – singing in the style of Susan Boyle as Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghy teared up.^[149] In a Season 35 sketch on Saturday Night Live, an accountant (Andy Samberg) doing Boyle's taxes, notes that her income for 2008 was $1, $900,000,000 for 2009, and projected to be $1 for 2010. Bobby Moynihan played Boyle in the sketch.

In the Futurama episode "Attack of the Killer App", Leela has a boil named Susan ("Susan Boil") that can sing show tunes.^[150]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• I Dreamed a Dream (2009)
• The Gift (2010)
• Someone to Watch Over Me (2011)

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Boyle, Susan. The Woman I Was Born to Be: My Story (2010) Atria Books ISBN 1451609256

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Susan Boyle

• Official website
• Susan Boyle at Allmusic
• Works by or about Susan Boyle in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
• Susan Boyle at the Open Directory Project