name	Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company
logo
type	Privately held subsidiary
foundation
location city	Chevy Chase, Maryland
location country	United States
locations	70
key people	Herve Humler, COO and President
num employees	38,000
parent	Marriott International
homepage	corporate.ritzcarlton.com
footnotes
intl	}}

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is the parent company to the luxury hotel chain, Ritz-Carlton Hotels. The hotel company is a subsidiary of Marriott International. The company also has marketing agreements with Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, and two privately owned hotels, The Ritz Hotel, London, and the Hotel Ritz Madrid.

In 1983, the brand was sold to The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., based in Atlanta, Georgia, which began expansion of the brand to other locations.

The company grew to become the hospitality leader in the US under the leadership of President and COO Horst Schulze. Schulze's strong conviction of customer loyalty and emphasis on a value/mission driven philosophy for the "Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen" became a benchmark in the industry to which other companies aspired. Under his leadership the hotels earned an unprecedented two Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards and grew from four to forty U.S. locations .

During this time, The Ritz-Carlton also became known for its influence on service in a wide range of industries, through the creation of The Ritz-Carlton Learning Institute and The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center, created by then-Ritz executive Leonardo Inghilleri, who was an architect of the Ritz's second Baldrige award , where executives from other companies worldwide in many disciplines come to learn Ritz-Carlton principles of service.

In 1995, Marriott International purchased a 49% stake in The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, and in 1998, purchased an additional 50% stake in the company giving it 99% ownership of the company when Schulze left with other executives including Leonardo Inghilleri, Robert A. Warman, Peter Schoch and others to create the West Paces Hotel Group, purveyors of the Capella and Solís hotel imprints.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is now headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, located in the Washington, D.C. MSA.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company partnered with Bulgari in 2001 to operate a chain of hotels owned by and operated under the BVLGARI brand.

Simon Cooper joined Ritz-Carlton in 2001 as President and Chief Operating Officer taking the helm from Horst Schulze. Cooper's mandate was to grow the chain through hotel expansion and product diversification. Under Cooper's watch the company has aggressively expanded its hotels and has added The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton (private residential units) as well as The Ritz-Carlton Club (fractional ownership residences) to the company's new development program.

On August 12, 2010, the Ritz-Carlton announced their new President and Chief Operations Officer would be Herve Humler. He is one of the founders from 1983, and will be responsible for leading brand operations and global growth strategy.

Historic overview

The story of the Ritz-Carlton begins with Swiss hotelier César Ritz who was well known in the hotel industry as the "king of hoteliers and hotelier to kings." Ritz redefined luxury accommodation in Europe with his management of The Ritz in Paris and The Carlton in London. Although he died in 1918, his wife Marie continued the tradition of opening hotels in his name.

In 1911 the company announced its itention to expand North America The first Ritz-Carlton Hotel in North America was built in Montreal in 1912. The first Ritz-Carlton Hotel in the U.S. was built in New York in 1917. The Ritz-Carlton in Atlantic City opened in 1921. Additional locations soon opened in Philadelphia and Boca Raton.

The Ritz-Carlton Investing Company was established by Albert Keller, who bought and franchised the name in the United States. He built the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, which opened on May 19, 1927 with a room rate of $15 per night. It became known as the hotel to kings, queens, movie stars, and tycoons: Prince Charles, Irving Berlin, Bette Davis, and Howard Hughes were just a few of its notable guests.

The Philadelphia, Boca Raton and New York locations did not survive the Great Depression and by 1940 only Boston & Atlantic City location remained.

The Wyner Years: 1927-1964

On October 1926, 29-year-old Edward N. Wyner bought a third-acre parcel at the corner of Arlington and Newbury streets and formed a partnership called The Ritz-Arlington Trust with his father, George, and business associate, John S. Slater.

The trust sold $2.1 million of bonds to finance the construction of a hotel to be called the Mayflower. The 18-story, brick building, designed by Strickland, Blodget & Law Architects, was far taller than anything else along Newbury Street at the time. Construction had started on the second floor when Wyner was persuaded by then-Mayor James Michael Curly to make the Mayflower a world-class, 300-room Ritz-Carlton Hotel, which opened May 19, 1927. Room rates were $5 to $15 per night; $40 per night for suites.

After a hugely successful opening, the stock market crash of 1929 and ensuing Depression brought financial difficulties. The Wyner family funded the hotel’s operating losses during the early 1930s, although the interest on the bonds went unpaid. Still in 1933, when only 30 guests were registered in the hotel, Wyner turned on the lights in every guest room to give the appearance the hotel was full.

Wyner died of a heart attack on Dec. 5, 1961. His six sons tried to continue operation of the hotel, but it was too difficult, and a decision was made to sell.

The Blakeley Years: 1964-1983

The unpaid interest on the bonds dissuaded many from trying to buy the hotel. But Cabot, Cabot & Forbes principal Gerald F. Blakeley Jr. was interested. After more than a year of legal work, Hale and Dorr succeeded at clearing the bond obligations, and in October 1964 Blakeley and associates Paul Hellmuth and Charles Spaulding acquired the Ritz-Carlton Boston for $3.8 million.

“Out of the 20 years I owned it, it made money three years. The other years it broke even, but from a public relations standpoint for CC&F;, it was a tremendous asset,” said Blakeley, who completed a 19-story Ritz-Carlton luxury condominium complex on land adjacent to the hotel in 1981.

In the late 1960s Blakeley obtained the rights to the Ritz-Carlton name in North America (with the exception of Montreal and New York). In June 1978, Blakeley was awarded the rights and privileges of the Ritz-Carlton trademark in the United States and was given a US Service Mark Registration.

In August 1983, Johnson Properties bought the Ritz Boston and US trademark for $75.5 million and established the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. In 1988, Johnson subsequently obtained the exclusive rights to the Ritz name throughout the world (except for the 210-room Hotel-Ritz Paris, The Ritz-Carlton at Water Tower Place in Chicago, and the Ritz-Carlton in Montreal).

The Corporate Years: 1983-1999

From 1940 to 1975, the Ritz-Carlton Boston was the only Ritz-Carlton hotel in existence. Johnson would grow the company from the Ritz-Carlton Boston to 30 hotels worldwide in just 10 years.

He obtained financing to do so from Manufacturers Hanover Trust of New York in 1983 in the amount of $85 million secured by the Ritz-Carlton Boston. This loan was refinanced in 1989 by Manhattan Tops USA of New York for $136.5 million and again in 1994 by Sumitomo Bank of Japan. By 1996, this mortgage was in default and the interest and penalties brought the total debt to $214.8 million.

By splitting this mortgage note into three parts, Sumitomo Bank was able to unbundle the Ritz Boston from the trademark rights to the Ritz brand worldwide. Blackstone Real Estate Acquisitions of New York bought the Ritz-Carlton Boston at auction for $75 million in February 1998.

A month later, Host Marriott Corp. of Bethesda, Maryland, acquired the hotel from Blackstone for $100 million. Marriott International, which franchises and manages Marriott’s 325,000 rooms, bought the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. and rights to the Ritz-Carlton name worldwide from W.B. Johnson for $290 million in a two-part transaction completed in 1998.

Millennium Purchase

In 1998, Christopher Jeffries, founding partner of Millennium Partners, obtained Ritz franchises from Marriott for four hotel properties under construction: two in Washington, one in New York City, and one in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition, Jeffries was searching for a brand affiliation for the new 155-room hotel and 270-luxury condominiums he was constructing as part of Boston’s Millennium Place, a mixed-use complex on lower Washington Street. Because of noncompetition clauses, the only way he could obtain a second Ritz flag in Boston was to own the existing Ritz.

Millennium Partners acquired the original Ritz-Carlton Boston for $122 million (though it had sold for just $75 million less than two years prior) and spent $50 million for renovations. Marriott agreed to allow the Ritz affiliation for the condominium complex, which will be known as The Residences at the Ritz-Carlton, and share all of the services of the hotel.

In 1999, when Millennium Partners of New York, the new owners of the original Ritz-Carlton Boston, announced that the company was building a second Ritz-Carlton in Boston (the now-completed 193-room Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common), there was much local disapproval. A member of the old guard summed up: “The movement of a name from one place to another doesn’t do it. There would never be that special atmosphere; a grace, decency, and ambiance that once existed.” Millennium Partners admitted they had no intentions of trying to duplicate the Ritz.

Taj Purchase

In October 2002, The Ritz-Carlton Boston celebrated its 75th Anniversary with a major restoration to bring the facility 21st century amenities while maintaining its 20th century decor.

The Ritz-Carlton Boston has been in continuous operation since it opened in 1927. The property is a Boston landmark and anchors fashionable Newbury Street and the picturesque Boston Public Garden, located in the heart of the Back Bay.

In November 2006, The Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, a subsidiary of the India-based Tata Group, entered into a definitive agreement to purchase The Ritz-Carlton Boston from its owners, Millennium Partners. The $170 million transaction was scheduled to close on January 11, 2007. The Ritz-Carlton Boston was renamed as Taj Boston upon closing the purchase.

2000 and beyond

From 2001 to 2007 Boston was home to two Ritz-Carlton hotels that faced each other on Boston Common. The Ritz-Carlton Boston Common Hotel opened in 2001.

In November 2006, The Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, India's luxury hotel group, entered into an agreement to purchase the original 1927 Ritz-Carlton Boston from its current owners, Millennium Partners, for $170 Million. The Ritz-Carlton name was not sold to Taj Hotels. The Ritz-Carlton Boston was renamed Taj Boston on January 11, 2007.

The first Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Russia was opened in Moscow on July 1, 2007.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has announced its first hotel in India. The property is slated to open in Bangalore in 2010.

On August 16, 2007, the group announced it was to open a property in Toronto in 2009. Another in Vancouver is slated to open in 2011. The hotel, which will occupy the first 20 floors of a 58 storey tower, will also feature the Residences by Ritz-Carlton on the remaining 38 floors in an Arthur Erickson designed tower, similar to that of the Turning Torso in Malmö, Sweden.

In February 2008, Ritz-Carlton relocated its Hong Kong property on the Hong Kong Island to the other side of the Victoria Harbour and occupied to the top 15 floors of the International Commerce Center on Kowloon Peninsula. Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong is expected to be the highest hotel in the world by its grand opening on 3rd May 2011. Asia Headquarters of Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, and Deutsche Bank are located in the same 110-storey building.

References

External links

Ritz-Carlton Corporate Website

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong

The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin (Germany)

Category:Companies based in Maryland Category:Companies established in 1937 Category:Hospitality companies of the United States Category:Marriott International

nl:Ritz-Carlton zh:麗思卡爾頓酒店

name	Kelly Wood
residence	Stirling
birth date	April 08, 1981
birth place	Dundee
height
weight
country	ScotlandUnited Kingdom
sport	Curling
club	Stirling
medaltemplates	}}

| show-medals = yes }}

Kelly Wood (born 8 April 1981 in Dundee) is a Scottish curler who has represented her home country and Great Britain and Northern Ireland on an International and Olympic scale.

Wood made her curling debut at Letham Grange Ice Rink in 1999 competing in the World Junior Curling Championships. Playing as a second curler the team finished a respectable fifth position. She has competed in numerous European and World championships and has been skip of the curling team four times.

Scotland's curling dominance over the two other host nations of Great Britain secured its place at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Wood was shortlisted along with nine other female curlers to be considered for a place on the women's Olympic team and became successful to travel to Turin to defend Rhona Martin's Olympic gold that Team GB won in Salt Lake City in 2002. She joined Rhona Martin, Lynn Cameron, Jackie Lockhart and Debbie Knox. As in her other international games, Wood played second throughout the Olympic competition. However, despite beating U.S. 10-4 after only six ends, Team GB's Olympic hopes were shattered as Canada beat Denmark in a nail-biting match in the final end. A win over Canada by Denmark would have enabled Great Britain to go into a playoff to compete for the last semi-final position. When interviewed after the game Kelly conceded Team GB's loss was "gutting" but added "we [Team GB] have to take the positives out of this." Being only twenty-four years of age is likely to stand Kelly in good stead for entering future Winter Olympics.

Wood won her first medal at an international event at the 2007 World Women's Curling Championship. She skipped Scotland with team mates Jackie Lockhart, Lorna Vevers, Lindsay Wood and Karen Addison to a bronze medal. Scotland won the bronze medal by losing in the semi-final to Denmark, skipped by Angelina Jensen.

Teammates

Jackie Lockhart

Lorna Vevers

Lindsay Wood

2009 Aberdeen European Championships

2010 Vancouver Olympic Games

*Eve Muirhead, ''Skip''

*Jackie Lockhart, ''Third''

*Lorna Vevers, ''Lead''

*Anne Laird, ''Alternate''

References

Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:People from Dundee Category:Curlers at the 2006 Winter Olympics Category:Scottish curlers Category:Olympic curlers of Great Britain Category:Curlers at the 2010 Winter Olympics

de:Kelly Wood pl:Kelly Wood

name	Susan Boyle
birth name	Susan Magdalane Boyle
background	solo_singer
born	April 01, 1961
origin	Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland
instrument	Vocals
genre	Pop
occupation	Singer
years active	2009–present
label	Syco, Columbia
website	}}

Susan Magdalane Boyle (born 1 April 1961) is a Scottish singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on reality TV programme ''Britain's Got Talent'' on 11 April 2009, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from ''''. Her first album was released in November 2009 and debuted as the number one best-selling CD 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. 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. Her audition video has been viewed on the internet several hundred million times. Despite the sustained media interest she later finished in second place in the final of the show behind dance troupe Diversity.

Boyle's first album, ''I Dreamed a Dream'', was released on 23 November 2009 and became Amazon's best-selling album in pre-sales. According to ''Billboard'', "The arrival of ''I Dreamed a Dream'' ... marks the best opening week for a female artist's debut album since SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991." In only six weeks of sales, it became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 9 million copies. In September 2010, Boyle was officially recognised by Guinness World Records as having had the fastest selling debut album by a female artist in the UK, the most successful first week sales of a debut album in the UK, and was also awarded the record for being the oldest person to reach number one with a debut album in the UK.

Biography

Boyle was born in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland, to Patrick Boyle, a miner, World War II veteran and singer at the Bishop's Blaize, and Bridget, a shorthand typist, who were both immigrants from County Donegal, Ireland. She was the youngest of four brothers and six sisters. Born when her mother was 47, Boyle was briefly deprived of oxygen during the difficult birth and was later diagnosed as having learning difficulties. Boyle says she was bullied as a child and was nicknamed "Susie Simple" at school.

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

Boyle still lives in the family home, a four-bedroom council house, with her 10-year-old cat, Pebbles. 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. Boyle has a reputation for modesty and propriety, admitting during her first appearance on ''Britain's Got Talent'' that she had "never been married, never been kissed". 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."

Boyle is a practising Roman Catholic and sang in her church choir at her church in Blackburn. Boyle remains active as a volunteer at her church, visiting elderly members of the congregation in their homes. On a 2010 episode of the ''Oprah Winfrey Show'', Boyle summarised that her daily life was "mundane" and "routine" prior to stardom.

Early singing

Boyle took singing lessons from voice coach Fred O'Neil. She attended Edinburgh Acting School and took part in the Edinburgh Fringe. 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''. She also has long participated in her parish church's pilgrimages to the Knock Shrine, County Mayo, Ireland, and has sung there at the Marian basilica.

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. In 1995, her audition for Michael Barrymore's ''My Kind of People'' at the Olympia Shopping Centre in East Kilbride was filmedthe amateur video shows Barrymore was more interested in mocking her than in her ability to sing.

In 1999, she recorded a track for a charity CD to commemorate the Millennium produced at a West Lothian school. Only 1,000 copies of the CD, ''Music for a Millennium Celebration, Sounds of West Lothian'', were pressed. 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..." 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." ''Hello!'' said the recording "cement[ed] her status" as a singing star.

In 1999, Boyle 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.

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. Boyle said that she was motivated to seek a musical career to pay tribute to her mother. Her performance on the show was the first time she had sung in public since her mother died.

Music career

''Britain's Got Talent'' (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". 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. Programme judge Amanda Holden remarked upon the audience's initially cynical attitude, and the subsequent "biggest wake-up call ever" upon hearing her performance.

This performance was widely reported and tens of millions of people viewed the video on YouTube. Boyle was "absolutely gobsmacked" by the strength of this reaction. Boyle is aware that the audience on ''Britain's Got Talent'' was initially hostile to her because of her appearance, but she has refused to change her image. Since the appearance, Paige has expressed interest in singing a duet with Boyle, and has called her "a role model for everyone who has a dream". 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''. Cameron Mackintosh, the producer of the ''Les Misérables'' musical, also praised the performance, as thrilling and uplifting".

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

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. The day after the final, Boyle was admitted to The Priory, a private psychiatric clinic in London, 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. 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.

Boyle left the clinic five days after her admission and said she would participate in the BGT tour. Despite health worries, she appeared in 20 of the 24 dates of the tour, and was well received in cities such as Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Dublin, Sheffield, Coventry, Birmingham and London. 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".

''I Dreamed a Dream'' and tour (2009–2010)

Boyle's first album, ''I Dreamed a Dream'', was released on 23 November 2009. The album includes covers of "Wild Horses" and "You'll See" as well as "I Dreamed a Dream", and "Cry Me a River". ''I Dreamed a Dream'' became Amazon.com's best-selling album in pre-sales on 4 September 2009, three months before the scheduled release. 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. ''I Dreamed a Dream'' also outsold the rest of the top 5 albums combined in its first week.

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. 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. This has in turn garnered more media attention, as mentioned by ''People'' magazine.

In Italy, it was the first album of the month in the Italian #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.

Boyle gave a U.S. concert tour in November as a lead-up to the album release. 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. It got ratings of 10 million viewers in the United Kingdom and in America was the TV Guide Network's highest rated television special in its history.

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

''The Gift'' (2010–2011)

On 9 July 2010, Boyle announced that her second album would be a Christmas album entitled ''The Gift''. As part of the lead up to the album, she will be holding a competition 'Susan's Search', the winner of which would get to sing a duet with her on her new CD. The album was released on 8 November 2010.

Produced by Steve Mac, who says "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." 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."

In August 2010, British tabloid, ''News of the World'', reported that Boyle was experiencing financial woes as Boyle was unable to access her fortune, which was being controlled by her management team – consisting of Andy Stephens, Ossie Killkenny, and Susan's lawyer niece Kirsty Foy. Boyle's brother Gerry said his sister was fearful of losing her contract and of returning to her previous financial situation, and 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 "[Susan's] millions are ring-fenced but Susan has no concept of money," and 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. This story was contradicted the following day though by the news that she had bought two houses. It was also reported that she had recently been on a spending spree, where she had bought a grand piano, iPhone, and five dresses made by Stewart Parvin, the Queen's dressmaker. The press had previously stated that Susan Boyle was suing her brother Gerry for other stories he'd sold to the newspapers.

In November 2010, Boyle became only one of three to ever top both the UK and US album charts twice in the same year. On 30 November 2010, Susan performed both on ABC"s ''The View'' and sang "O Holy Night", and later on NBC's ''Christmas at Rockefeller Center'', where she performed "Perfect Day" and "Away in a Manger". During her appearance on ''The View'' she was unable to finish her song, stating she had a "frog in her throat"; she wanted to start the song over but wasn't 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.

''Someone to Watch Over Me'' (2011–present)

Emeli Sande is reported to be helping Susan write songs for her third studio album, which is due this autumn. The album is also reported to be an R&B; styled album. Susan performed on the second semi-final results show of the sixth season of ''America's Got Talent'', which aired on August 31, 2011.

Legacy

Media impact

Web sites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter have been crucial in facilitating Boyle's rapid rise to fame: The most popular YouTube video submission of her audition garnered nearly 2.5 million views in the first 72 hours. On the day following the performance, the YouTube video was the most popular article on Digg and made the front page of Reddit. 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. 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". 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.

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. The video went viral after being uploaded to YouTube on 14 April 2009.

Many newspapers around the world (including China, Brazil and the Middle East) 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. Later, the British press took to referring to her by a short-form of her name, 'SuBo'. In the U.S., several commentators also drew parallels between Boyle's performance and that of Potts. ''ABC News'' hailed "Britain's newest pop sensation", and its Entertainment section headlined Boyle as "The Woman Who Shut Up Simon Cowell".

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

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. She was introduced as the by the MCs and appeared on the stage escorted by Takuya Kimura, and sang "I Dreamed a Dream".

Although Boyle was not eligible for the 2010 Grammy Awards, 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." There was also earlier controversy, when Boyle was not nominated in any of the categories for the 2010 Brit Awards.

Musical biography

It was originally planned that Boyle would appear as herself in a musical about her life. She was quoted as saying "having to sit watching people up there" who are actors. However it was later announced actress Elaine C Smith would be portraying her. The musical will "tell the singer's entire life story, including her years living with her moggy back in Blackburn before her world-famous telly audition." The show may play in the West End before touring the United Kingdom.

Social analyses

Judging by appearance

''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. ''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. Similarly, ''Entertainment Weekly'' said that Boyle's performance was a victory for talent and artistry in a culture obsessed with physical attractiveness and presentation. ''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". 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.

Feminist view

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." 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. 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. 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."

'American Dream'

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. 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. 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''".

Cultural references

The American cartoon show ''South Park'' made a reference to the Susan Boyle craze in the episode "Fatbeard", which aired on 22 April 2009; 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; ''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". A European trailer for the video game ''The Sims 3'' includes a character mocked up as Boyle. 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. 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. 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.

Discography

Studio albums

1 1

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Album Titles

Album details

Peak chart positions

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Sales

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* Release date: 23 November 2009

* Label: Syco, Columbia Records

Music download>digital download

1

1

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1

1

3

1

1

1

1

British Phonographic Industry>UK: 7× Platinum

Australian Recording Industry Association>AUS: 9× Platinum

Canadian Recording Industry Association>CAN: 5× Platinum

Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique>FRA: Platinum

Oricon>JPN: Platinum

Recording Industry Association of New Zealand>NZ: 11× Platinum

Recording Industry Association of America>US: 4× Platinum

wikt:worldwide>WW: 9,000,000

scope="row">''The Gift (Susan Boyle album)

The Gift''

* Release date: 8 November 2010

* Label: Syco, Columbia Records

* Format: CD, digital download

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2

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7

5

18

1

1

19

1

* AUS: 3× Platinum<

* CAN: 2× Platinum

Irish Recorded Music Association>IRL: 2× Platinum

* NZ: 4× Platinum

* US: 3× Platinum

* UK: 600,000

Nielsen SoundScan>US: 1,850,000

scope="row">''Someone to Watch Over Me (Susan Boyle album)

Someone to Watch Over Me''

* Release date: 7 November 2011

* Label: Syco, Columbia Records

* Format: CD, digital download

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Singles

— 27 65 —

scope="col" rowspan="2"	Year	Single	Peak chart positions									Album
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rowspan="2"	2009	! scope="row"	9	93	|	95	11	31	99	—	98	rowspan="2"	''I Dreamed a Dream''
scope="row">"I Dreamed a Dream#Susan Boyle version	I Dreamed a Dream"	37	66	|	65	20	37	—	43	62
2010	scope="row"	"Perfect Day"	124	—	|	—	—	—	—	—	—	''The Gift''
2011	scope="row"	"I Know Him So Well" (with Peter Kay for Comic Relief)	11	—	|	—	—	—	—	—	—	Non-album single

Featured singles

scope="col" rowspan="2"	Year	Single	Peak chart positions			Album
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"	! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"		! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"
2010	"Everybody Hurts" (with Helping Haiti)	1	28	1	Non-album single

Awards and nominations

! Year	! Association	! Category	! Result
2011	53rd Grammy Awards

References

External links

Category:1961 births Category:Britain's Got Talent contestants Category:Columbia Records artists Category:Internet memes Category:Living people Category:People from Blackburn, West Lothian Category:Scottish female singers Category:Scottish mezzo-sopranos Category:Scottish people of Irish descent Category:Scottish pop singers Category:Scottish Roman Catholics Category:Torch singers

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