/ 9 December 2013
From the depths of obscurity she’s become one of the most celebrated singers in the world. We chat with Susan Boyle ahead of her upcoming show in Abu Dhabi.
EVERYBODY LOVES THE underdog, and Susan Boyle certainly seems to be their exalted poster child.
As she took to the stage to audition for Britain’s Got Talent, Boyle wasn’t thinking about fame and record contracts; she simply wanted to fulfill a promise to her dying mother that she would make something of her life. With more than 20 million albums sold and two Grammy nominations under her belt, that promise has unfolded with blinding speed.
But there’s more to her success than just a lovely singing voice. Her fans seem to be mesmerised by her modest nature and background - Boyle is a middle-aged woman with a thick Scottish accent who looks like she would do well as a librarian in a small country village. She seems like the most approachable person on the planet, a woman who has led the most ordinary of lives.
Boyle’s accolades are of course numerous, and the money she’s made off her four number one albums has undoubtedly ensured her financial security for a lifetime.
Yet she still lives in the same home she once shared with her family, in the same town she grew up in, surrounded by the same friends who always knew her as temperamental, but fiercely kind hearted and humble.
Abu Dhabi will mark a turning point in Boyle’s career - on December 13, she will perform her first full international concert here. Ahead of the show, Boyle spoke to City Times about her meteoric rise to fame, fears about the future and the power of dreaming.
Your performance in Abu Dhabi will be one of your first major concerts. Has performing in front of thousands of fans become easier for you or do nerves still get the best of you sometimes?
I have always said nerves are good, it is what focuses you before the performance. If you didn’t get a little nervous then you would be giving a nonchalant performance, and that is no good. I think nerves are good, it means you want to do the best possible performance you can and it centres your attention to delivering.
Your voice has been described as “healing” but also “heartbreaking”. What do you think it is about your sound that touches so many people?
I’ve never really thought of my voice that way, to me I just sing. I think it may though have something to do with the song choices. I like to sing songs that I can emotionally connect to and really feel and understand the lyrics. If a song connects then I think you can do a far better performance and I guess that transcends into my voice.
You recorded a posthumous duet with Elvis, an honour that has only been bestowed upon a few artists. What did it feel like hearing your voices together on the Christmas track?
It was awesome. Technology really is a wonderful thing. I’m incredibly lucky to have the honour of performing a duet with Elvis - I’m the first British artist that has been afforded this duet for an album and it’s a wonderful feeling. Hearing the song for the first time was just magical. I felt as though Elvis was with me in a weird way when I was in the studio. From recording to the finished product, it was a wonderful experience. However the best thing to come from this duet is that we are releasing it in conjunction with Save the Children as a Christmas charity single and all proceeds will go to help children around the world.
Before auditioning for Britain’s Got Talent, you had spent a long time trying to make it in the industry. What kind of struggles did you face to actually land a spot on stage?
I had done a few local talent shows; I hadn’t spent years trying to crack the industry. What I did do was make a promise to my mother before she died that I would make something of my life. Little did I know back then just how much I would make of my life and just how Britain’s Got Talent turned my entire world around for the better.
Despite your enormous success, you’ve maintained your small-town roots. How important is it for you to stay close to home?
It’s very important for me to stay at home in Scotland. All my friends and family are here and it helps to keep me grounded.
Besides buying a new “Posh House” as you call it, you’ve made very few extravagant purchases. What is it that you value most?
I value my friends, family and fans. I value singing for people and making them happy. It has never been about fame and fortune for me, it’s always been about the singing. That’s it. I can make a difference with my voice. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to know that I can pay my bills but money is not the important part of this for me.
You’ve talked about every artist having an expiration date. Are you enjoying every minute of success or does the fear of it going away stay with you?
Every artist worries that this is going to end. I think it’s what drives us all to be bigger and better each year and strive to achieve more. Of course I still have that nagging doubt but it helps drive creativity, which keeps you current and successful. The Elvis duet is a case in point.
You’ve broken countless sales records since your debut, so how have you come to define success?
The reaction of my fans defines success for me. I love hearing feedback on what they think about the album, what songs they like and which they don’t. All feedback is so valuable for the next album.
Since gaining worldwide fame, how do you choose who to surround yourself with?
Exactly the same friends and family as before I went on to Britain’s Got Talent, and now I have my small team around me from management and label. But I have one of my oldest friends travel with me so it’s basically home from home.
People seem to connect with you on a level that most other performers will never enjoy. What has been the best part about your life after Britain’s Got Talent?
The best thing - well there are so many good things that have come from this. I’ve performed around the world, visited countries that I would never have expected to visit in my lifetime. Met wonderful new people and for the first time I don’t feel like an outsider looking in on life, I feel like I’m taking part now.
Ahead of her cancelled Abu Dhabi show, we chat with Susan Boyle about life after fame and chasing dreams
EVERYBODY LOVES THE underdog, and Susan Boyle certainly seems to be their exalted poster child.
As she took to the stage to audition for Britain’s Got Talent, Boyle wasn’t thinking about fame and record contracts; she simply wanted to fulfill a promise to her dying mother that she would make something of her life. With more than 20 million albums sold and two Grammy nominations under her belt, that promise has unfolded with blinding speed.
But there’s more to her success than just a lovely singing voice. Her fans seem to be mesmerised by her modest nature and background - Boyle is a middle-aged woman with a thick Scottish accent who looks like she would do well as a librarian in a small country village. She seems like the most approachable person on the planet, a woman who has led the most ordinary of lives.
Boyle’s accolades are of course numerous, and the money she’s made off her four number one albums has undoubtedly ensured her financial security for a lifetime.
Yet she still lives in the same home she once shared with her family, in the same town she grew up in, surrounded by the same friends who always knew her as temperamental, but fiercely kind hearted and humble.
Abu Dhabi will mark a turning point in Boyle’s career - on December 13, she will perform her first full international concert here. Ahead of the show, Boyle spoke to City Times about her meteoric rise to fame, fears about the future and the power of dreaming.
Your performance in Abu Dhabi will be one of your first major concerts. Has performing in front of thousands of fans become easier for you or do nerves still get the best of you sometimes?
I have always said nerves are good, it is what focuses you before the performance. If you didn’t get a little nervous then you would be giving a nonchalant performance, and that is no good. I think nerves are good, it means you want to do the best possible performance you can and it centres your attention to delivering.
Your voice has been described as “healing” but also “heartbreaking”. What do you think it is about your sound that touches so many people?
I’ve never really thought of my voice that way, to me I just sing. I think it may though have something to do with the song choices. I like to sing songs that I can emotionally connect to and really feel and understand the lyrics. If a song connects then I think you can do a far better performance and I guess that transcends into my voice.
You recorded a posthumous duet with Elvis, an honour that has only been bestowed upon a few artists. What did it feel like hearing your voices together on the Christmas track?
It was awesome. Technology really is a wonderful thing. I’m incredibly lucky to have the honour of performing a duet with Elvis - I’m the first British artist that has been afforded this duet for an album and it’s a wonderful feeling. Hearing the song for the first time was just magical. I felt as though Elvis was with me in a weird way when I was in the studio. From recording to the finished product, it was a wonderful experience. However the best thing to come from this duet is that we are releasing it in conjunction with Save the Children as a Christmas charity single and all proceeds will go to help children around the world.
Before auditioning for Britain’s Got Talent, you had spent a long time trying to make it in the industry. What kind of struggles did you face to actually land a spot on stage?
I had done a few local talent shows; I hadn’t spent years trying to crack the industry. What I did do was make a promise to my mother before she died that I would make something of my life. Little did I know back then just how much I would make of my life and just how Britain’s Got Talent turned my entire world around for the better.
Despite your enormous success, you’ve maintained your small-town roots. How important is it for you to stay close to home?
It’s very important for me to stay at home in Scotland. All my friends and family are here and it helps to keep me grounded.
Besides buying a new “Posh House” as you call it, you’ve made very few extravagant purchases. What is it that you value most?
I value my friends, family and fans. I value singing for people and making them happy. It has never been about fame and fortune for me, it’s always been about the singing. That’s it. I can make a difference with my voice. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to know that I can pay my bills but money is not the important part of this for me.
You’ve talked about every artist having an expiration date. Are you enjoying every minute of success or does the fear of it going away stay with you?
Every artist worries that this is going to end. I think it’s what drives us all to be bigger and better each year and strive to achieve more. Of course I still have that nagging doubt but it helps drive creativity, which keeps you current and successful. The Elvis duet is a case in point.
You’ve broken countless sales records since your debut, so how have you come to define success?
The reaction of my fans defines success for me. I love hearing feedback on what they think about the album, what songs they like and which they don’t. All feedback is so valuable for the next album.
Since gaining worldwide fame, how do you choose who to surround yourself with?
Exactly the same friends and family as before I went on to Britain’s Got Talent, and now I have my small team around me from management and label. But I have one of my oldest friends travel with me so it’s basically home from home.
People seem to connect with you on a level that most other performers will never enjoy. What has been the best part about your life after Britain’s Got Talent?
The best thing - well there are so many good things that have come from this. I’ve performed around the world, visited countries that I would never have expected to visit in my lifetime. Met wonderful new people and for the first time I don’t feel like an outsider looking in on life, I feel like I’m taking part now.
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