susan boyle - what's happened?

Like many other people, when I watched Susan Boyle defy all expectations and belt out a beautiful rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical Les Miserables, I was so impressed and watched the YouTube clip like, a hundred times, each time still awed and claiming this woman to be an inspiration, a real fighter.

The whole appeal about Susan Boyle was that she was your average underdog. She's not pretty at all (forgive me for sounding superficial, but you get my point), she's 47 and never been kissed, unemployed... She's the voice of the normal world, far from Hollywood glamour. Just your average woman, the battling underdog, chasing a dream.

I have tons of respect for this woman. There's no denying the quality of her voice.

But.

Observing the recent hype about her, I think she's become too much of the media's plaything. She's been given a makeover, eyebrow shaping, a new haircut (of some sort), a new wardrobe... But while she's becoming more visually appealing, she's losing exactly what makes her Susan Boyle.

Not that makeovers are sins. Obviously if she feels comfortable or desires it, then it's up to her to have it. But it's almost like, because the media's feasting over her, they're forcing her to become something she's not anymore. If she personifies the normal population, surely her newfound fame and the changes brought about completely defies that image. It's like the media's changing exactly what's so appealing and likeable about her in an attempt to make her a star in their own right. But she doesn't need it. The more change she goes through, the less she remains Susan Boyle.

Look at the past Britain's Got Talent star, Paul Potts. He, like Boyle, was the underdog. When he stepped onto the stage, people sneered. When he said he'd sing opera, people sneered and rolled their eyes. But when he opened his mouth, it brought tears to people's eyes and the crowd to their feet. OK he's a man, and so his appearance wasn't so important, but he, like Boyle, was not, let's say, eye candy. He didn't immediately go lose weight and fix his teeth (he did after he won). He went through, just focused on singing, and it was his down-to-earth appeal that helped him win.

And I just wonder, with the hype, will it backfire? She's losing the whole point of Susan Boyle, and becoming The Media's Temporary Sweetheart. The woman who will be in the spotlight so long as BGT continues, then once it's over, she'll fade from the public eye, and nothing much will happen. I don't wish that at all. I think this woman deserves a better life and a bright future, and the worst thing would be if she's dropped after the storm. You know how harsh the media can be: you are the centre of attention when you sell papers, and dropped the minute the hype is over.

So come on Susan Boyle. Just be yourself. Don't let the sudden attention and fame get to your head too much. Please. Because if you don't, then you're no longer the woman we fell in love with on that stage.