Susan Boyle Stuns Audience By Performing 'Unchained Melody'

Oct 14, 2021

In 2011, singer Susan Boyle, 59, stunned viewers with a rendition of The Righteous Brothers' “Unchained Melody.” The memorable performance saw Boyle perform with a live orchestra in an emotional black and white music video that has since attracted millions of viewers.

The world discovered Boyle and her talent when she auditioned on “Britain's Got Talent” back in 2009. She was 47, unemployed, and trying to get into the spotlight as a singer. At that time, nearly everyone underestimated her. When she walked onto the “Britain’s Got Talent” stage, the audience laughed, and the judges weren’t much nicer. From Piers Morgan’s expression to Simon Cowell’s attitude, it’s clear that people didn’t think much of Boyle at the time.

But boy did Boyle prove them wrong when she took the performance to the next level. As soon as she opened her mouth, the crowd began cheering. And at the end of her performance, she received a massive round of applause, with every judge sending her on to the next round.

A short two years later, she returned to the spotlight with a rendition of the song “Unchained Melody,” which was originally recorded by The Righteous Brothers in the 1960s. Her rendition is wonderful, and it seems to blow nearly everyone away. Even Righteous Brothers fans claim that Boyle’s performance is quite a treat. It is that powerful.

Boyle has received many words of praise since the video was released and posted on YouTube. In fact, more than 3,000 viewers from around the world have responded to Boyle’s cover.

“To think that Susan Boyle started her career at 47,” one YouTuber commented. “This is a perfect example that one should not give up on their dreams. What a beautiful ending for her. Love Susan Boyle.”

“I can not say how many times Susan Boyle has given me goosebumps and I’ve watched/listened to her many times! I’m a retired music teacher and I’ve shown her first audition to classes to watch their reaction,” a user by the name of Mrs. Mac added. “It was always the same. Giggles and snickers at the beginning followed by stunned silence and intent listening and ending in spontaneous applause. To a video!  Who knows how many people Susan has inspired to follow their dream!”

It’s clear that Boyle’s journey — from under-respected and unemployed middle-aged woman to successful music phenomenon — has and continues to inspire others to follow their dreams regardless of what others think. But how exactly did Boyle get to this point? What accounts for her flying under the radar for so long? 

Boyle grew up in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland, with her parents. Boyle's mother had her when she was 45 years old, her mother's last kid after having Boyle's five sisters and four brothers — a big family indeed. Her youth wasn't always positive, as she was raised believing that she had a learning disability due to being briefly deprived of oxygen at birth, according to The Guardian. However, this was debunked many years later in 2012-13, when she was instead diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and actually told that her IQ was "above average." 

Nevertheless, she was bullied as a child due to being different. She's even mentioned that her childhood bedroom was her sanctuary during the years she was bullied.

After her schooling, Boyle undertook some music training and performed at local venues, as well as her church. She even took part in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Then, in 1998, she paid to get a few songs professionally recorded with her own money. They included "Cry Me a River," "Killing Me Softly" and "Don't Cry for Me Argentina," and she sent them to record companies in a bid to further her career. And while she would get small gigs and sing at church, her efforts never translated into a professional career. After she won a few local singing competitions, her mother encouraged her to audition for "Britain's Got Talent," but fears that large televised singing competitions focused on a contestant's looks meant that Boyle didn't audition.

Finally, on the insistence of her vocal coach Fred O'Neil, Boyle auditioned for the third season of the show in 2009 and made it on. She said that she'd wanted to follow a music career in tribute to her mother, who had passed away in 2009 at the age of 91. Regarding her fears that contestants would be judged on their looks, she has said, "I know what they were thinking, but why should it matter as long as I can sing? It's not a beauty contest."

The round of auditions she did for the show also marked the first time Boyle had sung in public since her mom passed. 

One of the reasons she skyrocketed to popularity after her memorable "Britain's Got Talent" debut is because her story was unlike any other. Just shy of being 50 and showing her humility from the get-go, Boyle entered the public's hearts both for her angelic vocals and her kind soul. The rest, as they say, is history, and over one decade on, Boyle's career seems to be on an upward trajectory.

Whether you've never seen it or have watched that classic first audition clip a dozen times, it almost never fails to impress. When fame is achieved overnight, one's life can be drastically changed. Sometimes, this is for the better. However, the changes can often be disastrous. A life of excess and rampant spending is often the mark of quick-found fame. However, Boyle has not fallen into the trap. Despite her incredible success, the Scottish singer has retained a modest life and continues to succeed in the music industry.

Boyle’s most recent achievement is her 2019 compilation “Ten,” which is named after the singer’s tenth anniversary of success since appearing on “Britain’s Got Talent” in 2009. The greatest hits album includes well-known hits like “I Dreamed a Dream,” “I Know Him So Well” and “Perfect Day,” along with four new songs. 

As for what’s next, Boyle told Ticketmaster in a 2020 interview that she plans on sticking to what she’s been doing so far.

“(My plans are) to keep going, keep making albums, keep making people happy,” Boyle explained. “As long as audiences are happy, I don’t see any reason why I should give up.”

This kind of voice doesn't come along every day. What’s your favorite Susan Boyle cover? Let us know — and be sure and send this on to others so they can experience this spine-chilling rendition.