Susan Boyle secures a spot on 'Britain's Got Talent' finals*UPDATED

Susan Boyle, the Scottish woman who took the Internet by storm with her performance of "I Dreamed a Dream" from "Les Miserables" returned to "Britain's Got Talent" Sunday night with another Broadway show tune, this time "Memory" from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical "Cats."

At the end of the show, Boyle was named a finalist, winning the "public vote" of viewers, who phoned in their picks. She'll appear in the final competition of the British reality television show on Saturday.

About 60 million people watched Boyle's original performance on YouTube, producers said.

— Lisa Fung

Comments

[Leslie]

What took them so long to find this woman???

[Yvette Rodriguez]

I LOVE THIS WOMAN!!!! She must've been nervous out of her mind tonight and I give her all the credit in the world. I could not only listen to but also watch her over and over!!! She's a jewel!!!

[Noble guy]

wow

[Jethro Bodine]

I predict that Susan Boyle will become the greatest phenomenon of all time in the singing business. That woman can flat out sing. What an amazing talent! It's a privilege to listen to her.

[JoAnn Walker]

I just love her even more after this performance.

In this wretched economy she is a welcome break from all that mess. Thank you Susan. We all need you and undoubtedly you will sing before the queen.

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[DONALD BEEMAN]

I believe Susan is a super-talented singer. She performed wonderfully two very difficult songs. She has totally blown me away and caused me to spend hours more catching up with the boylemania! GO SUSAN!

[Nureet Cohen]

I love u Susan. Good Luck.

[FatNSassy]

I love her too. I am glad she won. My further thoughts on the Susan phenomena:
http://shorterlink.org/5298

[Kent weber]

My favorite song! Way to go Susan, I am pulling for you all the way. LOL

[amy]

Wow -

God Speed to you Susan Boyle.
You sing like an angel and --- and unrelated to the gift you are gving us with your beautiful voice - it is quite fabulous to see Simon Cowell give you a standing ovation and apologize to you in this Mary 25 video.You may be the only woman in the world who could humble this guy. .There are lots of people like me --- who had never bothered to check him or his show out before hearing about your video in April and then watching your auditino and being just appalled at how awful he treated you. So, it is s great sight to see a man --- like Mr. Cowell --- who seems like such an arrogant, nasty person (maybe he really isn't, a nasty, arrogant man, but he sure seemed like it in your April video) --- to see him apologize to you was / is a great sight.

Wishing you everthing good, Susan Boyle. Your voice and you, your own self, bring joy to the world.

[3catsmommy]

What a gift she brings to us, her singing brings joy to the heart. And she is so real, not phony like some people in the music business. I will buy her music and play it often because her songs are the way music is meant to be!

Good music sung by a nice person-there is nothing better than that!

[Alan]

Truly, one of the most amazing talents of our time. My skin goes goose flesh and I get chills listening to her magnificant, perfect voice and seeing her humble demeanor. I cannot wait to own an album of her singing a collection of wonderful songs to perfection. Unbelievable!

[joel volcy]

What a performance!!!!! This woman is phenomenal. I have had goose bumps again. You go ,Susan . Soar ,soar Susan and reach your highest potential.

[isaac]

Piers Morgan told her: "Susan I thought you looked absolutely beautiful tonight. When the world was going through a pretty tough time along came Susan Boyle to provide it. Thank you Susan."

[Khai Thai]

What a beautiful voice? It makes me feel so relax and at peace listening to her music. For those 3 minutes, all your problems goes away. If people see Susan Boyle on the street, they would judge her as unattractive and lonely with no motivation. She is definetly an underdog under these terms. Well, everyone loves an underdog and we are rooting for her. Perhaps, this will teach society that we cannot judge the book by its cover. If she don't win, it will be a travesty. This is what the world has been waiting for. Susan's is the perfect example of never giving up on your dreams. Go Susan!

[JEANIE]

SHE IS AMAZING . When she sings....we feel something. She brings us closer together.
Brava!!!!

[Jean Childs]

Susan Boyle You are awesome. Don't let them change who you are.
You are a beautiful person inside and it shines through for the whole world to see. You go girl! Jean

[Laura]

Do your research. She is through to the final of Britains Got talent and will be against 7 or 9 other acts!

She is good though, but I want Flawless to win!

[KT]

Bravo Susan from Scotland. You are NO longer a hidden treasure. The world is in "AWE" of your voice and confident demeanor despite your humble unique appearanceI. I say you break the barrier of the look alike celebrity "STAR" wannabees. You got it just as you are! May your future be filled with gracious kindness and good living!

[Xeno]

Susan Boyle just continues to amaze. Her voice is so beautiful that I'm still shocked no one discovered her before she took it upon herself to capture our attention. When I think of all the lost years when she could have been sharing her incredible gifts with the world, I could cry. Susan should stand as a much-needed lesson to an industry obsessed with looks and youth that talent and true beauty can come in many forms.

Even more amazing than Susan's performance was the fact that she was honestly stunned that she was voted into the finals. As confident and even playful as she appeared to be, she was convinced to the end that she'd be put on a bus back home, as she told the presenters. That is a testament not only to her humility but also to how very cruel life has been to her thus far. For someone who stated that her lifelong goal was to prove that she is not the worthless person people think she is, Susan has achieved that much and more.

As for Simon Cowell, if you watch the interviews he has given since Susan became such a global sensation you will realize that his "villainous" persona is part business strategy, part theatrics. It became pretty clear to me that he is a far less callous man than he lets on, especially here in the States. While I never watched American Idol, I've seen clips on the local Fox affiliate and thought Simon a heartless -- and thoughtless -- abuser of the weak. Having seen him on Britain's Got Talent and in the aforementioned interviews, however, I've come to have some respect for him. He is, after all, the master of a rather unique craft, one almost designed to cast its practitioner in the role of a villain who crushes spirits while occasionally making dreams come true. That he manages his role with panache says a lot for his skill as both a businessman and an entertainer.