Introducing Connie Talbot

Just found out that Susan Boyle is not the only also-ran from the reality show Britain’s Got Talent who had become successful. My new discovery, that means, new for me, as I am listening to her for the first time, is the Internet star, Connie Talbot. She made good showing in the first season of the competition in 2007 up to the finals when she lost to opera singer Paul Potts.

It was not really that big of a loss, although the results would have been truly earthshaking had Paul lost to Connie. Just think, if she is now 12 years old, that means the show happened five years ago. Then that makes her only seven years old when she joined the contest. Still, just like what happened to Paul and later Susan, Connie’s songs became YouTube staples and led to her success.

Connie’s bio says that the girl from the West Midlands in the UK started singing when she was only 18 months old.  She went off to Britain’s Got Talent without having taken a single singing lesson and wowed everybody, including the most formidable of judges, Simon Cowell.

Truth to tell, I believe it was her unmannered style and pure, sweet voice that made her a standout in the contest.  She was a refreshing presence.  The description is cliché but it is still the best way to describe a young girl who knows no diva singing and does not try to be Christina Aguilera or Rihanna or worse, Nicki Minaj.

Beautiful World, her latest album, boasts of that pure innocent sound. It is a simple CD where Connie sings covers of old and new favorites. I like the way she turned the recent hits, Count On Me by Bruno Mars and Fireflies by Katy Perry into tunes kids can sing along with. The little ones will also be happy to find her singing Gift Of A Friend originally sung by Demi Lovato from the Tinker Bell Treasure movie.

There are also Let It Be, The Climb, What The World Needs Now, Amazing Grace, Pray, Imagine, Colours Of The Wind, Heal The World and Hero. Then there is the title cut. Beautiful World, the only original song in the line-up, is a composition by Connie. She wrote it when she was seven years old.

I am really glad I decided to listen to Connie’s CD.  She brightens your day. I also cannot help but wish that young girls who love to sing would also discover Connie and find out that this is what singing is all about.

Speaking of Simon Cowell, the X-Factor judge is in the Top 10 of the Sunday Times Rich List 2012 of music millionaires and one billionaire. I guess this means that it pays to be a bad guy in talent shows. This list was compiled by Philip Beresford, who is described as the leading authority on British wealth and it is quite an eye-opener.

1. Clive Calder, 1.35 billion pounds. He founded Zomba Records, early home of the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears.

2. Sir Cameron Mackintosh, 725 million pounds.  Theatrical producer of Cats, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon and other successful musicals.

3. Sir Paul McCartney, 665 million pounds. I am sure you already all know why the ex-Beatle is in the list. All of those songs still sell big.

4. Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, 590 million pounds. He is the composer behind Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Sunset Boulevard, Evita and others.

5. U2, 519 million pounds. This is to be divided among the members of the iconic Irish group.  That means, Bono and his bandmates get 129 million each. 

6. Simon Fuller, 375 million pounds. This is the guy who put together the Spice Girls. He is also the creator of American Idol and other shows.

7. Simon Cowell, 225 million pounds. Producer of Britain’s Got Talent and other TV shows, also the man behind Il Divo and other acts. Best known as judge of reality shows.

8. Sir Elton John, 220 million pounds. Music sells. This is all thanks to his output as a composer and recording artist.

9. Michael Flatley, 192 million pounds. Show producer. He was the star of Riverdance, that tapping show from Ireland.

10. Sports and fashion celebs Victoria and David Beckham, Rolling Stone Mick Jagger and Spotify founder Daniel Ek are tied with 190 million pounds each.