By Eric Ditzian
Let our Susan go! So goes the chant from the brother of Scottish singing sensation Susan Boyle.
John Boyle, 59, has spoken out to British tabloid Daily Star about his frustration that his sister has not been able to perform in public since her star-making rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" during the reality competition "Britain's Got Talent."
"Finally she has the chance to show the whole world her amazing talent, but she isn't being allowed to," Boyle said. "When Susan signed a contract tying her to 'Britain's Got Talent' before her audition, no one could have predicted what a phenomenon she would become."
While Susan hasn't staged a concert or performed on another talent show, she has sung on shows like "Larry King Live" and the "Today" show. She's set to appear on the semifinals of "BGT" next month.
The talent competition's last ugly-duckling phenomenon, the opera singer Paul Potts, appeared on the show's semifinals in 2007 after winning international acclaim for his take on Puccini's "Nessun Dorma." Potts went on to win the "BGT" title and now enjoys a successful career as a recording artist.
Still, John Boyle is itching to get his sister out of her contract and in front of audiences soon. "The normal rules don't apply anymore, and I think Simon Cowell knows it too," he said. "This is a unique situation and needs a unique solution — and soon."
So has Boyle already outgrown "Britain's Got Talent"? On one hand, her "Les Misérables" performance has garnered tens of millions of hits on YouTube. On the other hand, the world has only heard her sing once onstage.
Susan might be wise to smile politely at her brother's sentiments and instead listen to an individual with just a bit more relevant experience.
"Get yourself together, sweetheart, for the big one — the semifinal," Cowell advised Boyle recently. "Shut the door, choose the right song and come back as who you are, not who you want to be."