Simon Cowell Gets Real About Susan Boyle on Got Talent: "Expectations Were Low"

You may not remember what happened in your life in 2009, but when you hear the name Susan Boyle, the sensational performance on Britain's Got Talent will instantly spring to mind.

Yes, it's been 14 years since the 47-year-old unemployed woman from Scotland's Blackburn, West Lothian, performed 'I Dreamed a Dream' from Les Misérables and stunned the whole world.

Since then, the tear-jerking audition has been viewed over 25 million times on the show's official YouTube account and has turned Susan Boyle into the professional singer she always dreamed of becoming. What else would you call someone who has sold over 25 million records? But back in 2009, no one could have predicted such an outcome — not even the seasoned judges.

'Our expectations were quite low. But she is the perfect example of "never judge a book by its cover,"' Got Talent franchise creator and longtime judge Simon Cowell recently told America's Got Talent host Terry Crews.

The video of Cowell and Crews rewatching probably the most famous audition of the franchise was posted to the official America's Got Talent YouTube channel last week, showing the judge getting real about the unlikely contestant.

'I'll never forget this,' Cowell said. 'I was having a terrible, terrible day and I remember saying, "I really, really hope she's not gonna sing" because there were so many bad singers that day and I thought, "I just can't take another one."'

Fortunately, neither Cowell's skepticism nor the visible resentment of the studio audience stopped Susan from performing. The clip shows how quickly the mood of the crowd and the judges did a 180-degree turn. The first moment of the phenomenal vocal performance sent them into a state of shock.

Looking back, Cowell is certain that Susan Boyle changed the rules of the Got Talent franchise, opening the door to other contestants who don't look or sound like they are expected to.

'This is special because, you know, she is just the most incredible person,' Cowell explained. 'She came on this show and everything changed because up until that point, you know, there was a perception that you had to look this way or be this age. And she just changed the rule book, full stop.'

Without even intending to do so, Susan Boyle started the singing competition revolution, and that's why her audition will forever remain the number one memorable act closest to our hearts.

Source: YouTube.