The intoduction of him being only a cellphone salesman, being bullied at school resulting in lack of self-confidence, reactions from the judges and the audience during his performance. All a surprise to everyone! It’s the ever inspiring “The underdog wins the day” video.

I had to know more about this man who has inspired thousands if not millions because of this TV performance.

Basic question:
Would people still have voted for him and give their utmost sympathy knowing that he was well trained (across Italy, Pavarotti), had stage experience (audience of 15,000, tour with an Opera group and Orchestra), who has a degree in Film/TV (Plymouth University). If he was first presented to us this way, would people still be interested to listen and see what he had to offer to the world?

Maybe not, maybe yes, we will NEVER know now will we. The fact remains, that video clip has stuck in the minds of millions FOREVER. Anyone who contradicts will be considered a fool and a hapless critic who does not know what he is saying.

Opera singer or not, only TIME will tell if indeed Mr. Potts’ talent is something worth listening to in the years to come. As what Abraham Lincoln said… “you can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”

As for me, I have to wait and see. Will buy his CDs and will keep on watching his videos…

Good luck to you Mr. Potts! Hope you outshine the diamond everyone expects you to be.

Cheers!

His soft notes are lighter than air. His crescendoes are from his gut. He can’t help using his hands to express the music when he sings. I read that he studied Italian to deeply connect to the words and the stories he sings. He’s not an actor or performer, he’s a real person whose dream was to wrap his life around his singing. And now – he does, and we are all celebrating his triumph and discovery together. He and us – we are all happy for this together!

Paul is a real person who has struggled like the rest of us, believed in his dream, and has come out with blazing success.

No wonder we love him and the critics hate him. They can’t deal with the extreme power of non-faked presence, of effortless captivation by sheer, innocent magnificence and not by sleaze, selling out, or politics.

They are crass. Paul is class.

Go, Paul!!!!!!

I wondered if I was the only one who was effected, I see now that I was wrong.

The critics and glitterati don’t get it. The millions of us who represent the great unwashed really don’t care if Paul can sing in the real opera houses without microphones. We will take him any way we can get him. I will buy my first ever CD containing opera music sung by Paul Potts. When he comes to America, I plan to go to my first opera to hear Paul Potts live, and he can use as many microphones as he wants as long as I can hear that angelic voice one more time. Then I can die happy.

Then I heard Paul Potts. THIS! This defies explanation.

Can someone explain this to me? It has helped me to become more humble, more genuine, more – something like the character of God perhaps.

Maybe I don’t want a technical explanation – I just want to experience the magic again and again and again. And to be inspired.

Along with 10 million others, over and over again.

Sometimes the Lord puts the humble in place to make the proud fall like flies. If that is the case, we are seeing it and experiencing it right before our eyes.

Thank you
Thank you
Thank you

Amen

A charade that elicits my true emotions, especially if greedy, is a scam. “Britain’s Got Talent” show owner, Simon Cowell, recently was crowned with a virtuoso talent search winner, Paul Potts. A mutual prize for both follows, a contract for operatic music to bless the world. “I am Paul Potts” rings true to every person’s value and hope for life. He has a magnificent voice. World class operatic talent does not develop in a vacuum. Is Paul Potts’ “underdog” status formed by Simon Cowell to manipulate emotions, and further fatten pocket books, unfairly? I shed tears and replayed video sections several times to take in the emotions of singer, judges, and audience. The only other event that exceeded my awe and wonder, in a different way, was the 9-11 twin towers attack. I was amazed with Paul Potts’ concentration, constant tonal pitch; diaphragm and full body delivery; formation from the full throat, vibrato control: absolute control of the craft. Hard work showed. Maybe he had been master trained.

I heard the story at 0.00 on a video, “… the world of show biz seems a million miles away. Its Paul, a mobile phone salesman from South Wales.”, and then from Simon Cowell at 3.51, “I like shows where somebody isn’t a professional, has talent, isn’t aware of it, has a normal job, and then you see something else.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oxTy7KIAaA&mode=related&search . I found something else. Like normally expected of talent, it was: tutelage with operatic masters in Italy, four amateur opera productions, a concert for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, with previous plans for an upcoming summer tour with that Orchestra. Okay, but my emotions are for a guy who said that he has a dream to do what he feels he was born to do, but lacks confidence! On his first TV interview after winning “Britain’s Got Talent” [ BTG ] Paul said, “You know, I’ve not taken up promotions before because people wanted me to change who I was, and I’m determined to be true to myself, because at the end of the day ….”. http://www.myspace.com/paul_potts Hum? Emotions: unknown underdog singer who was bullied as a kid, and now discovered! He refused promotions? He is silently strong.

Okay, the music industry often tells entertainers who they should be; not let them be. That is negotiation and their choice. At 36 years old, he needs a good move. Switch camera. Simon Cowell spent 2 years forming the “Four Tenors” from three. Quintessential would be quints, a fifth tenor who has passion to make it big. “American Idol”, Simon’s company, can be British BTG in his old stomping grounds. There is a tenor who has refused promotions! Like a good Indian scout of yore listening for a buffalo stampede, Simon’s ear is tuned to packaging the product. He can hear a stampede and he wants it. Okay, money goes to people who bless us with worth. The 100,000 pound sterling “finders fee” is small compared to the reward. If BGT can showcase a discovery, one amateur, but a mature operatic singer who is not promoted, then perhaps the last drop of bloody money can be wrung from innocence.

Not his innocence. Ours. Simon’s announcement at the show that Paul Potts would be recording an album next week was a good business link to the world. It was business. But, to link my emotions of hope and faith and love of humanity, and to link my personal challenges to a hold-out person, without full disclosure of the full story, seems manipulation of my expectations. The history of any contestant near the stage will be known by the producers; in advance. It matters to uncover embarrassing persons, especially when the prize is door money toward a contract. That is what scouts do. This operatic scout might have used the whole BGT platform to launch Paul Potts, with great emotion. All I want is a good spirit, fair to the closing words of Nessun dorma!, which are Vincerò! Vincerò! I will win! I will win!

The NBC New York city interview of Paul Potts had a normal question, “… so, how did you learn to sing like this?” His answer, “Umm, I’ve always just sung – always sung. My voice has always been my best friend.” Endearing for sure. DEAR ME! The close of the interview followed with a transition piece to NBC’s next show segment, a scene with ironic poignancy: “Greed in America – why some people will do anything in search of easy money.” Perhaps disclosures of Simon and Paul are not as full nor lyrical as other New York city namesakes, but such might have much in common with the MSNBC page item today: “Martha Stewart on grilled chicken done right”. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19054369/ Someone, turn up the heat about “disclosure”.

The human voice and speech has several components that people perceive and interpret when listening. There is obviously syntax (what is being said) and when singing, the pitch. tenor and quality that is part of ‘expert song.’ But additionally, the human voice has a quality called emotional prosody, which is how the voice uses intonations and stressors to communicate emotion. For an example in the literature, see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12757912&dopt=Abstract

This ability varies tremendously among individuals. Ever see a speaker who motivates an audience vs one who is competely uninspired? That part of emotional prosodic processing.

Paul Potts has incredible emotional prosody — and in fact it is far superior to Pavorotti and the like. The latter are technically superior as vocal instruments but have far less emotional intonation than Potts. It is THAT which makes Potts so beloved and THAT which brings everyone to tears when they hear him. It cannot be trainined, its a natural part of speech and song.

Years from now, Potts will have iumproved techinically. But his emotional prosody already far outstrips the greats. He will become more than anyone is predicting.

To Mike and the rest who say he will be forgotten soon – what have YOU done with your life. How come no one is taking time out to write how much you have inspired them?

I sang with a professional quality college choir in Europe when I was 20. We sang in high mass at San Marco Basilica and at Chartres. These were amazing thrills. Almost all of us had sung and studied voice for years. We were pretty good singers and had the best of teachers – Iva Dee Hiatt. Still no matter our professional quality none of us WERE professionals.

I say, “Go Paul!” Glad he’s getting discovered. A lot of pop star new discoveries have toiled in the vineyard for 20 years or more before they get a break. I’m glad he got his, and am disappointed at the griping and kvetching that many folks are doing because he had a bit of a quality advantage over the other BGT contestants.

It will indeed be fun to see what happens to Paul now. And glad to hear about his engagement.

In the 17th to 19th centuries when it was new, music we now think of as “classical” was, in fact, the popular music of the day. Liszt, for example, was something of a rock star, catapaulted to wealth and fame and its excesses, followed by groupies. Now, after hearing and falling a little in love with Paul Potts, tens of thousands, probably more, will listen with interest to a kind of music they previously believed was inaccessible. Bravo, Paul!

http://www.PaulPottsFanClub.com

Long live the Queen, Got bless America.

Did you know?

Paul first sang opera at the age of 28 for a karaoke competition– he dressed up as Pavarotti.

He went on to perform in Barrymore’s ‘My Kind Of Music’ (1999). The money he won from the show (£8000) along with his savings was spent on attending various training courses in Italy.

From his Italian opera class he was selected to sing in master class’ for Pavarotti and Katia Ricciarelli – who he says were very impressed. Paul reckons he’s spent £20,000 in total to get to where he is today.

Paul has performed in 4 semi professional operas in the UK and some concerts. His proudest performance was with the philimonic orchestra in a concert in front of 15, 000 people

After having appendicitis doctors discovered a benign tumour that was removed. 2 weeks after the operation he was back on stage.

A motorbike accident in 2003 which he broke his collar bone kept him away from performing and he got left out of the opera circles. Since his illness he has struggled with money and has never reached his potential in Opera and this is why he has chosen to enter Britain’s got talent.

Married for 4 years to his wife Julie (26) whom he met on a internet chat room. They have been together for 6 years in total

Paul has worked at the Carephone warehouse for 2 years, for 1 year as manager – before that he worked the night shift at Tesco’s shelf stacking / internet personal shopping.

Paul’s employers at Carphone Warehouse have taken out numerous FULL PAGE adverts in the UK’s many tabloid newspapers, wishing the magnificent PAUL POTTS Good Luck.

As for Paul Potts, too early to tell, and you certainly can’t tell from hearing him singing into mics for a TV show. There are teachers who specialize in vocal “body building,” and after such a spectacular debut he will be able to afford coaches who will bring out everything he has to give.

I’ll be waiting eagerly.

I don’t think he’s being dishonest when he says he lacks confidence. He’s a singer, not an actor, and one look at him reveals how he feels about himself.

I think Mike may be right that he may not have the power to work in huge opera houses–but he doesn’t have to. He can work in small houses and, I suspect most significantly, he will get a record deal (if he doesn’t have one already) and introduce a lot of people around the world to opera, giving concerts where yes, he may be amplified. Who cares?

This is a great story no matter how you look at it. Sure, it would be miraculous if he could just sing like that without taking a lesson, as it would be great if a little girl could just step into an icing rink and do triple jumps. He’s not a fantasy underdog, he’s a REAL-LIFE underdog, which is why people love him!

FIXED

Hey, change your Celebrity Blog copyright date!

Robert