Boyle's "Brilliant" American Debut

(CBS)  On Wednesday night, Scottish singer Susan Boyle made her primetime U.S. television debut on the season finale of the NBC show, "America's Got Talent." She sang the Rolling Stones ballad, "Wild Horses."

Amanda Holden, one of the judges on "Britain's Got Talent", who has followed Boyle since she first appeared on that show and surprised everyone with her voice, called her U.S. TV debut "brilliant" on "The Early Show" Thursday.

"I thought it was the most self-assured, confident performance I've ever seen her do, and I think that it's really showing now in her personality," Holden said. "... It was beautiful, really beautiful. It blew me away."

"Early Show" co-anchor Julie Chen remarked that she didn't sound like Mick Jagger, the lead singer of the Rolling Stones.

Slideshow: Singin' Susan Boyle

Holden said she sounded better than Jagger. She added that she'd heard the song performed by Boyle two weeks before at fellow judge Simon Cowell's home.

"He put (her) CD on, and we listened and her voice just rang out into the darkness, and it was the most ethereal kind of spiritual moment ever. We all -- I thought even Simon was going to cry. He couldn't believe it."

Holden said Boyle sounds like a cross between Kate Bush and Barbra Streisand.

"Her voice quality is stunning," she said.

But what about Boyle's upgraded look? Has she gotten too glamorous?

Holden said Boyle's found the middle ground. "Last night I thought that's kind of good. That's a great look for her. It's the middle ground. The hair looks lovely, she doesn't have too much makeup on. She's got a very pretty face, and I think the makeup she had on last night kind of just accentuated that in a very subtle kind of way. …She was also kind of regal. I liked how she thanked the orchestra afterwards. She was very centered, very calm."

Watch the performance here and then register your opinion below the video box.

[BIDDR7]

AMANDA HOLDEN NEVER MEANT TO HURT SUSAN
SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN PROTECTIVE OF SUSAN
IT WAS ALL A JOKE
BRITISH HUMOR, THAT IS

[KGLNYC]

she's pretty good, but Kate Bush? I don't think so. America really needs to experience Kate Bush....

[patruska2000]

I loved Susan's performance! She looked beautiful! I love Susan ! On the otherhand I don't care to hear anything Amanda has to say about Susan. Amada is a LOSER ! I won't watch anything she does. Susan doesn't need Amanda's approval . Please interview someone else about Susan. Susan is bigger than BGT,bigger than Amanda. You should be interviewing the lady herself SUSAN! She is the STAR!

[keyingdemon]

Sometimes finishing 2nd isn't a bad thing at all. Susan has had more presence on TV than the winners of the Brisitsh show. I love this lady's voice and look forward to her first CD. Just stay real, Susan, and you're going to do fine.

And "rightstateofmind", you comment was cruel. Not eveybody needs to look like a food-starved celebrity to be one! You're probably no better, you should be ashamed!

[JolyJoly]

I had the same reaction when I heard it. In fact, it is one of few things that is so captivating, I can't work while it's playing, I keep stopping to listen to it. I do prefer the original version she released, to the shortened version at the AGT final. Susan's voice is just so beautiful I can't get enough of it, but I deeply appreciate her personality and the kind of person she is, too.

[MarieUrsula]

Thank you for your beautiful comments, Amanda, about Susan Boyle. On a personal note, you seem more like yourself ~ the Amanda I liked and admired for always standing up for Susan in the early days. My heart is happy.

[funnygirltoo]

The fact that anyone would compare Susan Boyle's voice to that of the legendary Barbra Streisand...probably the greatest female singing artist of all time, is simply laughable. Susan Boyle has a nice voice. She is not a performing artist...she is simply adequate. The hoopla over this woman simply boggles my mind. And to speak of her and Streisand in the same sentence is ridiculous and shows a lack of understanding of what true talent and artistry is. Let's get real people.

[JoMichael]

funnygirltoo, NOT the performance on AGT, but on her first single from her CD, she does sound like Streisand in places. The single from the CD is a different rendition than what she sang at AGT.

[CompletelyFrustrated]

I would love to hear her sing with Andrea Bocceli in a duet of "Vivo per Le" that would be awesome to have such 2 powerful voices singing together!

Susan you rock!!!!!

[lorajeantn]

Susan's voice is truly a gift from God. Amazing!

[PWattis]

I agree that Susan's performance was stunning, but I think its ridiculous to have Amanda Holden comment on it. After Amanda's appearence on the Aug. 16th episode of the British show "Chatty Man" in which she mocked Susan Boyle she should not be invited to pass judgement on Susan in anyway. I can only view her remarks can only be viewed as hypocritical.