Two days ago, on a quiet and unassuming Wednesday afternoon, Susan Boyle dropped an Instagram slideshow that sent shockwaves across the world.
Okay, that’s dramatic, but the Scottish singer did instantly capture our attention. The star—who you may remember from Britain’s Got Talent, when she went viral in 2009 for her rendition of Les Misérables’s “I Dreamed a Dream”—wiped her Instagram feed clean, and unveiled that she is entering a brand new musical chapter. “A new era starts tomorrow,” she wrote in her caption.
In the slideshow? A brand new Boyle: A photo shows her crossing the street in a (fabulous) faux fur coat, blunt blonde bob, and oversized sunglasses. She is also seen belting it out in the recording studio, wearing this same shocking new look, reminiscent of something Paris Hilton would wear to fashion week. (That’s hot.)
It’s a dramatically different aesthetic than we’re used to seeing from Boyle. After all, she went viral on Britain’s Got Talent for having a powerful voice that did not match her cutesy, prim-and-proper aesthetic—and now, she seems to be leaning into full-on fashion glamour instead. It’s an (unexpected) slay, and the internet is entirely divided about the transformation. “She looks so different, her fit is fire,” wrote one X user. “This ‘fashion icon’ persona is really overdone,” wrote another.
So, what gives? Interestingly enough, Boyle’s Instagram caption reads “#ad,” meaning, surely this new look is all to generate buzz and promotion for one of her upcoming singles (or album)? Or, is it bigger than that? Is she perhaps the face of a new fashion campaign—or will she even be walking in an upcoming runway show, wearing this very same ensemble? (Paging Demna at Gucci, who loves a stunt-casting moment.) Some have suggested it’s a possible partnership with … the iconic Italian ice cream Cornetto? Our minds are racing.
Today, though, Boyle followed up all of the online chatter and theories with another mysterious post. This time, she’s pictured in a recording studio wearing a brown velour tracksuit, the back of it reading, “Just One.” (Once again, the blonde bob is bob-ing.) The singer offered more clues: “I’ve heard it’s Susan Boyling out there… and it’s about to get hotter. Just One is out soon xx.”
