IF YOU have not yet watched the YouTube positing of Susan Boyle's performance on Britain's Got Talent, I suggest you do it right away.

The woman has set public opinion rolling in her favour with a near perfect rendition of 'I Dream a Dream' from Les Miserable.

Unkempt and unassuming, the 47-year-old not only won thousands of hearts with her song, but also made millions others cry - including the Twittering couple Demi Moore and her husband Ashton Kutcher.

She is also all over Facebook with nearly all my friends posting a link of Susan's YouTube video and showering her with praise.

I have watched each and every posting on Susan Boyle since, and I sheepishly admit that I also belong to the millions who could not control a sob.

So, why has this middle-aged woman from a remote Scottish village won our collective hearts with just one performance?

Why is everyone flocking behind her candidature with such zeal, after just the auditions on the popular UK show? Why are we all wanting to warmly hug Ms Boyle and wish her luck? What is it in her that has taken the world by storm?

The only answer that comes to my mind is - Simplicity.

If you watch the entire performance and her interviews thereafter on YouTube (she has already been interviewed by Larry King on CNN, and is in contention for the hot seat on Oprah), you will realise that the woman is a simple person.

She is not self-conscious, she is not overwhelmed by the enormity of the talent show nor with the media onslaught on her quiet and private life, and she has clung to her roots despite new avenues opening up for her by the hour.

That her innocence is intact, is obvious in the way she dressed for the media interviews. Her huge pearl necklace and the way she has done her hair is all very old-school and completely lovable.

In one interview - she is seen standing in one corner of her house like an obedient school girl - while the TV presenter talks to her via satellite link. Her mannerisms are so very endearing, that you want to give her a hug.

But, will she be able to successfully ride this wave of attention or will it drown her in the long run?

Susan has said she is taking all the compliments in her stride. "I will take things as they come and see what happens," she told a TV channel.

In the coming weeks, Susan will have to face the judges again, maybe many times over. Her 35 years of singing experience may see her through to the very end in the competition section, but will she still be able to maintain her X-factor - the adorability that has shot her to instant fame.

My greatest fear is that Susan may be forced to be corrupted by the glitz and glamour of showbiz culture. Remember Sanjaya Malakar of American Idol fame and his various makeovers? It sure killed his performance.

Showbiz demands that the performers outdo themselves - not only with respect to their techniques, but their styles, presentations and public appeal as well. The pressures of image-cultivation can be hard to fight. What if Susan is forced to undergo a make-over to give her a more presentable look on TV?

I can not imagine the fun and delightful woman appearing on stage wearing designer clothes with matching hairdos and accessories, just to have a competitive edge over other chic performers. It will kill the real essence of Susan Boyle.

Will we still love her then? Will we accept a polished image of Susan with open arms as we did her talent? Will we look beyond the facade and judge her on her singing prowess alone?

Susan has so far shown no signs of changing herself to fit in. Nor has she planned ahead to stay in the competition, and I hope it remains that way.

I hope she wins our hearts again and again by the sheer sincerity of her performance, without/notwithstanding getting sucked into the ugly world of fake appearances and false pretensions.

Also I wish her luck for the contest. I hope she wins.