Amateur vocalist Susan Boyle became an overnight sensation after appearing on the first round of 2009’s popular U.K. reality show Britain’s Got Talent. Boyle, who was born in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland in 1961, caught the judges (and the world) off guard with her masterful rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical Les Misérables, due in part to the unemployed and undeniably plain church volunteer’s “salt of the earth” demeanor and country spinster back-story. Boyle attempted a singing career in 1999, recording a handful of demos that showcased her rich and expressive voice, but chose to look after her aging mother instead of pursue the dream full-time. Within hours of her appearance on Britain’s Got Talent, Boyle was not only an Internet sensation, she was a worldwide phenomenon. Her debut album, I Dreamed a Dream, was released in 2009 and reached number one on both the U.S. and U.K. charts, setting a record in her homeland for first week sales. The success continued with her second album, The Gift, and was followed by Boyle’s third album, Someone to Watch Over Me, released on 31 October 2011. The following year, Susan returned to Britain’s Got Talent to perform as a guest in the final singing “You’ll See.” The following day, she performed at Windsor Castle for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant singing “Mull of Kintyre.” That same year, Susan released Standing Ovation: The Greatest Songs from the Stage.” Susan performs around the globe.
