Susan Boyle, back then an unassuming, unemployed singer from Scotland, took to the stage for the first time in 2009 and has never looked back. Singing an extraordinary rendition of “I Dreamed A Dream” on Britain’s Got Talent, Susan changed lives.
Most of all, her own.
She didn’t win the series, but she won the hearts of the nation overnight. She has since toured the United Kingdom and North America, has recorded and released seven studio albums, and has a reported net worth of approximately US$28 million. And on April 13, 2019, 10 years after her first performance, Susan stepped back onto the Britain’s Got Talent stage for an almighty anniversary comeback.
What did she sing? Well, surely that’s a no-brainer! Susan sang the same moving number that amassed her devoted following many years ago, and the crowd went wild.
Susan, 58, has been open about her struggles with mental health in the past, but now feels ready for fame.
The singer was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome in 2013 but believes that discussing mental health is becoming exponentially easier. “It can be difficult to talk about mental health issues,” she said, according to
Entertainment Daily. “Years ago there used to be a stigma about it but now there is more knowledge, more expertise, and talking about things makes it a lot easier.”
Despite her success, Susan opened up to
The Sun and explained that she still lives a humble life in the house in Blackburn, West Lothian, in which she grew up. Fame and fortune have variously taken their toll, but these days the Scottish sweetheart, loved the world over, feels more secure than ever.
“I’m managing things a lot better now,” she said. “I can cope with the pressure now, I know how to control myself better. I’m ready—more than ready—for what’s coming.”
And you'd better believe she is! Susan has already competed in America’s Got Talent: The Champions, which aired in early 2019. The cream of the crop from the talent show’s archives were pitted against one another in a mega battle of global talent, and while the extraordinary magician Shin Lim beat Susan to the winner’s post, on this occasion it was truly the taking part that counted.
Susan’s back!
On April 13, 2019, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Susan took to the BGT stage at the London Palladium, 10 years after her first audition, to sing the very same song. Susan looked confident, and as the last delicate notes died away, she received a long, emphatic standing ovation from the crowd. Judge (and super-fan) Simon Cowell joined the glowing singer on stage and hugged her tightly.
“Still got the magic, Susan, haven’t you?” he said.
Veteran comedy duo Ant and Dec, hosting from backstage, couldn’t resist sharing their own delight with Susan as she left the stage. “It’s been 10 years, hasn’t it?” Ant asked. “You two haven’t changed a bit!” Susan quipped, before embracing the pair, to the delight of Ant in particular: “Oh you can come again,” he said. “Come whenever you want!”
In conjunction with her recent performances, Susan has announced that her new album,
Ten, will be released on May 31, 2019. The album celebrates the decade since it all began. Fans have been vocal. “Fantastic voice and a very inspiring woman,”
wrote one. “She is a rarity,”
said another. “Beautiful inside and out ... She is pure magic.”
The nation sits on the edges of their seats as they wait to find out what’s in store for the magnificent singer this time around. “Do you remember where you were when you first heard Susan Boyle?” asked the
BGT crew themselves, on
Twitter.
We certainly do. Do you?
