Susan Boyle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Susan Boyle
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Boyle in November 2009
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Susan Magdalane Boyle |
| Born | 1 April 1961 Dechmont, West Lothian, Scotland |
| Origin | Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland |
| Genres | Operatic pop |
| Occupations | Singer |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Labels | |
Susan Magdalane Boyle (born 1 April 1961) is a Scottish singer who became famous in 2009. She appeared as a contestant on the third series of the TV show Britain's Got Talent. Her performance of the song "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical Les Misérables surprised the judges and the audience.
Since then, Boyle has sold over 25 million records worldwide. Her first album, I Dreamed a Dream (2009), was a huge success. It sold more than 10 million copies and was the best-selling album in the world in 2009. In 2011, she made UK music history by having three albums in a row reach the number one spot in less than two years. As of May 2025, her net worth was estimated to be £22 million.
Boyle has released eight albums, including two Christmas albums. She has performed for Queen Elizabeth II twice. In 2019, she celebrated 10 years in the music industry with a special album called Ten and a tour.
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Early life
Boyle grew up in Blackburn, West Lothian, a town in Scotland. Her father, Patrick Boyle, was a miner who fought in the Second World War. Her mother, Bridget, was a shorthand typist. Susan was the youngest of nine children.
When she was a child, Boyle was told she had a learning disability because of a difficult birth. However, in 2012, she learned that she had been misdiagnosed. She is on the autism spectrum and has an above-average IQ. Boyle has said that she was bullied as a child. After school, she took part in government training programs and sang at local events.
Career
Early Career and Training
Boyle took singing lessons from a vocal coach named Fred O'Neil. She also performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, a famous arts festival. For many years, she sang at her local church.
In 1998, she used her savings to record a professional demo tape with three songs: "Cry Me a River", "Killing Me Softly", and "Don't Cry for Me Argentina". She sent copies to record companies and talent competitions.
In 1999, she recorded a song for a local charity CD. A local newspaper reviewed the CD and said her version of "Cry Me a River" was "heartbreaking." After she became famous, this early recording was shared online.
Her mother encouraged her to enter Britain's Got Talent. Boyle almost didn't go because she thought she was too old. But her coach, O'Neil, convinced her to audition. Boyle said she wanted to pursue a music career to honor her mother, who had recently passed away.
Britain's Got Talent (2009)
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In August 2008, Boyle auditioned for the third series of Britain's Got Talent. When she walked on stage, she said she wanted to be a professional singer as successful as Elaine Paige. She sang "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables.
The audience and judges were at first skeptical, but her powerful performance shocked them. Judge Amanda Holden called it the "biggest wake-up call ever." The video of her audition went viral on YouTube, getting millions of views in just a few days.
Boyle made it to the semi-finals, where she sang "Memory" from the musical Cats. She received the most public votes and went to the final. Although she was the favorite to win, she came in second place to the dance group Diversity. The final was watched by a record 17.3 million people in the UK.
The sudden fame was very tiring for Boyle. After the final, she was admitted to a private clinic in London to rest. Prime Minister Gordon Brown wished her well. She soon recovered and joined the Britain's Got Talent tour, where she was very popular with audiences.
First Albums and Global Success
Boyle's first album, I Dreamed a Dream, was released in November 2009. It became the UK's fastest-selling debut album of all time. In the US, it sold over 701,000 copies in its first week and stayed at the top of the Billboard chart for six weeks.
In 2010, she released her second album, a Christmas album called The Gift. It also reached number one in both the UK and the US. This made her the first female artist to have two different albums top the charts in both countries in the same year.
Her third album, Someone to Watch Over Me, came out in 2011. Her fourth album, Standing Ovation: The Greatest Songs from the Stage, was released in 2012.
Boyle also began acting. She appeared in the 2013 film The Christmas Candle. In the movie, she sang a new song called "Miracle Hymn."
More Albums and Tours
Boyle's sixth album, Hope, was released in 2014. It was filled with inspirational songs and included a live performance of "You Raise Me Up" with a church choir. The album was very successful, spending 35 weeks at number one on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart.
In 2016, she released her seventh album, A Wonderful World. In 2019, she competed in America's Got Talent: The Champions, a show featuring past winners and fan favorites. She received a "golden buzzer" from judge Mel B, which sent her straight to the finals.
To celebrate ten years since her first audition, Boyle released a greatest hits album called Ten in 2019. She also went on a tour called The Ten Tour in 2020.
Health and Return to Music
Boyle took a break from the public eye after 2019. In 2023, she revealed that she had suffered a minor stroke the year before. She shared the news after making a surprise guest appearance on Britain's Got Talent.
On April 1, 2025, Boyle returned to social media after a two-year absence. She announced that she was working on new music and had returned to the recording studio for the first time in six years.
Impact and Legacy
How the Internet Made Her a Star
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The internet played a huge role in Susan Boyle's fame. The YouTube video of her Britain's Got Talent audition was viewed millions of times within 72 hours. Within nine days, it had been watched over 100 million times across different websites. In December 2009, her audition was named the most-watched YouTube video of the year.
Newspapers all over the world wrote about her story. Many people were inspired by how she proved that you shouldn't judge people by their appearance.
A Musical About Her Life
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A stage musical about Boyle's life, called I Dreamed a Dream, opened in 2012. The role of Susan was played by Scottish actress Elaine C. Smith. Boyle herself made a cameo appearance at the end of the show. The musical toured the UK and Ireland and received good reviews. Boyle said that watching the show was "surreal" but also "clever and amusing."
Personal life
Boyle still lives in the family home in Blackburn that she grew up in. She bought the house in 2010. She has never married and took care of her mother, Bridget, until she passed away in 2007 at the age of 91.
Boyle is a practicing Catholic and volunteers at her local church, visiting elderly members of the community.
In 2012, Boyle was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, which is a form of autism. She made her diagnosis public in 2013 to help others understand the condition. She also has type 2 diabetes.
In 2014, it was reported that Boyle was dating her first boyfriend. In 2022, she had a minor stroke but has since been recovering and returning to her music career.
Charity Work
Boyle is known for her work with charities. In 2010, she sang on the charity single "Everybody Hurts" to raise money for victims of the Haiti earthquake. She has performed many times for UK charity telethons like Comic Relief, Sport Relief, and Children in Need.
She supports the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) and has helped launch their fundraising campaigns. She is also a patron of the Regal Theatre in Bathgate, Scotland, where she first performed "I Dreamed a Dream."
In 2013, she became an ambassador for Save the Children UK. She has donated several of her performance dresses to be auctioned for charity, raising thousands of pounds for good causes.
Discography
- I Dreamed a Dream (2009)
- The Gift (2010)
- Someone to Watch Over Me (2011)
- Standing Ovation: The Greatest Songs from the Stage (2012)
- Home for Christmas (2013)
- Hope (2014)
- A Wonderful World (2016)
Concert tours
- Susan Boyle in Concert (2013–2014)
- Ten Tour (2019–2020)
Awards and nominations
Susan Boyle has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. She was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album in 2011 for I Dreamed a Dream and for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album in 2012 for The Gift. She has also won several awards in Japan and her home country of Scotland.
See also
In Spanish: Susan Boyle para niños
