# Susan Boyle
**Susan Boyle** (full name Susan Magdalane Boyle, born 1961 in [Blackburn](https://www.edgepedia.org/blackburn), West Lothian, Scotland) is a Scottish singer who became a global phenomenon in April 2009 when her audition performance of "I Dreamed a Dream" on *Britain's Got Talent* went viral, launching a recording career that has sold over 25 million albums worldwide.[1](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us/factbox-scottish-singer-and-internet-star-susan-boyle-idUSTRE5AJ2MT/) • [2](https://susanboylemusic.com/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1961, Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland[1](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us/factbox-scottish-singer-and-internet-star-susan-boyle-idUSTRE5AJ2MT/) |
| Breakthrough | *Britain's Got Talent* appearance, 11 April 2009, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from *Les Misérables*; finished second in the 2009 series[3](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Woman-I-Was-Born-to-Be/Susan-Boyle/9781451609271) • [4](https://snl.no/Susan_Boyle) |
| Viral reach | More than 26 million YouTube views within a week; over 300 million cumulative internet views[5](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/apr/18/susan-boyle-britains-got-talent) • [1](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us/factbox-scottish-singer-and-internet-star-susan-boyle-idUSTRE5AJ2MT/) |
| Records | Over 25 million albums sold worldwide; oldest artist to reach number one with a debut album; multiple platinum certifications[2](https://susanboylemusic.com/) |
| Debut album | *I Dreamed a Dream* (2009), the UK's biggest-selling debut album of all time in 2009; No. 1 on the Billboard 200[6](https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/susan-boyle/) • [7](https://www.billboard.com/artist/susan-boyle/) |
| Discography | Eight studio albums, *I Dreamed a Dream* (2009) to *Ten* (2019), on Sony Music[8](https://people.com/all-about-susan-boyle-britain-got-talent-8409275) • [4](https://snl.no/Susan_Boyle) |
| Health disclosures | Autism spectrum (Asperger's) diagnosis disclosed 2013; stroke in April 2022 disclosed June 2023[9](https://www.theguardian.com/music/susan-boyle) • [8](https://people.com/all-about-susan-boyle-britain-got-talent-8409275) |
## Early life and background
Boyle was born in 1961 in Blackburn, Scotland. She was deprived of oxygen at birth, leading to learning difficulties early on, a condition she has described as "a slight disability"; she has spoken of being bullied and of the school nickname "Simple Susan".[1](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us/factbox-scottish-singer-and-internet-star-susan-boyle-idUSTRE5AJ2MT/) She was born, and still lives, in Blackburn, West Lothian.[3](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Woman-I-Was-Born-to-Be/Susan-Boyle/9781451609271)
A devout Christian, she developed an interest in singing at an early age and honed her skills in churches, choral societies, and local pubs.[1](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us/factbox-scottish-singer-and-internet-star-susan-boyle-idUSTRE5AJ2MT/) Her official site traces her journey from a local church choir singer onward.[2](https://susanboylemusic.com/) Before her break, she was filmed performing at a singing competition as long ago as 1984 and appeared on a television show in the mid-1990s; the exposure came to nothing.[1](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us/factbox-scottish-singer-and-internet-star-susan-boyle-idUSTRE5AJ2MT/)
## The 2009 audition and global phenomenon
On 11 April 2009, Boyle appeared on the third series of *Britain's Got Talent*, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical *Les Misérables* before judges [Simon Cowell](https://www.edgepedia.org/simon-cowell), Piers Morgan, and [Amanda Holden](https://www.edgepedia.org/amanda-holden). She was 47 at the time of the season 3 audition,[8](https://people.com/all-about-susan-boyle-britain-got-talent-8409275) though Reuters and the Norwegian encyclopedia describe her as 48 at her rise to fame.[1](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us/factbox-scottish-singer-and-internet-star-susan-boyle-idUSTRE5AJ2MT/) • [4](https://snl.no/Susan_Boyle) She set a viewer record for the program and finished second in the 2009 series.[4](https://snl.no/Susan_Boyle)
The clip spread at extraordinary speed. Within a week it had been seen by more than 26 million people on YouTube, with the count jumping from 1 million to 5.5 million in a single 24-hour period, alongside 2.3 million views on the *Britain's Got Talent* website and over 11 million ITV1 viewers; she was the most talked-about subject on Twitter that week.[5](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/apr/18/susan-boyle-britains-got-talent) Her official website later put cumulative internet views of the audition at more than 300 million.[1](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us/factbox-scottish-singer-and-internet-star-susan-boyle-idUSTRE5AJ2MT/) The British media dubbed her "the hairy angel", but within days she was a global star making front-page headlines.[1](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us/factbox-scottish-singer-and-internet-star-susan-boyle-idUSTRE5AJ2MT/)
## Recording career and discography
Boyle signed with [Sony Music](https://www.edgepedia.org/sony-music). Her studio albums are *I Dreamed a Dream* (2009), *The Gift* (2010), *Someone to Watch Over Me* (2011), *Standing Ovation* (2012), *Home for Christmas* (2013), *Hope* (2014), *A Wonderful World* (2016), and *Ten* (2019).[8](https://people.com/all-about-susan-boyle-britain-got-talent-8409275) • [4](https://snl.no/Susan_Boyle)
The debut album went to the top in a number of countries, and *The Gift* (2010) also sold very well.[4](https://snl.no/Susan_Boyle) In the United States, *I Dreamed a Dream* reached number 1 on the Billboard 200 (chart dated 12 December 2009).[7](https://www.billboard.com/artist/susan-boyle/) Two singles from the album charted on the Billboard Hot 100 that same week: "I Dreamed a Dream" at number 62, spending 12 weeks on the chart, and "Wild Horses" at number 98.[7](https://www.billboard.com/artist/susan-boyle/)
## By the numbers
Boyle has sold over 25 million albums worldwide since her 2009 appearance.[2](https://susanboylemusic.com/) Her debut became the UK's biggest-selling debut album of all time in 2009,[6](https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/susan-boyle/) and she became the oldest artist to reach number one with a debut album while earning multiple platinum certifications across the globe.[2](https://susanboylemusic.com/)
## Voice, repertoire, and style
Her albums consist almost entirely of standards, Christmas songs, musical numbers, religious songs, folk tunes, and [cover versions](https://www.edgepedia.org/cover-version) of pop songs.[4](https://snl.no/Susan_Boyle) The range runs from show tunes such as "I Dreamed a Dream" to pop covers like "Wild Horses".[3](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Woman-I-Was-Born-to-Be/Susan-Boyle/9781451609271) • [7](https://www.billboard.com/artist/susan-boyle/) Her memoir recounts the path from singing karaoke in local pubs to a live performance with an eighty-piece orchestra at Japan's Budokan Arena.[3](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Woman-I-Was-Born-to-Be/Susan-Boyle/9781451609271) In 2011 she sang on the charity single "I Know Him So Well" with the comedian [Peter Kay](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-kay).[4](https://snl.no/Susan_Boyle)
## Health, advocacy, and public image
In December 2013, Boyle publicly revealed that she had been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism spectrum disorder, about a year earlier, saying she felt "relieved and a bit more relaxed about myself"; commentary in *The Guardian* noted the disclosure could increase awareness of the syndrome.[9](https://www.theguardian.com/music/susan-boyle) • [8](https://people.com/all-about-susan-boyle-britain-got-talent-8409275)
In April 2022 she suffered a stroke, which she opened up about in June 2023, saying she had worked to regain her speech and singing.[8](https://people.com/all-about-susan-boyle-britain-got-talent-8409275) Billboard reported the revelation on 6 June 2023, when she made it during her return to the *Britain's Got Talent* stage.[7](https://www.billboard.com/artist/susan-boyle/)
## Beyond music: memoir, film, and television returns
Boyle published her autobiography, *The Woman I Was Born to Be: My Story*, in 2010; the Atria Books edition appeared on 12 October 2010 and runs 336 pages.[8](https://people.com/all-about-susan-boyle-britain-got-talent-8409275) • [3](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Woman-I-Was-Born-to-Be/Susan-Boyle/9781451609271) She appeared in the 2013 film *The Christmas Candle*.[8](https://people.com/all-about-susan-boyle-britain-got-talent-8409275) She returned to television competition in 2019 on *America's Got Talent: The Champions*, receiving [Mel B](https://www.edgepedia.org/mel-b)'s Golden Buzzer for "Wild Horses" and reaching the finals.[8](https://people.com/all-about-susan-boyle-britain-got-talent-8409275) In 2023 she returned to the *Britain's Got Talent* stage, where she disclosed her stroke.[7](https://www.billboard.com/artist/susan-boyle/)
## References
1. [FACTBOX: Scottish singer and Internet star Susan Boyle, Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us/factbox-scottish-singer-and-internet-star-susan-boyle-idUSTRE5AJ2MT/)
2. [Susan Boyle — Official Site](https://susanboylemusic.com/)
3. [The Woman I Was Born to Be — Susan Boyle, Atria Books (publisher page)](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Woman-I-Was-Born-to-Be/Susan-Boyle/9781451609271)
4. [Susan Boyle, Store norske leksikon](https://snl.no/Susan_Boyle)
5. [Susan Boyle: a dream come true, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/apr/18/susan-boyle-britains-got-talent)
6. [Susan Boyle — Sony Music UK](https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/susan-boyle/)
7. [Susan Boyle | Biography, Music & News, Billboard](https://www.billboard.com/artist/susan-boyle/)
8. [Where Is Susan Boyle Now? All About the Singer's Life 14 Years After Her Britain's Got Talent Audition, People](https://people.com/all-about-susan-boyle-britain-got-talent-8409275)
9. [Susan Boyle, The Guardian (topic page)](https://www.theguardian.com/music/susan-boyle)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Pop and R&B singer-songwriters › Traditional pop and vocal standards*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license