- To get to the audition that made her a star, she took six different buses.
- Boyle's first performance of I Dreamed a Dream lasted for two minutes and 25 seconds. When the clip arrived on Youtube, 1,100,000 watched it in the same day. She became an Internet phenomenon within three days, after it had been seen by 3.5 million people, and a global superstar within five days. 26 million people had seen it at the end of the week. Globally, it was the most watched clip that week. 120 million people saw it after the second week, outdistancing The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) trailer by 90 million views. By the time of the final, 220 million had seen the clip. She is the most hit upon Youtube phenomenon of all time, and the most Googled lady on Earth.
- Found a stalker in her home, a middle-aged American woman. Simon Cowell ordered extra security from Edinburgh for the shaken Boyle.
- The most successful act to emerge from Britain's Got Talent (2009), she managed to crack the US in eight days.
- A victim of bullying as a schoolgirl, Boyle recorded the Madonna / David Foster-penned song, "You'll See", the lyrics of which served as subtle rebuttal against those who victimized her. The track appeared on her first album "I Dreamed a Dream" (2009). Boyle revealed to Piers Morgan that many of her childhood bullies have since apologized and reconciled with her.
- Her debut album "I Dreamed a Dream" sold 700,000 copies in the first week. It is the biggest female debut since Billboard Soundscan started keeping track. (2009)
- A patchwork quilt stitched together from hundreds in 28 countries was presented to her. She burst into tears, cradled her face and sucked on her thumb. Some said it was stress, a joke on her part, or she was deeply touched.
- During childbirth, she was left with learning difficulties due to lack of oxygen to the brain.
- Boyle is the youngest of nine siblings.
- Her cat Pebbles is almost as big a celebrity as she is.
- Only ever held down one job in her life before becoming a professional singer; she was a trainee cook in the kitchens of West Lothian College. She had a six-month contract with them. Before stardom, Boyle spent her days mostly unemployed, doing shopping, housework, working as a church volunteer and visiting siblings.
- Dined with the Prime Minister.
- Has been a fan of Donny Osmond since she was a young girl.
- A 30,000 pound statue of Susan Boyle was erected in her hometown of Blackburn.
- The first thing she did with her earnings was to buy her £80,000 four-bedroom council house. It had been rented to the family for 50 years and she still slept in the same room. She then spent some of it on a new fridge and a three-piece-suite.
- Likes to work with her idols, e.g. Elaine Paige. They did a duet on 13th December, 2009, and performed "I Know Him So Well". Paige had long expressed an interest to duet with Boyle. 10 million viewers tuned in to see it, and it was the highest rated TV special in the US.
- She now has a PA (personal assistant) and a housekeeper who keeps Pebbles (her cat) company while she's away.
- Inherited her singing ability from her late father, who fought in World War II.
- Every American chat show host from Larry King to Oprah Winfrey wanted to interview Boyle after she became famous. She gave over 60 interviews in a week after her star-making audition, all from her own home. When a camera crew filmed her house for The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986) they took a break so she could have a nap. Her status as a celebrity was confirmed after she was interviewed by OK! Apparently you're not officially a celebrity until you're interviewed by either OK! or Hello!.
- She hoped to win Britain's Got Talent (2009) as a tribute to her late mother.
- Regrets that her parents never lived long enough to see her success.
- Her debut album "I Dreamed a Dream" set a record when it became the most advance-ordered recording in Amazon.com history. (2009)
- It was seven weeks between Boyle's star-making audition and the final of Britain's Got Talent (2009). After she came in second, she then checked into Priory, the (psych) clinic of the stars, on June 1st. Kate Moss was a patient there. Boyle claimed it was because of tiredness, but witnesses felt she was cracking up under the strain of her sudden fame, e.g. talking to herself, leaving phone messages for her cat, imaginary friends, etc. She had to do her shopping with a doctor. Simon Cowell contacted her at the Priory and assured her that her career was still waiting for her. She left Priory after five days.
- Awarded a triple platinum record for selling a million copies of I Dreamed a Dream.
- One of her favourite songs is "Wild Horses". She described listening to it as an emotional release. That goes for singing too, which helped her to escape all her problems. She performed "Wild Horses" live when she appeared on America's Got Talent (2006), broadcast to 25 million people, the largest audience of the night. The performance was pre-recorded the night before which is why she was rooted to the spot, according to witnesses.
- A huge fan of the song Puppy Love, as well as Grease (1978), Andrew Lloyd Webber, and the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. She's also a fan of Donny Osmond, and still has posters of him on her bedroom wall left over from her childhood. He was greatly impressed with her star-making audition, and was honoured she used his songs to learn how to sing. She also likes to listen to Michael Bublé, Elton John and anybody who can make a good record.
- Her parents are both of Irish origin.
- U2's financial wizard Ossie Kilkenny agreed to mastermind her career.
- After her mother's death in 2007, she didn't sing anything for two years. Her mother was the one who recommended she try out for Britain's Got Talent (2007) but Boyle lost her nerve at the last minute.
- 3000 people watched Boyle's performance of I Dreamed a Dream at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow for Britain's Got Talent (2009) on January 21st. She almost went on in a football strip instead of a dress. Her audition was broadcast to 11 million viewers on 11th April, 2009. The audition boosted sales of Les Miserables, some claiming her performance of I Dreamed a Dream is one of the best ever, and even eclipsed her idol Elaine Paige's performance of it.
- A biographical musical titled "I Dreamed a Dream" opened at Newcastle's Theatre Royal (UK) featuring Elaine C. Smith as Boyle (23 March 2012).
- Declined an invite to the Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington DC because she felt nervous about appearing in front of so many celebrities.
- The singer is not the only recipient of fan mail in her home. Her cat, Pebbles, also receives his share of love letters.
- Almost married a man called John.
- Has a Mezzo-Soprano vocal range and can sing at 2.6 octaves.
- Cited Elaine Paige as the singer she'd most like to emulate when asked by Simon Cowell the night she wowed the 2009: Auditions 1 (2009) audience with her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical "Les Misérables".
- She first heard I Dreamed a Dream in Edinburgh.
- Boyle's flight to Heathrow for voice lessons was her first flight in eight years.
- Lampooned on Futurama.
- Her Britain's Got Talent (2009) number was 43212.
- South Park (1997) are rare naysayers of Boyle's, and once did a satirical spoof about her.
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