Susan Boyle

Susan Boyle's initial appearance on the talent show fired public imagination when her modest stage introduction and thick speaking accent left audience, viewers and judges alike unprepared for the power and expression of her mezzo-soprano voice. Before she had finished the song's opening phrase a standing ovation for Boyle had erupted.   An international media and Internet response coincided. Within nine days of the audition, videos of Boyle—from the show, various interviews and her 1999 rendition of "Cry Me a River"—had been watched over 100 million times. Despite becoming an international sensation she eventually finished in second place on the show behind dance troupe Diversity.

On 12 May 2012, 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". In November 2012, Boyle performed with her idol Donny Osmond in Las Vegas, singing "This is the Moment", a duet from her most recent album Standing Ovation: The Greatest Songs From the Stage.  Boyle's net worth was estimated at £22 million in April 2012.  As of 2013, Boyle had sold over 19 million albums worldwide and received two Grammy Awards nominations.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Susan Boyle, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.