Returning to Britain’s Got Talent was a highlight. It was very exciting to be going back to the stage where it all began three years ago. Singing You’ll See from my first album, I Dreamed A Dream, well I felt it was quite apt. It was a really enjoyable experience and I’m very glad I did it. My highlight was meeting the gorgeous Pudsey. What an amazing dog and I’m very very pleased he won. Ashleigh was an absolute delight and so talented to be able to train her dog to that incredible standard.

On Sunday it was off to Windsor to perform for the Queen. Another dream ticked off my wish list! I performed Mull of Kintyre, written by Paul McCartney as part of the Jubilee celebrations. To say it was an honour was an understatement. I have such respect for our Monarch, she is the backbone to this country and to be a part of celebrating 60 years as our Queen, it’s a moment that I’ll never forget.

The best moment for me was meeting the Queen herself and Dame Helen Mirren, it’s a memory I shall cherish.

A special congratulations to my record label, Columbia in the USA for winning the Grammy with Tony Bennett’s album. They are a super team to work with, very talented and deserved to win this award.

I am so sorry that I have not written sooner and been delayed in wishing you all a very happy 2012. I’ve been quite busy over the past few weeks so let me begin where I left off, Christmas.

I spent christmas with my brother Gerry. I had a wonderful time and was very spoilt by everyone. My favourite gifts this year were a big teddy bear and a christmas jumper that’s a bit loud. Thank you so much to you all for the gifts and cards you sent to me. I was very touched by your kindness, sorry I can’t respond to each and everyone of you individually. I am trying!

Christmas isn’t Christmas without the Pantomime and Cinderella at the Kings Theatre, Edinburgh was great and extremely funny- Allan Stewart, Scotland’s most popular dame was hysterical and Grant Stott was great to. I always enjoy a good panto.

New Year’s Eve I spent with friends, we had a lovely meal together and waited for the bells at midnight. It was a great party and good to see in an exciting new year full of expectations with my oldest and dearest friends.

2012 has started off well. I’ve been choosing songs and ideas for the new album which I’m very excited about. So far I’ve come up with 86 songs that are personal favourites as well as looking at new material. I really enjoy the beginning of a new album, I like the creativity and team work as well as asking my fans opinion- your thoughts are very important to me.

Elaine C Smith and I have been discussing more of the musical, which starts in March and I’m really looking forward to the stage shows and being a part of a big ensemble cast.

At the beginning of January I was able to escape for a lovely few days to Ireland to visit friends. We had a really good time. I managed to visit the place, Lough Swilly, where John Newton was inspired to write Amazing Grace after being shipwrecked. This song was on my first album, I Dreamed A Dream and it was a really special day especially with my connection to that song. I had lunch at a lovely little country pub and what started with one person at the bar ended up with over 40 people joining us.

2012 is going to an exciting year and I will try to keep my updates as regular and interesting as possible, I don’t want to bore you all! I will definitely be writing once a fortnight but if there is any exciting news then I will write more and share it here first on the website.

Global singing sensation Susan Boyle has lent her support to up and coming 11 year old Jackie Evancho who is launching her first album in the UK.

After meeting Jackie backstage at The Oprah Show in Chicago in October 2010, Susan was over the moon to be asked by Jackie to perform a duet and immediately agreed. The pair sing “A Mother’s Prayer” on Jackie’s UK debut album ‘Dream With Me’ which is being released in the UK on Monday 6th June 2011.

Jackie also managed to persuade the legendary Barbara Streisand to duet on her album. Jackie shot to fame after appearing on America’s Got Talent and became the youngest artist ever to be signed to Simon Cowell’s uber successful label Syco. She is also the first of his American artists to release an album in the UK.

Susan said; “It was a pleasure to record such a beautiful song as ‘A Mother’s Prayer’ with Jackie. She has so much talent for someone so young and I wish her a long and successful career, she certainly deserves it.”

Jackie said; “I really loved making this album and doing a duet with Susan Boyle was incredible”.

Susan is currently back in the studio working on her third album which is being released in November 2011. The music has been chosen solely by Susan and is set to surprise her fans and win her legions more with the exciting and totally unexpected new direction she has chosen. It’s being slated as her best album yet. Fans eager for November to come round so they can get their hands on her latest recordings will be able to hear the breathtaking ‘A Mother’s Prayer’ on Monday 6th June 2011.

  A Mother’s Prayer feat. Susan Boyle by Columbia Records

Susan and soprano sensation Jackie Evancho have more in common than meets the eye! Both were runners-up on nationally televised singing competitions, both are platinum selling recording artists and now they both appear on a new duet of “A Mother’s Prayer.”

The duet, featured on Jackie’s upcoming album Dream With Me, was produced by sixteen-time Grammy Award winner David Foster and is the first time Susan has worked with the eleven-year-old soprano prodigy. Jackie first wowed audiences on the 2010 season of America’s Got Talent and will release her first full-length studio album Dream With Me on June 6Th.

Pre-order Dream With Me now at Amazon.co.uk.

It looks like Susan Boyle and Jackie Evancho have more in common than both being amazing singers—they both have Platinum selling records, they were runners-up on nationally televised singing competitions, and now they both appear on a new duet of “A Mother’s Prayer.”

The duet, featured on Jackie’s upcoming album Dream With Me, was produced by sixteen-time Grammy Award winner David Foster and is the first time Susan has worked with the eleven-year-old soprano prodigy. Jackie first wowed audiences on the 2010 season of America’s Got Talent and will release her first full-length studio album Dream With Me on June 14th in the United States.

Pre-order Dream With Me now at Amazon.com.

It looks like Susan Boyle and Jackie Evancho have more in common than both being amazing singers—they both have Platinum selling records, they were runners-up on nationally televised singing competitions, and now they both appear on a new duet of “A Mother’s Prayer.”

The duet, featured on Jackie’s upcoming album Dream With Me, was produced by sixteen-time Grammy Award winner David Foster and is the first time Susan has worked with the eleven-year-old soprano prodigy. Jackie first wowed audiences on the 2010 season of America’s Got Talent and will release her first full-length studio album Dream With Me on June 14th in the United States.

Pre-order Dream With Me now at Amazon.com.

Susan’s new waxwork took four months to create at a cost of £150,000 and will reside in the ‘Big Night In’ area.

Susan said; “I am thrilled to have my very own waxwork and honoured to be invited here to launch the new Madame Tussaud’s in Blackpool . It was such a great process to be involved in and it looks very realistic.”

Pic Credit - Getty Images

Fans from all over the world, including Australia, The USA, Russia, and Europe, were piped into a dance hall by two young people playing the bagpipes. The room was laid out and decorated with Scottish flags, pictures and postures of Susan , balloons, party poppers and much more.

Susan joined the fans for several hours even though she had her own big birthday party to attend, and she and her niece Joanne entered to a great deal of warm applause. Susan was wearing a lovely red dress, with a blue and red scarf and a short red coat. She looked very happy and greeted some familiar faces in the room. Susan cut her birthday cake after the fans had sung happy birthday to her, before sitting down to some very special entertainment.

A children’s choir from Carmondean Primary School in Livingston, West Lothian, called the Carmondean Folk Scene, made up of children , aged 10 and 11, preformed a variety of songs, serious, and comical with Susan thoroughly enjoying the performance and asking them for an encore. A member of the group performed the Highland Fling – a very energetic Scottish Dance, some children recited Scottish poems and the bagpipes were played again as the haggis and a clootie dumpling were piped into the room; Susan spoke with the children before she left and had her photo taken with them much to their delight, and fans also gave them souvenir buttons (badges) and cardboard Susafaces to take away with them. Susan was presented with some flowers by one of the children on behalf of all of her fans.

Some fans got the chance for a brief word with Susan but she by now had to leave to get ready for her own big birthday bash at nearby Houston House.

After Susan had left the delighted fans enjoyed a variety of Scottish experiences; Scottish food and Scottish entertainment had been laid on and every one joined in the dancing, and the singing. Everyone was given a goody- bag to take home with again some typical Scottish goodies in it and the fans sang Auld Lang Syne as the evening ended and they left to return to the respective hotels and B & B’s.

The week end did not end there. A bus trip had been organised the following day and many of the group enjoyed a trip to Edinburgh and a visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia. On the Sunday Evening all the fans met together again in a local restaurant to share one last meal together, to toast Susan, and to share memories of a wonderful weekend.

A fantastic time had been had by everyone who came from all over the world. New friendships were made, and everyone wants to do it all again. Scottish Mary was rightfully singled out for special thanks by everyone for all the work she did to organise the event in Scotland and to make Altena’s dream come to reality.

The superstar Scot is taking time out from recording her 3rd album to celebrate the big 50 with an intimate private party for her family and close friends in Scotland.

When asked about reaching this landmark birthday, Susan jokingly laughed, “Well there’s not much I can do about it. But I’m happy to be here and will be growing older gracefully”

She went on to say; “I’ve had some wonderful moments throughout my life, especially over the past two years and I would like to thank everyone for their kindness and encouragement, I wouldn’t be here without it and I appreciate it every single day.”

Simon Cowell said; “Happy 50th Birthday Susan. You are an amazing lady and I hope you have a fantastic day.”

Elaine C Smith presented Susan with an award for Outstanding Achievement. Elaine’s presentation speech was heartfelt and sincere, she was full of praise for Susan and for her glorious voice. She exclusively revealed to a delighted audience that Susan will be appearing later this year in Rab C Nesbit, a well known comedy series in the UK. She described Susan as a role model for the world and told her audience that when Susan walked into a room or onto a set every single person stopped to take notice.

The following day Susan attended a lunch with fans where she was presented with a quilt which has over 500 names of fans, famous and not famous, to commemorate her upcoming 50th birthday. This quilt was lovingly put together by two loyal fans from the USA, Carol and Phyllis,  who spent many months, weeks,  days and hours toiling over their sewing machines, They even managed to do embroidered squares which included Piers Morgan and Simon Cowell’s faces. Many important occasions in Susan’s life were also featured on the quilt, including her performance at The Papal Mass in Glasgow, performances in America, and in Europe, and of course the audition where it all began. A good time was had by all and Susan thoroughly enjoyed this weekends activities and is looking forward to the many more exciting projects which are planned for this year. “watch this space” as Susan would say, there are some great things to come.

Don’t forget Susan and Geraldine’s version of I Know Him So Well is available to buy in stores and online and proceeds go to this years Comic Relief appeal.

Click here to download from iTunes!

Don’t forget I know Him So Well featuring Susan and Geraldine is now available to buy in stores and download on iTunes Proceeds of the song will go to Comic Relief. 

The audience of the sold out event, which was celebrating Scots and their achievements, gave her a standing ovation after she sang Perfect Day, Who I Was Born To Be and the song that started it all, I Dreamed a Dream.

Click the image below to visit iTunes!

Aired on BBC1 during the Red Nose Day 2011 television marathon, the video is a humorous take on the original Chess hit written by Tim Rice and Bjorn and Benny from Abba and featuring Barbara Dickson and Elaine Paige, with subtle spoof changes.

Award winning Peter Kay, one of the UK’s leading comedians approached Susan for this special collaboration. His character Geraldine McQueen was devised for a fictional Channel 4 program that was created, written and directed by Kay in 2008. He has a long history with this remarkable charity and has had two number one hit singles with ‘Is this the way to Amarillo?’ in 2005 and ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 miles)’ in 2007.

Comic Relief was launched on Christmas Day in 1985 with the simple ethos to make people laugh while raising money to help those in need.  In the 26 years since it was launched Comic Relief has helped support people and projects in the UK and Africa. To date they have raised more than £500 million. Every Red Nose Day celebrities and the public create fun and unique ways to raise money for the charity.  Susan said: “Peter Kay was brilliant to work with and I feel unbelievably privileged to be a small part of such a wonderful project as Comic Relief.”

The single is available to download on iTunes from Sunday 20th March 2011 and the single and DVD are available to buy in stores from Monday 21st March 2011 with proceeds going to Comic Relief. We’ll post the download link as soon as it’s live on iTunes.

At a private location in London, Susan was joined by her record label to celebrate her international triumph.

She was also named as the highest selling Sony artist worldwide for a second year.

On seeing the award Susan said; “Words can’t describe how happy I am. Seeing the disc made it all so real. I’ve loved every minute and I
can’t wait to get back in to the studio again and for all the other exciting projects that 2011 will bring”.

Simon Cowell said; “I’m so happy for Susan, she is one of the most deserving artists I have ever worked with. 14 million records in 14 months is an incredible figure but then with Susan nothing surprises me!”