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.

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.”

Many thanks,
SB HQ.

Susan sang three songs- I dreamed A Dream, How great Thou Art and Make Me A Channel of Your Peace. The crowd were on their feet singing along to the songs they all know so well, the sun was shining and Susan had a wonderful day.

We will bring you more news and Susan’s thoughts on the day soon.

Susan had called Amber to inform Amber that she had, after searching through thousands of entries, selected Amber as her Susan Search winner. After the phone call Amber said,  “I can’t believe I just spoke to Susan Boyle. She was so sweet to me. And I can’t believe that I have won this competition. Thank you Susan.”

Since that phone call, Amber’s life has been turned upside down. She now has thousands of mentions on the internet, news crews are chomping at the bit to interview her and she has received thousands of good wishes from Susan’s fans. “I got a beautiful book that the fans had delivered to Syco for me. Over one hundred and fifty people had signed it and left messages of support. I was really overcome. Thank you , all.”

Amber’s meeting with Susan in London this week was a warm affair. Says Amber, “Susan was such a warm and lovely lady, she was very encouraging to me and we really laughed a lot in the studio. I was very nervous about it really but once I had met Susan she put me at my ease we got along famously.”

Says Susan, “ It was lovely finally meeting Amber, she is a very talented singer, there is something so warm about her voice. She was very impressive in the studio and I think our voices harmonized well together. I really hope people will like what we’ve done and I hope everyone will join me in wishing Amber much success in the future”

Amber is staying in London until when she fly back to her three children and her job as a medic in Brewerton NY but not before doing some all important sightseeing. “I am here with my brother and his partner and we are definitely taking in some of the sights. We have been on the London Eye which was beautiful and we are planning Buckingham palace – it’s always been my dream to see the changing of the guard.”

This is Amber’s first visit to London. On her first evening she and her family went for dinner at the famous River Café in Hammersmith west London where she dined at a table next to Gordon Ramsey. Tonight she is looking for London’s Best Burger!  “I love London. I have always wanted to come. It seems so cute and small compared to New York – and so busy! The architecture is beautiful, every detail is so wonderful. I have really enjoyed my time here and hope I can come back soon.”

As you will have either seen on TV or read in the newspapers, I have finally found a winner for my Susan Search. It was a really difficult but thoroughly enjoyable task. There were entries from so many different countries, all very different. The level of talent was so high that it was very hard to find a final winner. In the end, one lady from America stood out: Amber Stassi. Amber has a very warm, rich, beautiful voice and her audition piece which she sung by the ambulance she drives for her job really captured my attention.

After I called her to let her know she had won, I learned that she had always sung since she was a little girl. She has been through some very hard times and music has helped her through them. She spends all her time working as a medic and bringing up her three children and really felt that the opportunity to sing professionally had passed her by. She is a very deserving winner and I ask you all to congratulate Amber with me.

I would like to thank everyone who entered the Susan Search and everyone who watched the clips. Your support for what started as a small idea has been wonderful.

Love,

Susan. X

From thousands of entries Susan chose American medic Amber Stassi to fly to London later this month and join her in the recording studio. Susan called Amber personally yesterday (Thursday) evening, from her home in Blackburn, Scotland to break the news and congratulate her. 

Amber Stassi, 33 is from Brewerton, New York. On hearing that she had won, the overwhelmed mother of 3 said; -

“I can’t believe I just spoke to Susan Boyle, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would win this competition. To receive this gift from Susan is truly a blessing and if I can pass this gift on to someone else who needs it like I did, that would be perfect.
We have had some hard times, if my father was here now he would be so proud, I know he’s here in spirit, but this is a chance to give my kids a good memory and maybe a chance at a better life. I can’t believe I spoke with Susan - and that Susan and even Simon Cowell has seen my audition! This is crazy!! 

Amber Stassi will now embark on the journey of a lifetime, first stop, London to meet with Susan and her producer Steve Mac. Susan’s Search was one of YouTube’s most successful competitions ever and received one entry every 6 minutes after its launch.

Susan said; ” I never thought so many people would want to take part in this and I want to thank everyone.  It was very hard to choose a winner as there are so many talented singers around the world. Amber really stood out for me though. I enjoyed her audition clip very much, she has a lovely, very beautiful voice”

Thank you all for your patience. Not long now I promise.

Susan

Thank you so much for sending in all your entries to the Susan Search on YouTube The standard has been really high. Thank you also for the lovely messages you have included. I have really enjoyed watching them.  I have continually been overwhelmed by the number of entries – I genuinely didn’t expected there to be so many.

So this week me and my team will be going through thousands of renditions of Silent Night and although it will be very difficult to chose just one person, the winner will be announced here on my website and on YouTube on August 2nd.

Love,

Susan

Congratulations, Susan!

Since the 20th of November 2009 when her album ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ launched, Susan has dominated the international music charts, smashed global records and defied the critics. Today her album still soars above the rest selling 352,612 this week, over 100,000 more copies than Michael Buble who is at number 2.

I Dreamed a Dream has become the fastest debut album globally, the fastest selling UK debut album of all time and the highest one week sale for a female act in chart history.

Of her Christmas success Susan said; “I’m truly overwhelmed to have the Number 1 Album this Christmas and can’t thank everyone enough for the fantastic support I’ve been given, not only here but around the world.  It means so much to me.  It’s been an absolutely brilliant and exciting year. It just goes to show dreams really do come true!”

‘I Dreamed A Dream’ was #1 again on the charts this week in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Ireland, Canada and Japan.

‘I Dreamed A Dream’ made its historical introduction to the charts last week achieving the highest first week sales of 2009 as well as the largest ever debut for a female artist on the Billboard 200 in the Soundscan era with 701,000 copies sold in the U.S and over 5 million copies worldwide.

After an audition for ‘Britain’s Got Talent,’ in which Susan immediately impressed the judges, the audience and then anyone with access to YouTube’s expectations by dazzling her way through a version of “‘I Dreamed A Dream’ ” from Les Miserables.  A tornado of rumination and amazement grew around Susan Boyle feverishly, with over 300 Million YouTube hits and nearly two million Facebook friends to prove it.

You can now be among the first to play all of the beautiful songs that Susan selected herself, just click on the following link, http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/0705632/details.html, to be taken through to the official site for ‘musicroom’ to buy your copy!

All 12 of the songs on the album have been selected by Susan, including Wild Horses, Silent Night, I Dreamed A Dream, Amazing Grace, You’ll See and Daydream Believer.

The album also features an original song from Susan appropriately titled Who I Was Born To Be.

Susan Boyle stunned the public and the judges of Britain’s Got Talent earlier this year with her performance of I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables. Now, Less than one year on, her first solo album has broken pre-order records around the world.

Susan Boyle has dedicated her debut album to her late mother, saying she promised her she would “do something” with her life.