After a life-changing audition on Britain’s Got Talent nine years ago, Susan Boyle was thrust into the spotlight due to her angelic voice and refusal to change despite fame.
However, the pressure became too much for the homebody from Scotland, as pressure mounted due to a world hungry for more.
Her mental health suffered as a result of the stardom, she told The Sun.
“It can be difficult to talk about mental health issues, as there is a kind of fear about that.
“Years ago, there used to be a stigma about it, but now there is more knowledge, more expertise, and talking about things makes it a lot easier. A lot easier,” Boyle admitted.
Five years later, Boyle is now able to cope with her fame and the pressure that comes with it.
“I can cope with the pressure now. I know how to control myself better.
“I don’t get so worked up about things. I got a lot of help and I’m managing a lot more effectively,” the talented singer shared.
To celebrate, Boyle is releasing an album to mark 10 years within the music industry.
Her first audition on TV in 2009 sent shockwaves around the world, as she surprised all three judges on the panel of Britain’s Got Talent.
Looking back and reflecting on that audition made Simon Cowell realise how he was viewed. Cowell revealed to The Sun:
“When I saw me, I said, ‘I actually hate my guts right now.’ We were really sneery. That was the tipping point.”
Boyle is doing much better now, as she’s surrounded by “a lot of support and the love of the community”. She insists that despite her net worth of AUD$40 million, her life is still the same.
“I just want to entertain people, I want to make them happy. Money doesn’t bother me,” she insists.
“My life has changed in that I’ve got a lot of people around me, I’ve got a nicer house and stuff like that, but those are material things. I think emotionally I’ve grown up with it.
“My whole community hasn’t changed much but I have this sort of dual personality now. I’m a performer and an ordinary person, which is nice,” Boyle explained.
Do you remember the first time you heard Susan Boyle sing? Let us know in the comments.
This article was written in partnership with Over60.