YouTube's most watched video of 2009

She's the youngest of nine children and lives in Blackburn with her ten-year-old cat, Pebbles.  The plan was to be a musical theatre singer like Elaine Page but you'd never know the power of that voice only by looking at her.  People had always made fun of her appearance and learning disabilities.  Nonetheless, there is always that dream-- to hold on to and pursue.  She took singing lessons from Fred O'Neil and attended the Edinburgh Acting School.  She auditioned for shows and recorded independent CDs. In 1999, she spent all of her savings to pay for a professionally cut demo tape, which she sent to record companies, radio talent competitions, local and national TV.

It all took a backseat though, when she had to look after her sick mother-- the same person who urged her to join a TV talent contest and “take the risk” of singing in front of an audience larger than her parish church.  Her mother died at the age of 91 last 2007.  She decided to join the contest as a tribute-- and her performance got her a standing ovation and a worldwide audience.   Today, she has a #1 debut album and 120 million views in Youtube. Best of all, she's known as the woman who shut up Simon Cowell.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Boyle