Susan Boyle’s fairy tale rise from obscurity to international pop music sensation now extends to commercial success as well. Her album has become the fastest-selling debut ever in Great Britain and is also expected to top the charts in the United States.
Her album, I Dreamed a Dream sold 411,000 copies in one week, and has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide – making it the fastest-selling debut album by a woman ever, topping everyone from Madonna to Britney Spears.
The album has also topped the Australian and Irish charts and is also set to be No. 1 in the United States, Canada and New Zealand, Sony Corp’s Sony Music said on Sunday.
“It’s fantastic!” said Boyle, who suffers from learning difficulties because she was starved for oxygen at birth.
Boyle continues to struggle with success however. She had several emotional moments during her U.S. tour, including episodes of crying. But overall, her success is unquestioned.
She has wowed crowds with her performances of “I Dreamed a Dream” her signature song, the Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses,” and pop classic “Cry Me a River.’
She’s also had to put up with insensitive comments like the ones uttered by New Zealand TV presenter, Paul Henry who called her a “retard”. His live morning show was flooded with complaints.
Her rousing audition on “Britain’s Got Talent,” a UK talent show, has been viewed more than 300 million times on YouTube since April. She finished second on the show.
“In ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ she opened her mouth and the world fell in love with her, which is why her album has been the fastest selling of any woman making her debut,” said show impresario Simon Cowell, who has signed Boyle to a recording contract. “She’s amazing.”
This month, the Sony Music album became the largest global CD pre-order in the 14-year history of Amazon.com.