Susan Boyle

Susan Boyle?s second album, due to be released on November 9th, has topped the US charts on pre orders alone.

The Gift is number one on Amazon?s US music chart on pre-orders alone ? and it has only been available to pre-order in the US for one day. The album has however been available for pre-order from Amazon UK for several weeks now.

Susan’s album beat other artists to the top of the chart, including beating new releases from Taylor Swift, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and Neil Young.

Amazon said that is it now the ?the season of Susan? and said the interest in our favourite lady was without precedent. “She has done phenomenally well going to the top of the chart in the US based on one day of pre-orders alone and she’s racing up the charts in the UK as well,? an Amazon spokesperson said. ?She has really captured the hearts of the nation, both here and in the States.”

Susan Boyle’s second album, “The Gift”, will be released on November 9th on the SYCO/Columbia Records label. It will contain ten tracks including covers and Christmas songs.

The first single from the album is a cover of “Perfect Day”, a song originally written and performed by Lou Reed in 1972. Lou Reed would not allow Susan Boyle to perform this song on “America’s Got Talent” earlier this month.

Other tracks that will appear on “The Gift” include “The First Noel”, “O Holy Night”, “Away in a Manger”, “Hallelujah” and “Don’t Dream It’s Over”. The duet to be performed with Amber Stassi, the winner of the Susan’s Search online talent competition on YouTube, is “Do You Hear What I Hear?”

Susan said in a press release: “I wanted there to be a mix of songs that would flow with all our moods this holiday season. As much as the season is a time for reflection, it is also a time for fun and enjoyment with those closest to us.”

Susan Boyle singing “How Great Thou Art” for the Pope’s visit to Scotland on 16th September, 2010, as broadcast by BBC News in Scotland. You can hear the audience singing along with her.

Susan Boyle has been given three entries in the latest edition of The Guinness Book of Records.

She has achieved the records for:

1. The fastest selling album ever by a UK female artist.
2. The most first week sales of a UK debut album
3. Being the oldest person to reach number one with a debut album

Susan told the BBC that it was a “real honour” to appear in the Guinness World Records.

She added: “I used to read this book as a wee girl. I never dreamt that one day I would actually appear in the Guinness Book of Records.

“I only ever wanted to sing and perform. This is truly fantastic.”

Susan Boyle gave a brilliant performance for Pope Benedict XVI at Bellahouston Park in Scotland yesterday, which was broadcast on three large screens so that all the crowds would have a good view of her.

Susan, who is a devout Catholic, did not appear to be nervous, even though she had reportedly fainted 24 hours earlier after being told that she would meet the Pope.

Susan sang her signature song “I Dreamed a Dream” before performing the hymn “How Great Thou Art” which also appeared on her debut album.

Susan also sang after the celebration of the Mass, as the Pope left the altar and departed.

The crowds who turned out to watch Susan were bowled over by her performance.

One fan,Marie-Alice Quigley, 60, told the Daily Record: “I thought she was marvellous. She was every bit as good as she’s made out to be.”

Another pair of fans, Lesley Morrison, 28, and husband James, 34, also told the Daily Record: “We’re from Stoneyburn in West Lothian which is near where Susan’s from. We’re so proud of her.”

Susan Boyle finally moved into her new home, it was reported in today’s Daily Mail. Susan bought the ?300,000 house, lovely, but modest by celebrity standards, in March this year, but had until this weekend continued to live in her ex-council home that she had shared with her late mother.

She was photographed welcoming two of her friends into the new home. and looked happy and relaxed.

It had been reported by Susan’s brother, Gerry Boyle, that she could not afford to furnish the home, as despite amassing ?10,000,000 in royalties from the sale of her albums, the money was said to be “ring fenced” and Susan was reportedly living on just ?500 per week. However, I very much doubt that Susan would move into an unfurnished home, and we also aware of reports that Susan was unhappy at her brother constantly talking to the press.

Susan Boyle has chosen a New Yorker, Amber Stassi, 33, to perform a duet with her on her new album, The Gift.

Thousands of SuBo fans entered the competition, but Amber beat them all. Amber, who is a mother of three, said that it was a “dream come true” to win the competition. It was Susan herself who rang Amber to let her know she had won.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would win this competition,” she told the Daily Record.

“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.

“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 will fly to London later in the month to join Susan in the recording studio after impressing her with her rendition of Silent Night.

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.?

You can view Amber’s audition clip here:

Susan Boyle is to be immortalised in wax for Madame Tussards, according to an article in today’s News of the World.

Susan has been secretly measured up for the waxwork, which it is hoped will be finished to go on display later this year.

Madame Tussauds are planning eight new figures of which Susan will be one.

A source close to Susan told the News of the World: “She’s very excited about this. Susan would never in her wildest dreams have ever imagined she’d one day be a waxwork at Madame Tussauds. It’s unbelievable.”

It is likely that the new waxwork of Susan will prove to be hugely popular, especially with American tourists.

Susan Boyle is restricted to ?300 per week and cannot afford to furnish her new home, according to an article in the News of the World.

Hmm. I really don’t believe this one. At all. I seem to remember Susan was fed up with her brothers talking to the press, wasn’t she?

Anyway, for completeness here is a summary of what has been said. It would appear that Gerry Boyle told the News of the World: “When Susan realised she can’t just walk into a bank and take out her own money she had a fit because she thought she was down to her last few quid.

“Her millions are ring-fenced but Susan has no concept of money. She was extremely distressed. She lives in fear of losing everything and returning to her old life before she made it big.”

Gerry says an emergency meeting was held at Susan’s ex-council house on June 17th, with brother John and sister Mary.

“Susan said to me, ‘I’ve been told I get ?300 a week because I’m a novice. I don’t have the money to go and buy the furniture’.

“So she’s still stuck in the small council house where we all grew up. She should be able to walk into a bank anywhere and say she wants ?50,000 cash. That may not be advisable, but it would be HER choice because it’s HER money.

“Susan is baffled about money. All she wants to do is sing. So we asked the questions that should have been asked a while ago: WHY doesn’t she even have a credit card? WHY does she feel she doesn’t have control over her finances?

“Susan isn’t financially astute but she IS worried about her situation. She looks very distraught at the moment. And we’ve got worries about her safety, too. She visits the local Tesco most days all on her own. So we raised concerns about security with her management.

“Susan doesn’t look as if she’s a successful international chart star. She’s lonely and downtrodden. And she’s got this paranoia that she’s going to go back to square one, back to where she was before Britain’s Got Talent.”

A spokesperson for SyCo said: “Finances are handled between artists and their management. We do not comment on such matters.”