Susan Boyle

  b. 1961 | Scottish singer

At The Bottom

— 2007

Now she was alone in the world for the first time in her life.

When Susan Boyle’s mother died at the age of 91, the 46-year-old woman from Blackburn, Scotland, fell into a deep depression and secluded herself in her home for days at a time.  She had been caring for her mother since her father passed away in the early 1990s, and now she was alone in the world for the first time in her life.  Her eight siblings had all moved away, and the eccentric Boyle was now supposed to fend for herself despite having a minimal education, almost no work experience, and a personality that could best be described as kind but odd.  Singled out as a child for being “slow” — she did in fact suffer from learning disabilities and never performed well in school — Boyle had been called “Susie Simple,” a nickname that followed her into her adult life.  She did not have many friends, but she did attend church and sang in the choir, something her mother had introduced her to when she was a girl.  Boyle’s mother had indeed been her greatest musical fan and believed her daughter had an exceptional voice.  Now, however, with her mother’s passing, Boyle didn’t have the same enthusiasm as before.  For the next two years, she barely sang a note.