She shocked fans back in 2009 with a shiver-worthy Britain’s Got Talent audition, catapulting to fame on the talent show and raking in a net-worth of over £20M.
And as Susan Boyle celebrates turning 62 this Saturday, the Scottish singer has managed to maintain a humble lifestyle since her TV stardom.
Since bagging second place in Simon Cowell‘s long-running talent show, she released the UK’s best-selling record of all time and has even made TV cameos.
From living in her childhood council home to sticking to a tight budget, the songstress certainly hasn’t let the fortune go to her head.
As she marks another year around the sun, MailOnline takes a look inside Susan’s low-key lifestyle.
Susan has lived in the same council house for the last 60 years, growing up in the West Lothian semi-detached home.
Not the usualy flashy display that often come from celebrities, the simple abode does hold a lot of sentimental value.
She wasn’t keen to swap it for a more lavish residence either upon achieving fame and fortune after Britain’s Got Talent, instead extending it.
The singer decided to turn her childhood home into a ‘dream house’ by buying the one next door and joining them together.
Spending a mere £111,000, she combined the properties to keep the memories of her own home while gaining more space.
Susan gave the traditional home a more luxe makeover during the renovation, creating a piano room and a modern kitchen. But kept her own sentiments and religious pieces throughout the property.
Speaking on her decision previously, she told OK! magazine: ‘It’s to do with the memories of your house and your upbringing, you need to take stock of things and maybe see where you come from and where your roots lie.’
‘It’s best to be grounded and with your roots. It keeps you grounded and prevents you from saying things maybe you shouldn’t say.’
Humble beginnings: Susan has lived in the same council house for the last 60 years, growing up in the West Lothian semi-detached home
Improved: Her social media features a number of videos shot inside her home, which has had a stunning makeover
Holidays close to home
While most of the A-list spend their down time holidaying to exclusive resorts and sunny locations, Susan recently spent time away in closer-to-home Ireland.
Earlier this month, she enjoyed a pre-birthday trip to 68-bedroomed Hotel Knock House in the village of Knock, County Mayo.
Bosses at the hotel shared a picture of the singer on their Facebook page, writing: ‘It was our pleasure to welcome Susan Boyle back to Knock House again recently.
‘Susan is a fabulous Lady and we always love to see her return time and time again to Knock House Hotel.
Out and about: Earlier this month, she enjoyed a pre-birthday trip to 68-bedroomed Hotel Knock House in the village of Knock, County Mayo
Super saver
She’s got an estimated net worth of £22 million after an impressive seven studio albums, one of which being the UK’s best-selling record of all time.
But Susan is quite the budgeter and only gives herself a certain allowance to spend, previously confessing that she is saving money ‘for a rainy day’.
Previously sharing details of her financially-strained life before fame, Susan explained: ‘I’m not a big spender, because for 47 years I didn’t have any money, so I like to save it for a rainy day.’
Planning to eventually leave her fortune to family, the singer previously admitted to giving herself a weekly allowance of £300 to £500 to spend.
Saver: Despite having a multi-million net worth, Susan is quite the budgeter and only gives herself a certain allowance to spend, previously confessing that she is saving money ‘for a rainy day’
A doting soap fan
Since appearing on Britian’s Got Talent in 2009 and America’s Got Talent The Champions, she’s not been short of TV appearances – or offers.
But Susan rarely appears on screen these days and has stuck to her roots in terms of what jobs she does take.
A long-time soap fan, the BGT star was recently over the moon to make a cameo on Scottish TV show River City.
The superstar is said to have watched almost every episode of the show and was delighted to run into Stephen Purdon, who plays Bob O’Hara in the soap.
Both fans of one another, he said of the run-in: ‘She spotted me and headed straight over. The first words she said to me were, “You’re my favourite.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
‘I was fair chuffed at that and I swear, man, I will be putting that on my CV and my Spotlight. What a claim to fame. I’m Susan Boyle’s favourite.’
TV appearance: A long-time soap fan, the BGT star was recently over the moon to make a cameo on Scottish TV show River City.
