In the last year, the name Susan Boyle has the circulated television and music circuit, and this past weekend the 48-year-old Scottish dreamer took her lifelong goal to a higher level. Boyle appeared on Britain’s Got Talent earlier this year, stepping onto the stage to face a laughing audience and scowling judges panel who made up their mind about Boyle based on her age and appearance long before she opened her mouth. When she began to sing, she took the breath away from the judges, and brought people all over the world to tears.

Her debut album, I Dreamed a Dream, hit the charts on Sunday, November 29, 2009, and quickly rose to the number one slot in the U.K. in a matter of hours, making it the fastest rising album in U.K.

chart history. To add to the monumental success, U.S. fans made Amazon chart history as well, with her album being listed as one of the most pre-ordered items in Amazon history.

In a recent interview, Simon Cowell confessed that while he never knew a person more deserving of the success Boyle is presently receiving, he does worry about whether she will be able to cope with the stress and strain of instant stardom. After a recent makeover and amidst her current U.S. tour, reports came in that Boyle was delighted with her success, but suffering from stress and exhaustion. Though she knows in her heart that her life will never be the same, she looks toward the future with bright eyes and the anticipation of an excited child who knows that she is living a dream most people could never begin to imagine.