Since her unforgettable debut on Britain’s Got Talent, Susan Boyle has been living the kind of dream most performers only imagine—and her success shows no signs of slowing down. The Scottish singer was beaming as she touched down in Japan, where she is set to appear on the country’s highest-rated television show during New Year’s Eve celebrations.
At 48, Susan has another thrilling milestone ahead: she’s been confirmed to perform a duet with opera icon Andrea Bocelli on ITV1’s upcoming series Pop Star to Opera Star. The show will challenge pop singers to explore the world of opera by learning to sing classical arias—an exciting endeavor for someone whose voice already bridges genres with ease.
Not long ago, Susan surprised even the most seasoned music industry insiders when her debut album, I Dreamed a Dream, soared to the number one spot on the U.S. Billboard charts, surpassing Bocelli’s My Christmas and holding that position for several weeks. According to insiders, Bocelli was anything but resentful—he reportedly joked that he absolutely must sing with this extraordinary woman.
Susan’s first album broke records, selling over 700,000 copies in its debut week and achieving the highest pre-order sales in Amazon’s history. Her rise has been nothing short of astonishing, and now, she is preparing to share the stage with Bocelli, a blind tenor who has sold over 70 million records worldwide and served as a mentor on American Idol.
The two are expected to perform one of his most beloved duets—either Time to Say Goodbye or The Prayer, songs he famously sang with Celine Dion. This collaboration follows another career highlight for Susan: realizing a lifelong dream by performing I Know Him So Well alongside her idol Elaine Paige during a televised Christmas special.
As her popularity continues to rise, anticipation is high for Susan’s New Year’s Eve performance in Japan. She will appear on Kohaku Uta Gassen, the country’s most-watched New Year’s show, where she plans to sing a traditional Japanese folk song called Wings to Fly. This will be her first time performing the piece live, and she has been practicing diligently in preparation.
Interestingly, Wings to Fly was originally included as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of I Dreamed a Dream, which has topped the album charts there despite the fact that Susan had never visited Japan or actively promoted the release in the region.
Pop Star to Opera Star is also generating buzz, with names like Will Young, Kimberley Walsh from Girls Aloud, and former Sugababe Mutya Buena rumored to be taking part. Paul Potts, the opera-singing winner of the first season of Britain’s Got Talent, is also being considered as a mentor to help guide these performers through their operatic transformations.
As Susan Boyle’s journey continues to unfold across continents and genres, her story remains one of talent, resilience, and the power of dreams that refuse to fade.