Susan Boyle Delivers Powerful Performance After Suffering a Stroke and Losing Her Ability to Speak

Susan Boyle is defying the odds. The 62-year-old singer returned to the Britain's Got Talent stage to deliver a powerful performance just one year after she says she suffered a stroke that left her unable to speak or sing.

Boyle made the shocking revelation after joining the West End cast of Les Misérables for a performance of the song that made her a star, "I Dreamed a Dream."

"It feels great," she said onstage. "It's extra special for me, actually. Because last April there, I suffered a minor stroke."

Boyle then took to Instagram to expand on her explanation.

"Tonight I had the privilege of returning to @bgt and performing with the wonderful cast of @lesmizofficial. This evening was even more special for me as in April of 2022 I had a stroke. For the past year I have worked so hard to get my speech and singing back, with the sole aim of being able to sing on stage again & tonight my hard work & perseverance paid off, singing the song that started it all, 'I Dreamed A Dream'" she wrote in her caption, along with a slideshow of photos from the evening.

The Scotland native first made global waves when she appeared as a contestant on the series' third season in 2009. She released a debut studio album later that year, culminating in seven studio albums released over the course of the next 10 years.

Simon Cowell gushed over Boyle's return to BGT.

"Susan, we owe you so much and I knew you weren’t well, but if anyone was going to come back, you were going to come back because we wouldn’t be the same without you," he said. "You are amazing."

In 2019, Boyle returned to reality TV in epic fashion on America's Got Talent: The Champions. The best-selling classical singer was honored at the time with the coveted Golden Buzzer.

"Most of the audience was laughing, but when I opened my mouth that seemed to change," Boyle said in a pre-taped package ahead of her performance, reflecting on her memorable debut on BGT. "You don't expect people to get that excited about you."

"Britain's Got Talent absolutely changed my life," she continued. "People saw me as somebody quite ordinary. I lived alone with my cat, Pebbles. [Now], I've sold 20 million records! Wow, even I'm overwhelmed. This has helped me fulfill the dream I've had since I was five."

RELATED CONTENT:

Susan Boyle Earns 'AGT: The Champions' Golden Buzzer: When We First Met the Singer

'AGT' Season 18 Kicks Off With Emotional Golden Buzzer and Scary Falls

See Ed Sheeran Surprise 'AGT' Alum Mike Yung With Duet in NYC Subway

'AGT: All-Stars' Is Bringing the World's Best Performers Together