Susan Boyle's Road to Fame (with Photos)

Susan Boyle's Road to Fame (with Photos) . See the Photos of Susan Boyles Road to Fame. . .

Runner-Up
In the final, Boyle sang I Dreamed a Dream but lost to a street-dance group from Essex called Diversity. (Ken McKay / Rex USA)

The Finale
People gather at the community center in Boyle's hometown to watch her compete on the final episode of Britain's Got Talent. (Jeff J. Mitchell / Getty)

Makeover
Boyle prepared for her big moment by getting her hair dyed and restyled. (PA / Landov)

Grass-Roots Support
Throughout the competition, Boyle enjoyed an extraordinary level of support from Britons of all ages and backgrounds. (Caters News / Zuma)

Rock On
Internet videos of Boyle's performance on the show and a 1999 rendition of "Cry Me a River" have already been viewed more than 170 million times. (Caters News / Zuma)

One Week Later
Boyle waits for television crews to adjust their lights during an interview at her home days after her appearance. (Caters News / Zuma)

The Eve of Stardom

This photograph was taken the day before Boyle first appeared on Britain's Got Talent. (Scotsman / Zuma)

Home
Boyle stands in front of her house in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland. (News International / Zuma)

Once ...
Boyle, lower right, poses with her sisters and a friend in an undated photograph. Though her primary singing experience had been in church and at karaoke bars, she is not a stranger to the world of show business. She attended acting school and has participated in Edinburgh's famed Fringe Festival. (Daily Mirror / Zuma)

I Dreamed a Dream
Boyle first surfaced during the initial round of auditions for the third season of Britain's Got Talent, a British talent-competition show created by American Idol judge Simon Cowell. The self-described "never been kissed" woman wowed the judges and the audience with a rendering of "I Dreamed a Dream," the popular song from Les Miserables. (Ken McKay / Reuters)