Inside Susan Boyle's Glammed-Up Childhood Council House In Which She's Lived For Nearly 60 Years

Feb 19, 2021 by apost team

Singer Susan Boyle has been in the spotlight ever since her star-making turn on "Britain's Got Talent" back in 2009. Her performance of the "Les Misérables" classic "I Dreamed a Dream" has been seen millions of times, including by the scowling and then shocked judge Simon Cowell. Although her voice was incredibly powerful, some people might have thought she wouldn't outlast her 15 minutes of fame. Would she be a one-hit wonder? But over one decade later, she's proved the naysayers wrong and shown herself to be a true superstar with lasting talent and popularity.

Since then, she has released multiple albums that have topped the charts and sold millions of copies worldwide. But despite her successful career and fame, she continues to live humbly in her native Scotland — unlike what one would expect of a musician who's worth millions of dollars. In fact, Boyle still lives in the same house that she grew up in.

Situated in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland, the modest house holds a lot of memories for the singer, so she prefers to stay living there rather than move. However, she has renovated it recently, and the results are arguably gorgeous. From redoing the kitchen and floors, changing the wallpaper and updating the furniture, Boyle's revamped abode has elevated her house that she holds so dearly, fusing family heritage with a stylish modern home. She's even had a summer house put in the backyard. In 2020, she gave a tour to OK! Magazine to show off her dwellings. Let's take a look.

Boyle grew up in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland, with her parents. Boyle's mother had her when she was 45 years old, and that was her mother's last kid after having Boyle's five sisters and four brothers — a big family indeed. Her youth wasn't always positive, as she was raised believing that she had a learning disability due to being briefly deprived of oxygen at birth, according to The Guardian. However, this was debunked many years later in 2012-13, when she was instead diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and actually told that her IQ was "above average." Nevertheless, she was bullied as a child due to being different. She's even mentioned that her childhood bedroom was her sanctuary during the years she was bullied, so it's no wonder that her family home holds such a special meaning to her.

After her schooling, Boyle undertook some music training and performed at local venues, as well as her church. She even took part in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Then, in 1998, she paid to get a few songs professionally recorded with her own money. They included "Cry Me a River," "Killing Me Softly" and "Don't Cry for Me Argentina," and she sent them to record companies in a bid to further her career. And while she would get small gigs and sing at church, her efforts never translated into a professional career. After she won a few local singing competitions, her mother encouraged her to audition for "Britain's Got Talent," but fears that large televised singing competitions focused on a contestant's looks meant that Boyle didn't audition.

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Finally, on the insistence of her vocal coach Fred O'Neil, Boyle auditioned for the third season of the show in 2009 and made it on. She said that she'd wanted to follow a music career in tribute to her mother, who had passed away in 2009 at the age of 91. Regarding her fears that contestants would be judged on their looks, she has said:

"I know what they were thinking, but why should it matter as long as I can sing? It's not a beauty contest."

The round of auditions she did for the show also marked the first time Boyle had sung in public since her mom passed. One of the reasons she skyrocketed to popularity after her memorable "Britain's Got Talent" debut is because her story was unlike any other. Just shy of being 50 and showing her humility from the get-go, Boyle entered the public's hearts both for her angelic vocals and her kind soul. The rest, as they say, is history, and over one decade on, Boyle's career is only going from strength to strength. 

Whether you've never seen it or have watched that clip a dozen times, it almost never fails to impress. When fame is achieved overnight, one's life can be drastically changed. Sometimes, this is for the better. However, the changes can often be disastrous. A life of excess and rampant spending is often the mark of quick-found fame. However, Boyle has not fallen into the trap. Despite her incredible success, the Scottish singer has retained a modest life.

In a 2019 interview with the Sunday Post, Boyle spoke about her family house and the importance it holds to her, telling the publication:

“I’ve spent most of my life in this house and I won’t move now, because I feel it’s part of my history."

She went on to explain that she had indeed bought a "posh house" but that her "niece lives in that now." She added, "I share it among my family!" With an estimated net worth of $40 million, it's unsurprising that she's been able to afford two homes, but clearly, her heart is still with the humble house she grew up in. Having lived there for almost 60 years, Boyle talked about renovating her home and giving it a modern refresh. In an exclusive with OK! Magazine from 2020 the singer gave not only an interview but also opened up her house for the video cameras. The video tour takes us right into her home and showcases many of the wonderful changes she's made to it.

Inside, the house is tastefully decorated in a modern classic design, with each room featuring a different color palette. Immediately in the entranceway, Boyle has a collection of religious ornaments on display that decorates the area in front of her piano room. Inside the room, a mixture of religious ornaments and music memorabilia feature in the space. She even has a framed photo from when she met Pope Francis! The music memorabilia in this space includes a framed record that celebrates when she achieved one million album sales — a clear highlight as her career was growing.

The living areas of the house are furnished in soothing colorways of grey and cream. The colors even extend to the home's walls, which were wallpapered in a classic grey-and-cream pinstripe pattern. A grey sofa matches the surroundings, while the living room and kitchen continue the same color theme. The latest appliances helped to bring the kitchen into the modern era, while a gorgeous fireplace keeps a classic look to the living room. She spoke to OK! about the significance that her dressing room holds to her:

"There’s a bit of history attached to this house (as) there used to be nine of us in it. Three sisters used to sleep in what is now my dressing room. Bridie, Cathy and myself. Mary had gotten married and left the nest long ago. So when they all left I was left with this room. This used to be my room."

Considering she has previously stated that her bedroom was once her refuge from childhood bullying, it's no wonder there is a lot of meaning there. Now it holds jewelry and fancy clothes that also tell the story of her rise to fame. She even admitted that she's treated herself to a fur coat, but that she still hasn't worn it in public. In the backyard, Boyle has had a summer house built, although at the time of the interview she hadn't had the chance to use it yet. She told OK!:

“It will be a wee retreat for me, although I haven’t used it yet, with all the rain. It makes the place look bigger and more homely.”

She explained that the reason she had the house renovated was that it had needed to be updated for some time and that she kept losing things inside it. After 60 years, it's likely that any home will need some modernization and it's lovely that she was able to update her space instead of immediately buying something new, as many others in her position would likely have done. Ultimately, Boyle's adoration for her family home says a lot about who she is and the kind of qualities she holds important. She said in her interview with OK!:

"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."

The video tour of Boyle's modest but stylishly furnished and very comfortable home proves that one doesn't need to buy a new expensive house to live in when updating a house you hold dear can be just as wonderful. In fact, it's the meaning in her home of nearly 60 years that makes it so special, and that is something that money cannot buy. For the same reason that people became fans of her when they first heard her sing, Boyle will have undoubtedly gained even more fans once they see the priorities she keeps in life and where she chooses to live it.

What did you think of Susan Boyle's humble abode? We'd love to hear your thoughts. And be sure to let anyone who is a fan of hers know about this story!