Susan Boyle, 62
The year 2009 introduced Blackburn-born Susan Boyle into the limelight when she appeared on “Britain’s Got Talent’s” third series. Belting the tune of Les Misérables’ “I Dreamed a Dream,” she mapped her path to singing stardom, nourishing souls with hits from her studio albums “The Gift” and “I Dreamed a Dream.”
While some skeptics undermined her singing abilities, Susan picked up momentum and even ventured into on-screen work, appearing in “The Christmas Candle” and “Zoolander 2.” It’s refreshing that the 1961-born Scottish singer has never rested on her laurels, endeavoring to continue churning out belters one after the other, making her $40 million fortune.