Susan Boyle has made the bigtime and not only in America.

Boyle’s debut album “I Dreamed a Dream” (Syco Music/Columbia) is a record-smashing success around the world. In America it sold 701,000 copies, the biggest-first week sales of any album this year and the biggest opening sales week for any debut album since Snoop Dogg’s “Doggystyle” in 1993.

Susan Boyle’s album “I Dreamed a Dream” is the biggest female album launch since record-keeping began 20 years ago. “I Dreamed a Dream” is the best debut week by a female artist since SoundScan began tracking record sales in 1991, says NYTimes ArtsBeat Blog. Susan is outselling Lady Gaga and Rihanna.

Simon Cowell not only produced Susan’s debut album but is making a documentary about her dream-come-true story. In this YouTube clip, Cowell reflects on Susan’s rise to superstardom, calling hers the “great underdog story … like a Hollywood movie … and exactly the kind of story that America loves.”

Simon Cowell on Susan Boyle’s Successful Debut

Susan Boyle singing her heart out and also revealing some details of her private life. As a child with perceived learning disabilities Susan recalls being beaten with the belt every day by teachers, according to Britain’s Daily Mirror.

“You’re looking at someone who would get the belt every day. ‘Will you Shut up, Susan!’ – whack!”

Susan Boyle December 2009 via Daily Mirror UKSusan considers that she’s a ‘wee bit slower at picking things up than other people’. Being bullied by classmates was almost worse than the belt.

After leaving school, the dreaming diva continued to grow up in Blackburn, Scotland, looking after her parents. Her father died in the 1990s and her mother Bridget in 2007. Susan was devastated.

The rest is history as we know it. If you didn’t see Susan Boyle knock the world for a loop, here’s a rebroadcast of her debut via YouTube. It’s not embedded; just lick on the photo and be in the 80 millionth person to watch this incredibly human moment that isn’t a movie.

I not anti-fashionistas for one moment, but it’s so great seeing a woman with Susan’s life story win so big on talent. And she continues to be so humble. What a reality check is the woman named Susan Boyle. Anne

I still get teary-eyed watching Susan’s first walk onto the stage in Britain.

Boyle sings “I Dreamed A Dream,” “Cry Me A River,” as well as her interpretation of The Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses” and Madonna’s “You’ll See” on her CD.