Global interest in Boyle was triggered by the contrast between her powerful voice and her plain appearance on stage. The juxtaposition of the audience's first impression of her with the standing ovation she received after her performance led to an international media and Internet response. Within nine days of the audition, videos of Boyle - from the show, various interviews, and her 1999 rendition of "Cry Me a River" - had been watched over 100 million times, an online record. Despite the sustained media interest, she later finished in second place in the final of the show, behind dance troupe Diversity.

Boyle's first album, I Dreamed a Dream, was released on 23 November 2009, and has become Amazon's best-selling album in pre-sales. The album includes "You'll See", "I Dreamed a Dream", and "Cry Me a River".