Dec 7, 2010 16:03 GMT  ·  By

She came a long way from the “cat lady” that presented herself on Britain’s Got Talent auditions: with two albums out and a book, Scottish singing sensation Susan Boyle is now worth an estimated $16.5 million.

Not too shabby for someone who didn’t even do as much press as other (pop) artists to promote her work. Even more impressive if we consider her sales are “old-fashioned” record sales, as PopCrunch reports.

As fans must already know, after coming in second on BGT, Susan was signed to Simon Cowell’s label SyCo and almost immediately started working on her debut album, “I Dreamed a Dream.”

It was a collection of covers that went on to become the biggest debut by a female artist in many years, as well as one of the best-sellers of 2009.

Her latest material, “The Gift,” didn’t disappoint either, getting record sales shortly after release as well. All in all, it’s been a wonderful ride for a wonderful singer – and it translates in a lot of money in the bank.

“Cliff Dane of Britain’s Sunday Times Rich List believes SuBo has amassed an estimated $16.5 million fortune since appearing belting out Les Miserables ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ to superb perfection on Britain’s Got Talent in 2009,” PopCrunch writes.

“Since then Susan, who will face off against acts like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry at the 2011 Grammy Awards, has released two albums and sold 10 million records. Her triumphs are now reflected in her bulging bank balance,” the report further mentions.

Aside from record sales, Susan has also made a lot of money off her recently released book, “The Woman I Was Born to Be,” and from media interviews, of which she only gives a handful on special occasions.

“Unlike a lot of artists who write songs and have heavy touring commitments, most of Susan’s income has come from old-fashioned record sales, mostly CDs as opposed to downloads due to the nature of her fanbase,” Dane says, as cited by the aforementioned e-zine.

“I estimate she is currently worth $16.5 million based on royalties and advances accumulated to date,” Dane further estimates.