Here's What Simon Cowell Really Thinks Of Susan Boyle

Susan Boyle's audition on Britain's Got Talent is iconic for a number of reasons, and it's no surprise the video has garnered millions of YouTube views over the years. Aside from signaling a grand, and hugely surprising, new talent as well as the arrival of the reality TV world's most unlikely star, it also captured one of the very few moments in his career that Mr. Nasty himself, Simon Cowell, was left speechless.

The legendarily blunt TV judge and record producer had the power to make or break careers on the spot and Cowell frequently brandished that power with glee. But, with Boyle, his heart melted along with everyone else watching at home. He misjudged this middle-aged Scottish lass wandering onto the stage as another hopeless wannabe with an impossible dream, but within moments, he was proven completely and utterly wrong. The rest, of course, is history.

Boyle's chart success is well-documented at this stage of her career, with The New York Times even reporting she beat Taylor Swift with the global sales of her debut album. Her sophomore record, The Gift, established the West Lothian native as a real force to be reckoned with in the music industry, reaching the top spot in the U.S. and U.K. album charts, just as her debut did before it, making Boyle the first ever woman to manage such a feat.

As Time advised, the Britain's Got Talent alum was overwhelmed, admitting she never expected to be so successful. Cowell, meanwhile, had an even bigger reaction. "I'm thrilled for Susan," he gushed, advising, "She has once again defied the odds. She is my superwoman."

Good Housekeeping notes Cowell eventually acknowledged his bad behavior upon first meeting Boyle during her triumphant return to the stage on America's Got Talent. "I can remember vividly how disgusting I was on the day, before you sang — and then what you did, and what happened afterwards," he admitted to Boyle. The notoriously difficult judge went on to acknowledge, "I mean seriously, [your performance] was fantastic. You're a champion."

Cowell also previously admitted to being wrong about the Scottish singer in an interview on BBC Radio 2. "When I watched the clip back and I saw the whole story, that is when I thought this is going to be huge and I'm going to look like a complete idiot," he revealed (via The Telegraph). He was right.