In 2010, Boyle was one of few artists who featured on Simon Cowell's 2010 Haiti earthquake appeal single, "Everybody Hurts", a cover of the R.E.M.

As part of the lead-up to the album, she held a competition called Susan's Search, the winner of which sang a duet with her on her new CD.

Emeli Sandé was reported to have helped Boyle to write songs for her third studio album, Someone to Watch Over Me, which was released on 31 October 2011.

Boyle performed on the second semi-final results show of the sixth season of America's Got Talent, which aired on 31 August 2011.

In November 2012 she released her fourth studio album, Standing Ovation: The Greatest Songs from the Stage.