Dec. 9, 2013 -- The singer Susan Boyle says she has Asperger's syndrome, and the diagnosis has given her a sense of relief. Asperger's syndrome is a form of autism, which is a lifelong disability that affects how a person makes sense of the world, processes information, and relates to other people.

Misdiagnosis at Birth Boyle shot to fame on Britain's Got Talent in 2009 to become one of the country's top-selling female artists. She received the diagnosis a year ago but kept it secret until now. The 52-year-old tells the U.K.'s Observer that a misdiagnosis at birth left her carrying the label "brain damaged." "It was the wrong diagnosis when I was a kid," she tells the paper. "I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong and I feel relieved and a bit more relaxed about myself." Boyle says she was called "Susie Simple" when she was growing up.