From Viral Prodigy to Finding His Voice: The Real Story of Greyson Chance
Do you remember Greyson Chance?
In 2010, the 12-year-old from Edmond, Oklahoma, stunned the internet with a soulful piano cover of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” during a school talent show. Though the video gained little attention at first, everything changed on May 10, 2010, when websites like Reddit and GossipBoy.ca picked it up. By the end of the day, it had exploded. Millions were watching. Celebrities like Ashton Kutcher, Ryan Seacrest, and Ellen DeGeneres were sharing it. The world had discovered a star.
Greyson had been playing piano since he was 8, and his performance stood out not just for its technical skill, but for its raw emotion and unique interpretation. He wasn’t just a kid playing a pop song — he was an artist in the making.
The next day, Yahoo announced Greyson would appear on The Ellen Show. There, he not only performed “Paparazzi” again with stunning poise but also received a surprise phone call from Lady Gaga herself, who praised him as an inspiration. His rise was meteoric. Returning to Ellen weeks later, he debuted an original song, “Broken Hearts,” and won a $10,000 prize in her “Wonderful Web of Wonderment” segment. Ellen even signed him to her new record label and gifted him a brand-new Yamaha piano.
But behind the bright lights, there was a more complicated story unfolding.
In 2022, Greyson shared a revealing interview with Rolling Stone, opening up about the darker side of his early fame. He described Ellen as “opportunistic and manipulative”, claiming she distanced herself after his first album’s success waned. He poured his emotions into his second album, Palladium, calling it a deeply personal reflection of his highs and lows. On Instagram, he said its release felt like “a weight lifted.”
Though the viral fame faded, Greyson’s passion for music never did. Now older and wiser, he continues to write, perform, and reclaim his story on his own terms.
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