Do you recall Greyson Chance? Thanks to a piano arrangement of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi,” this 12-year-old Edmond, Oklahoma, kid went from being a bashful schoolboy to an online sensation in 2010. When the video was first posted in April, it had very few views, but once it took off, it quickly gained popularity. Greyson quickly gained millions of viewers and more than 72 million views for his heart-pounding performance!

Greyson, who had been playing the piano since he was eight years old, felt every note. His performance was outstanding due to his unadulterated passion and distinct approach. However, the video hardly created an impression throughout the first few weeks. That was before popular websites like Reddit and GossipBoy.ca joined the trend on May 10, 2010. It was all over by the end of the day. Ashton Kutcher and Ryan Seacrest were among the celebrities who were talking about him, and after receiving the link from Greyson’s older brother, Ellen DeGeneres joined in.

Yahoo revealed the next day that Greyson was going to The Ellen Show. Major publications like The Wall Street Journal covered Greyson’s quick ascent, and the entire world was watching as his star started to rise. In addition to performing a flawless rendition of “Paparazzi” on his Ellen debut, Greyson received an unexpected call from Lady Gaga herself, who praised his performance. It was a moment that cemented his notoriety.

However, it didn’t end there. Returning to Ellen a few weeks later, Greyson sang his own song “Broken Hearts” and won a $10,000 award in her “Wonderful Web of Wonderment” competition. In addition to giving him money, Ellen signed him to her own record label and gave him a brand-new Yamaha piano.

Was everything too wonderful to be true, though? Some doubters questioned whether Greyson’s viral moment was real, and the Christian Science Monitor looked into whether it was all staged. As a spoiler, it wasn’t.

In the year 2022, Greyson’s narrative took a different path. He revealed the darker aspects of his ascent to fame in a tearful interview with Rolling Stone. Greyson described Ellen as “opportunistic and manipulative,” revealing how the media tycoon had deserted him following the success of his debut record. He put his all into his second album, Palladium, which is a very intimate look back at his tumultuous life. In a candid Instagram post, he described how the album’s release felt like a weight being lifted and how he was now prepared to face the future.

Despite the ups and downs of Greyson’s path, his passion for music has remained constant. Regardless of your stance on the matter, his narrative is one of perseverance, development, and the constant quest for genuineness. Follow Greyson on his social media accounts to stay up to date on his latest news.