Skip to main content

Greyson Chance


Greyson Chance has a huge vinyl collection.

"I'm really into old music," he said during a phone interview earlier this month. "I think a lot of people just love being able to hold up something that is the actual record. When you buy an MP3, you can't really see it."

To the 14-year-old singer/pianist, '80s bands Journey and AC/DC are old. (But give him credit. Most teens consider Britney Spears to be before their time.)

Even though Greyson gets nostalgic about the analog age, he's a product of the digital age.

He covered Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" at an April 2010 choir event at his Oklahoma school. Other kids performed songs from "Annie" or other musicals.

"I wanted to do something bonkers," Greyson said.

He did. (You can see the stars in the eyes of his sixth-grade classmates on the YouTube video.)

Millions of people clicked on the YouTube video of his performance, making it the site's No. 3 most popular video of 2010.

Other entertainers took notice. Greyson even got to meet the Mother Monster herself - Lady Gaga.

"She's become a big influence," Greyson said.

Both he and Gaga have spoken out against bullying. Greyson even penned a song "Bullying Must Stop."

He was never picked on personally, but he receives mail from fans who share horror stories.

"I wanted to have the fans be connected through the music," he said. "I wanted to show them . . . a happy ending."

While Gaga gave Greyson inspiration, he credits Ellen DeGeneres with his subsequent success. She was the first to invite him on her show. He was such a hit, she invited him back multiple times and signed him to her record label eleveneleven.

"Waiting Outside the Lines" - his first single - debuted to big numbers. He's toured the nation and, Saturday, Sept. 17, he'll stop by the York Fair for a free concert.

After Cody Simpson backed out of the date, York Fair President Gene Schenck was willing to offer the show for free to grow the grandstand's teen audience.

"This is a young man starting out," Schenck said. "He has a future. Maybe he'll remember us."

Concertgoers can expect to hear his first full-length album, "Hold On 'Til The Night," which dropped last month.

"I was working on the record . . . since the first day on 'Ellen,' " Greyson said. "I will be performing the whole album at the York Fair."

The show will be Greyson's first trip to York. As a kid, he attended and performed at the Oklahoma State Fair. He was excited to ride the rides and sample the food at state fairs during his summer tour. But he might have had one too many deep-fried Snickers.

"I couldn't have any more fried food," he said with a laugh.

Fans who don't get a chance to see Greyson while he's in town will be able to see him guest star on the Fox sitcom "Raising Hope" this fall

"I grew up in theater," Greyson said. "(Doing TV) was a completely different experience. I had fun working (with) the cast."

And, like any child of the digital age, Greyson social networks constantly.

"I love connecting with (fans)," he said. "I'm a normal kid. I always need to have my phone and my computer."

- Erin McCracken, FlipSide staff

If you go

Greyson Chance will perform a free solo show Saturday, Sept. 17, at the York Fair's Toyota Grandstand, 334 Carlisle Ave., West Manchester Township. For details, visit www.yorkfair.org.

If you go

For details about Greyson Chance, visit www.greyson-official.com.

Read stories, watch videos and view photos of the York Fair at yorkblog.com/fair.

Read more meet-the-artist interviews at flipsidepa.com/musicdirectory.