It's Greyson Chance, the Oklahoma Swooner

By Marc Schneider Posted May 12th 2010 05:20PM

Greyson Michael Chance is the quintessential overnight sensation. A day after a video showing the tween performing Lady Gaga's 'Paparazzi' exploded on YouTube, Chance is jetting around the country, rubbing elbows with Ellen DeGeneres (he'll be on her talker on Thursday) and fielding a flood of interview offers. Meredith Vieira's fingers must be tired from dialing all day.

You've seen the video and you know what his acrobatic voice does to tween girls. But who is Greyson? PopEater spoke with the 12-year-old virtuoso's music teacher, Kelly Cheek, to get the skinny on the kid everyone's calling the next Justin Bieber.

First things first, Greyson is a sixth-grader at Cheyenne Middle School in Edmond, Oklahoma. The performance was part of a district-wide talent show at a nearby middle school. Cheek tells us that, amazingly, Greyson has only been in her choir class since January.

"I have to say, he has done pretty awesome [in class]!" she said, glowingly. "I have never seen anyone with his level or type of talent."

His unique gift -- think Tori Amos if she were a 12-year-old boy from Oklahoma -- has helped him rack up well over a million views for the video, and has inspired a Facebook fan page, which currently has nearly 10,000 devotees screaming "WOW!" and "Sooooo Cool!" "It's amazing to see that level of comfort from such a young performer," Cheek said.

But Greyson isn't the only star of the clip, of course. Seated behind him on the risers, slack-jawed and staring, are a dozen or so young girls doing their best to not faint on each other.

"He put the video up himself, and the reaction at the concert alone was crazy," Cheek recalled of the scene. "All of the girls were screaming, they just loved it!"

Cheek, who it should be noted is NOT the woman near the end of the video, has high hopes for her pupil, but for now is just hoping he comes back to class before summer break.

"I am unsure of his plans after this," she tells us. "We really hope he comes back to school for the rest of the year, but after this video, who knows what his future holds!"

Cheek says there's been "constant excitement" at the school all day Wednesday and that "its been very hard to get any work done" with all the Greyson-fever going around. "We have a very long list of people who have called wanting to talk to Greyson!"

Greyson was Student of the Month last October. We're just gonna go out on a limb and predict he'll reprise that honor for May.

So, what about Greyson's other talents? On his YouTube page, the only other videos he's uploaded are self-penned and are a far cry from your normal 12-year-old pop fare. According to the child prodigy, one of the tracks, 'Stars,' is "about a wife who dies of cancer but then she goes to heaven ... Then the husband shortly after her." Watch:

'Stars'

'Broken Hearts'

Tags: Greyson, Greyson Chance

Comments

(99)

Thursday 13 May

By Patty

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Raw, true and God given talent!!! So inspirational and uplifting to see a STAR in the making. Hang on Chance, you are about to endeavor upon the ride of your life!! They won't even have to change your name, it's perfect! You will be walking on cloud nine, just remember to keep your feet on the ground:)

Friday 14 May

By SoCalScott

What a great talent, all around....there is absolutely no disputing that.

However, it seems like he's inherited the G-A-Y gene too, boo-hoo.....oh, well. Sorry ladies....

By Miranda

David Foster should grab him up and make him a big star! I haven't heard a voice like that in a very long time! The kid definitely has "it"! Excellent!! We're going to hear a lot more about and from Greyson...

By maisyg

What a voice for a 12 year old. Awesome talent. He's gonna be a star! He should go on America's Got Talent!!!

By jeffthrow6892

This kid is going to blow up big time!! Amazing talent, the number of views for that video are incredible.....

By NDB

This is an amazing young man; such virtuosity at a young age! What most people don't realize is that what often seems an endowed "talent" is actually only 33% talent and 66% hard work(1% luck). It's obvious that he loves what he is doing and will do well as an adult if he continues to work hard at developing his talent. I worry that too much fame too soon may give him the notion that he will no longer have to work at his craft; that would possibly be the demise of a potentially great man in music. I also hope his formal education does not begin to take a backseat to the temporary fame he is currently experiencing. Fame can be so fickle, but education is for a lifetime.

By dvdfrnzwbr

It has been 20 + years since somebody has hit the music seen, like this kid, with musical talent. Refreshing to see talent and not some gimmick like gaga.

By Roorback.com

Act now, eighth grade girls, before he turns thirteen and realizes your rapidly developing female bodies do nothing for him.

By brokentalas

Yea the girl sitting one row down from the top just to the right of us (viewers) showed no enthusiasm at all to what she was hearing, but just played with her hair. Is she alive to what she was hearing or just a zombie!

Americas got talent / please but no way. There was once a young girl on that show that could play the piano / b-box singing/ and could sound like she was playing the piano and other instruments with just her voice.
She lost to a flipping ventriloquist whom is head lining in Vegas! That show is set up!

By tony

In a word............GREAT!!!!!!!!!!! SUPER TALENT!!!!!!!!

By John

My daughter goes to the same school as Greyson, and from what she says he is an awsome person as well.

By Sarah Wax

OMG, this kid has awesome talents, piano and singing as well,totally rocked the song and people are right, he is half better than justin beiber!

Saturday 15 May

By kayc

he just killed justin bieber. my jaw dropped when i saw this. justin bieber needs to go away now

Monday 17 May

By Sherie Rae

I have been a singer and entertainer for years...this incredible boy brought me to tears. Really a special talent here. I hope he has some good people to guide him.

Tuesday 18 May

By JOEY

he wasnt that great but he was good But not like the original GAGA

Wednesday 26 May

By VANCE DEE

THIS KID IS A HOT ITEM. I LIVE IN OKC, AND HOPE T SOME DAY SEE HIM LIVE, OR MAYBE EVEN MEET HIM. I HAVE COUSINS IN EDMOND THAT ARE ABOUT HIS AGE, AND AM WONDERING IF THEY MAY KNOW HIM, OR AT LEAST KNOW WHO HE IS FROM SCHOOL. I WILL FIND OUT.

YOU ARE GOING PLACES. KEEP IT CLEAN AND HONEST, AND HONOR GOD, FOR YOUR TALENT IS THE GIFT YOU HAVE RECEIVED FROM HIM.

Saturday 19 June

By Greenson

I really like the sound in terms of his piano playing and his voice was so beautiful ...

i like greyson :)

Friday 25 February

By brinnie

GRESON CHANCE IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AMAZINGLY TALENTED [LUV HIM]
I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO MEET GREYSON CHANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SOOOOOOO BADLY I WROTE HIM A SONG I MADE HIM A SHIRT I SANG ONE OF HIS SONGS FOR A TALENT SHOW I LOVE HIM THAT MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOPE YOU SEE THIS AND WRITE BACK IF YOU EVER HAVE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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