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CBS/ May 14, 2010, 1:08 PM

Greyson Michael Chance Another Justin Bieber?

A young Oklahoma native was recorded singing and playing the piano at his elementary school talent show in April. Now, he's become an internet hit virtually overnight.

Greyson Michael Chance has vaulted to YouTube sensation status with his personalized rendition of Lady GaGa's hit "Paparazzi."

GaGa's platinum selling album, "the fame" won two Grammys. While her video for "Bad Romance" is the most-watched in YouTube history. Her songs have spawned scores of tributes from just about anyone who has a camera.

But Greyson's performance has stood out from the rest. The video of his performance has gotten more than nine million hits. And in just 16 days, has launched him from unknown sixth grader to instant celebrity. On Thursday, he appeared on the "Ellen DeGeneres Show."

He told DeGeneres he's taken piano lessons for three years, but never had a voice lesson. He even got a call from Lady GaGa herself.

She told Chance, "Greyson, you're so sweet and so talented."

Greyson's sudden rise shows the power of YouTube, perhaps now surpassing "American Idol" as a launching pad to stardom.

Bill Werde, editorial director of Billboard magazine, told CBS News, "In the last year or two, You Tube has pretty much become the go-to place to discover music. Period."

Greyson's role model for success is "tween" star Justin Bieber. Just four years older, Bieber has a similar look and was plucked from obscurity after being discovered by Scooter Braun, a music industry manager, in 2008.

Since signing a record contract, seven of Bieber's songs have landed on Billboard's Top 100, and his recently released album, "My World 2.0" sold more than half a million copies in its first two weeks.

Werde said, "For certain people, you've seen a YouTube phenomenon can turn into a very successful career."

But is this the beginning of a career for Chance?

Braun, Bieber's manager, said he's heard that many industry heavyweights have been in contact with the new YouTube star.

Braun said he's seeing a similar quality in Chance that he saw in Bieber.
"When I found Justin, I kind of had this gut feeling that maybe you want to watch more. And my whole idea was that millions would want -- would feel the same way. And I think Greyson's had that same success. You want to see more from him. And that little special thing that makes you want to watch more is really what's special about him."

Braun said the next step for Chance's success is that he be surrounded by "the right people" who want him to grow up and be a good man.

He said, "As far as becoming a child star into an adult star, the secret is becoming a good adult. The business is a lot harder than people realize. As 16, my mother would say I was probably a jerk. So for them to have to be on 24/7 and the whole public watching and waiting for them to make a mistake, the secret is learning to have integrity."

Braun said he helped Bieber become a star after YouTube was getting the content out to the people and showing the star's abilities, such as playing a variety of instruments.

He added, "The other secret was a lot of hard work. I've worked with a lot of artists and Justin, as a child, works harder and want it is more than any adult artist I've ever worked with. It's traveling every single day, going to radio stations, and then the other rule we have is no one is allowed to treat Justin any different. We'll go to a hotel and they have a big suite waiting for Justin, and we give that suite to his mother, and put him in the regular room and make sure he grows up to be a good kid."
Copyright 2010 CBS. All rights reserved.
9 Comments Add a Comment
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JayAdler1 says:
I have a question. When Paul and the mates arrived in the States they had just left their teenage years. Do you honestly think these two youngsters will ever in their lives write and perform a Penny Lane or an entire Sgt Peppers? Will they play comparable to Keith Richard who actually wrote Satisfaction during an English train ride in 2 minutes? I do not care if millions of kids in their age bracket go wild over them. I think that the adults should concentrate on finding more Sir Pauls and Led Zeps and Gordon Lightfoots. We want to see pros on television.
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JayAdler1 says:
I must tell you that I was listening to my satellite car radio today tuned into the Sinatra station when who comes on but Rosemary Clooney singing "Hey There You With The Stars In Your Eyes". From the first bar if you know what a great jazz vocalist is all about, we do not have one artist to day that can tie her shoes or Frank's. We could change things around and get some quality instead of the legion of warblers we have presently by one of the Networks putting on a concert show, pro, no judges, no hype.Reel back to the Midnight Special the night that Sly and The Family Stone did Everyday People. That was the musical genius we need today.
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JayAdler1 says:
Suzanne Vega of Lilith Fair notoriety and Billboard charted hits like Tom's Diner and Luka is touring soon in America and Europe and with new material in hand there appears to be sellouts all over. Tom Jones in his seventies and even the Kinks who were here in the summer are all pros. This thing with the 12 year olds never struggling and the Idols who are aspiring has made my own music review business and the rest of the music industry forced to accept what is the cash cow-the amateurs. At this rate I do not think A&R people will ever find another Van Morrison or Ella Fitz. Why look for the real deal when finding the next Taylor Swift will bring it all in.By the way I am a father and have raised kids so I find no fault with the participants.
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bud278 says:
He seems very similar to Bieber - only difference is I think this kid might actually be able to sing... have you ever heard Bieber live? OMG can't find a note to save his life - it's great what all the electronic support can do for singers now. And anyway, once his voice changes, it's all over for him...
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143HimAlways replies:
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uhhhh idk wat concert u heard but JB snds great in all of them sorry to inform u but u need to get ur facts straight
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bobnjersey says:
[YouTube Sensation Compared to 'Tween Sensation Who Shares Same Hairstyle, Similar Success Story]

and it appears as though they both need haircuts.
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pwhitch says:
Luck and talent have evidently shone down on this 12-year old boy. I personally just happened to stumble upon it after it was posted on msn.com and by that time Greyson Michael Chance (how about G-M-C) was well on his way. One observation I have notice however - what makes the "home video" so compelling to watch lies in the reactions of the ?tween? girls behind him. While GMC is undoubtedly talented and seems to be a natural performer, this unnamed audience of ogling girls is as much responsible to his meteoric rise as to the performance itself. The result was video quicksilver which the entertainment industry clearly sees.
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Jim4Davis says:
Did Greyson say Beeber is his role model or are you just presuming that? For his sake, let's hope that's not the case. Beeber is a manufactured commodity positioned for the tween female demographic who requires AutoTune and choreographed homies prancing around him to distract the audience from his lack of talent; he's getting so much play now because Braun and company know their time is limited and they have to squeeze every drop of profit they can out of him before he soon fizzles. He can't carry on a conversation with anyone who has attempted to interview him. Read all the posts on YouTube...Greyson is so very popular because he is the anti-Beeber. He's literate and he's genuinely talented. To compare him to Beeber is an insult to Greyson.
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143HimAlways replies:
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seriously why are u bein such a hater???? that lil greyson kid need to take his ugly ass bak where he came frm cuz he will never be nor come close to being a Justin Bieber....Justin Bieber is the best thing that happened to the music industry like it or not buddy....dnt get me wrong the boy can sing but not better than JB an he sure as hell doesnt look better then him....basicly wat im sayin is **** GREYSON CHANCE cuz he will never be better than JUSTIN BIEBER!!!!!get that through all yall thick skulls