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Greyson Chance charms Filipino fans

International pop sensation Greyson Chance proved  how popular he is in the Philippines when thousands of fans flocked to his two-day meet and greet at Eastwood Mall (Nov. 19) and Venice Piazza (Nov. 20).

The 15-year-old singer, who arrived in Manila last Nov.  18, was warmly welcomed by screaming fans, mostly in their teens and accompanied by their parents.

Loud cheers filled the venue as soon as Greyson went up the stage. The cheers grew even louder when he asked, “How are you doing, Manila?”

The voice behind the hits “Waiting Outside the Lines” and “Unfriend You” sang a couple of songs from his album such as “Cheyenne,” “Hold On ‘Til the Night” and “Home is in Your Eyes” while accompanying himself on the piano. He also performed Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” and Brenda Lee’s original “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree.”

Before the meet and greet with fans, Greyson faced the press and gamely answered questions about his inspiration in writing music, what he misses as a teenager and his non-sporty personality. 

It was TV host Ellen DeGeneres who discovered Greyson when she saw his cover of Lady Gaga’s ‘Paparazzi’ on Youtube.

But Greyson is not just a singer.  He also composed a number of songs, some of which are included in his debut album “Hold On ‘Til the Night.”

Sources of inspiration


Where does his get his inspiration?

“I’m very inspired by many things and different artists. I’m inspired by my friends, I get inspired by the things I see when I travel,” Greyson said at the press conference in Eastwood Richmonde Hotel last Saturday.

He also shared that Coldplay and Lady Gaga’s songs inspire him.
Greyson may enjoy pop-rock. But he also loves exploring different sounds and styles.

“I’m in the pop-rock genre and I can definitely evolve into something new and different. What I like about the genre is I can explore different things. I can hop on like do and something urban and it can still work,” he said.

Before he visited Manila, Greyson has been telling his Twitter followers how excited he is in coming to the Philippines. He is dedicating “Hold On ‘Til the Night,” title track of his album, to Filipino fans.

“I wrote that song because I want something that is uplifting, nice and upbeat. I dedicate that to my fans in the Philippines,” Greyson says.

Funny experience

Greyson adds that he loves to tour since it allows him to meet fans all over the world.  He shared a funny experience in Singapore before going to Manila.

“We were riding in a big bus and they were just banging on the windows. Then the staff would tell them nicely not to do it and they were like, ‘Okay.’ But after two seconds they were banging again,” Greyson said, smiling.

Greyson, who started singing and playing piano at an early age, stressed that it is important to be involved in different kinds of art, like music.

“It’s very important to have music lessons. But when it comes to music, they will be able to express themselves. You can have different emotions, you can be happy or sad,’ he says.

Greyson admits he’s not the sporty type, like most kids his age are. His honesty in saying he is scared of the ball during soccer games endeared him all the more to the press. 

“I would like to but I’m not really the sports guy. I’m really not that strong type to do sports. I’ll be the kid who’s afraid of the ball and will be like, ‘I wanna go home and just play the piano.’ My friends are like, ‘let’s go play some ball at the backyard,’ and I’m like, ‘No, let’s just watch a movie.’ So, I’m really not a sports person, I like watching sports though,” Greyson adds.

Unlike most people his age, Greyson has already toured the US and visited other countries. He is also busy promoting his album, doing various radio and TV guestings and performing in concerts and mall tours.

He has acted in the TV drama “Raising Hope.”

Things he misses

Is his career robbing him of his youth?

“I miss some things about my friends and stuff. But to be honest, I love what I get to do, I go to different places and I meet my fans and I just have so much fun with it. Every once in a while, I miss my friends, my normal life. But, I’m just happy now with my fans in the Philippines,” Greyson replies.

Greyson’s “Hold On ‘Til the Night” album is released locally by MCA Music. His two-day meet and greet is organized by MCA Music and Megaworld Lifestyle Malls.