Greyson Chance

Move over Justin Bieber, there’s a new guy in town.

We first met Greyson Chance last year when his remake of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” became a YouTube sensation and resulted in his signing a deal with Geffen Records, also home to LG. But he’s not just on Geffen: he’s signed to Ellen Degeneres’ new label, Eleven Eleven, which goes through Guy Oseary’s label at Geffen. Oseary manages Madonna and ran her label Maverick.

Flash forward to several months after Chance’s moment in the sun and the 13-year old Chance has released a three-song EP in anticipation of a full album coming in 2011. First single “Waiting Outside the Lines” is one of those songs that 10-year old girls glom on to like a lifeline as if it were written directly for each one of them individually. It’s a treacly piano ballad about not being afraid to take chances and, apparently, it is so magical, it has the ability to conjure up screaming female tweens who circle around Chance and his piano like bees to honey. No cliche is spared in the video, including the pouring rain at the end (which Chance is so clearly not enjoying).

“I’m here to help you notice the rainbow, because I know what’s in you is out there,” he sings. That’s a lot of weight to carry on his slender little teen shoulders. His voice is serviceable, but I can’t help but feel sadness that all it takes to get a record deal these days is YouTube notoriety. Given that it’s eight months since his version of “Paparazzi” hit YouTube and the best Geffen has squeezed out is a three-song EP (that includes “Paparazzi,” “Waiting Outside the Lines” and a remake of Augustana’s “Fire”), any ability to capture on the excitement from that original YouTube video has long passed. It could also be that it is taking a little longer to develop Chance than expected, although that’s totally a guess on our part.  We’ll know more when the album comes out next year, as well as from how Chance does on tour. He’s headed out to open for Miranda Cosgrove starting in January.  Dates are below the video link.

2011 TOUR DATES (Supporting Miranda Cosgrove):

DATE        CITY                           VENUE
Jan-24       Kansas City, MO        Uptown              
Jan-25       Minneapolis, MN        State Theatre
Jan-26       Milwaukee, WI           Pabst Theatre
Jan-28       Rosemont, IL             Rosemont Theatre       
Jan-29       Indianapolis, IN          Murat Theatre
Jan-30       Cleveland, OH           Playhouse Square Center- State Theatre
Feb- 1        Detroit, MI                 The Fillmore
Feb-2         Munhall, PA               Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead
Feb-4         Wallingford, CT         Oakdale Theatre
Feb-5         New York, NY            Beacon Theatre
Feb-6         Glenside, PA             Keswick Theatre
Feb-9         Bethesda, MD           Music Center at Stathmore
Feb-10       Lowell, MA                Lowell Auditorium
Feb-12       Montclair, NJ             Wellmont Theatre
Feb-13       Westbury, NY            Theater at Westbury
Feb-15       Atlanta, GA                Center Stage
Feb-16       Tampa, FL                 Tampa Theatre
Feb-17       Orlando, FL               Hard Rock
Feb-20       Houston, TX              House of Blues
Feb-23       Tempe, AZ                 Marquee Theater
Feb-24       Anaheim, CA             House of Blues