| | |  | | Home » Hold on Til the Night | | | | | | | Description: | | When 13-year-old Greyson Chance posted a clip of himself performing Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" on YouTube in April, he never dreamed that the video would become a viral sensation viewed by more than 28 million people. The clip, shot by Greyson's dad, shows the Cheyenne Middle School sixth-grader at the piano, singing his heart out at a choir event as the female-dominated audience looks on slack-jawed with amazement. Greyson's obvious talent led to an invitation to appear on The Ellen Degeneres Show just two weeks later (his first-ever plane trip), where he chatted confidently with DeGeneres, performed "Paparazzi," and fielded a congratulatory on-air phone call from Lady Gaga herself, who advised him to "work really hard, be focused, and stay away from girls," adding what had already become readily apparent: "You've already won over everyone's hearts." Indeed this bright-eyed, freckled-faced kid has become a star in just a few short months. During Greyson's second appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show a week later, DeGeneres announced that he was to become the first artist signed to her newly formed label eleveneleven Records, which will release his first single this fall on eleveneleven, Maverick and Geffen Records. "This is my dream and I'm living it," Greyson says. "I've never wanted to do anything else except write songs and perform them." Greyson is currently in the studio working on his debut album with veteran songwriter/producer and Geffen Records chairman Ron Fair (Christina Aguilera, Black Eyed Peas, Pussycat Dolls). "I've already written a few of the songs," Greyson says, adding that he has a few surprises up his sleeve. Spending time in a professional recording studio in Los Angeles is a long way from hanging out with his friends in his hometown of Edmond, Oklahoma. Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, Greyson moved to Edmond with his family when he was four years old. His mother Lisa can't recall a time when Greyson didn't sing. "He's always sung," she says. "Loud. Anywhere. We hear it all the time." Greyson began playing the piano at age 8 and took lessons for three years. Never having taken a vocal lesson, his preternatural ability is all guided by instinct. "He literally just listens to a song and instantly knows what he wants to do with it," Greyson's older brother, Tanner, says. "He just feels it." Greyson says he knew immediately what he wanted to do with his life when he saw Lady Gaga perform "Paparazzi" at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. "I was awestruck by her performance," he says. "I love her sense of drama and theatricality, plus she's an amazing singer and piano player." In addition to Lady Gaga, Greyson also admires Christina Aguilera, the rock band Augustana, R&B singer John Legend, singer-songwriter Elton John, and late Beatle John Lennon. "I love artists who are able to communicate their emotions through music and sing from the heart. That's what I'm hoping to do with my songs." Greyson is already earning kudos for his original compositions. YouTube clips of him performing "Stars" (about a woman with cancer who reunites with her husband in heaven) and "Broken Hearts," have racked up more than nine million collective views. "I want people to be able to feel what I'm feeling when I'm singing," he says. "That's what it's all about for me." | | | Product Details: | | | Audio CD Release Date:
| August 02, 2011 | | Studio:
| Geffen Records | | Number Of Discs:
| 1 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 16 reviews |
| | | Track Listing: | | | 1. | Waiting Outside The Lines | | 2. | Unfriend You | | 3. | Home Is In Your Eyes | | 4. | Hold On 'Til The Night | | 5. | Heart Like Stone | | 6. | Little London Girl | | 7. | Cheyenne | | 8. | Summertrain | | 9. | Stranded | | 10. | Take A Look At Me Now | |
| | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 16 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 20 found the following review helpful:
 I Love EVERY Song, Wide Range of Genres, Surprisingly Emotional - Greyson's Voice is Phenomenal, Smooth & VulnerableAug 03, 2011
By G-Money68
I bought the 10 songs on this album here + Purple Sky (best price is here). Get them ALL, you won't be disappointed. Purple Sky seems to be only available here. There is another fantastic bonus song, called "Slipping Away", released along with this album at a popular competitor's site - look for it. UPDATE ADDED 10/20/2011 >> A THIRD awesome bonus song was released recently (overseas) along with this album. The song is called 'Running Away' - go look for it - he keeps getting better and better as time goes on. Amazing talent!
These songs are all so different from one another - I can't decide which is my favorite - I like them all. Each song has a different meaning, the lyrics are full of emotions, many have commented that they are affected (to the point of tears) by Greyson's voice - and indeed, he does seem to sing from a 'deep knowledge' of what each song means. So much of teenage 'pop music' follows a predictable, copy-cat formula - that I wasn't really expecting anything different or new - probably another Justin 2.0. To my surprise, Greyson has forged a whole new path - it can best be described as his signature genre matched to his personality. Nothing felt forced, formulaic, or out of place on this album.
I watched Greyson do a full 30 minute Billboard.com video interview on August 2nd, 2011. A fantastic, in depth interview - which I highly recommend. Greyson also explains what each song means on a post from 08/01/2011 on Greysonchanceweb.com You'll hear him say, multiple times, how he wanted his songs to be encouraging and reassuring to those who are going through tough times - whether at school or in a relationship, or feeling homesick. He accomplished his goal - I find the songs very easy to listen to - calming, relaxing, peaceful, immersive - and yes, many of them have touches of sadness.
I would love to list my favorites, but really, they all - and I do mean this, EVERY song is entirely enjoyable, unique, perfectly executed vocally & instrumentally, with his signature phrasing, timing and creative twists. Greyson and his team poured themselves into this album and it shows. He wrote 7 of these songs - demonstrating how much Greyson is in touch with our collective human experience. He always comes across as happy and excited in his interviews, so I expected a 'happy-only' album. But I was pleasantly surprised - he totally explored a myriad of themes: sadness - longing - separation - hurt - resignation (Heart Like Stone). Unbelievable.
'Summer Train' - visually quite imaginative, just takes me to a great place. 'Just Look At Me Now' - lots of surprise meanings here. 'Cheyenne' - fantastic dreamy vocals. Watch out for 'Slipping Away' - it will probably pull out an old memory of lost love. 'Home Is In Your Eyes' and 'Standed' - has a way of 'putting you' in the song with him. Brilliant album full of intelligence, intrigue, emotion and PEACE. The lyrics to 'Hold On 'till the Night' were the only ones I didn't completely 'get' on the first listen - they require a little thought.
If I did have a 'con' - it would be that I prefer Greyson singing in the lower register - more bass and less high notes. There are no unpleasant (skreeching) sections on this ablum - Greyson controls his voice better than ever in the high note sections (except for a little skreech in the last part of Summer Train). Only once, in 1 early interview that appeared on Ellen's show (May 2010), can Greyson's dad can be heard speaking in a pleasant, low voice - which means that in the years to come, we can look forward to Greyson's voice also deepening as it matures. I will enjoy watching Greyson become a world-class artist in the years to come!
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
Voice of an AngelAug 10, 2011
By sbrianboyle
I don't usually listen to or buy music, but this young man really impressed me on Ellen and his new CD is miraculous. His voice is pure and the CD is a must have. I bought my copy and am now buying it for my friends. Don't wait, get yours now. Brian
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
Can We Get Rid of Bieber Now ??Aug 06, 2011
By B. Wiedemann
Greyson Has Some Real Talent, His Vocal as well as Musical Style Range on this album is simply amazing ! The Music itself has a lot of meaning too and is easily relate-able to adults as well as the younger audience, Unlike many of his contemporaries (Justin Bieber) **Cough** Greyson Will Go Far.... I am sure of It :-)
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Greyson is Great with a capital GAug 13, 2011
By David M. Rossi
As I write this review it is now a week and a half since the album's release, ample time for me to have listened to the album enough to give a fair review without the excitement of having waited with anticipation so long. I am very happy to report that Hold On Til the Night is the best album of the year thus far. The reason? Greyson of course.
We all know the story now, and if you dont, you must have been on the last shuttle mission or hiding under a rock on the Serengeti plain. Greyson's history is irrelevant to the fact that he is an extremely talented vocalist and piano player. That he is humble because of his life story makes his talent all the more endearing however.
On Hold On Til the Night we are treated to a wide range of top notch musical journeys that with their simple musical accompaniment, showcase the broad spectrum and range in both musical ability and emotion that are present in this young man of 13. The studio artistry never blurs Greyson's vocal fire or passion for what he sings. You literally will find yourself wondering how it is that someone so young can genuinely project such emotional range. Make no mistake, Hold On Til the Night is no bubblegum pop album filled with forgettable throwaway songs that one expects from a young singer. Here we are treated to songs of substance and beauty, of love won and lost, challenges fought for and realized, empowerment driven by youth. This is what the young people of this moment should be listening to. This is the music all young people in the industry should be aspiring to create.
Songs like the enormously popular 'Waiting Outside the Lines' and 'Unfriend You' were just the tip of the iceberg for the depth of this album. With 'Summertrain' and 'Home is In Your Eyes' we are treated to traditional love songs using metaphors of dark and light and shadows and memories of days past when things were different. These are two of the most enjoyable to listen to again and again because of the positive feel they create in the listener.
With 'Heart Like Stone' and 'Cheyenne', its heartbreak and the anticipation of heartbreak that is front and center and Greyson delivers every line with the precision of a sword cutting thru a merciless enemy.
On 'Little London Girl' and 'Stranded', we are off to one of the world's greatest cities and a tropical locale for two of the most smile inducing, upbeat love songs ever created.
With 'Hold On Til the Night' and 'Take a Look At Me Now', its a trip of ultimate empowerment like you've never heard before.
Two of the album's best assets however aren't on the actual CD. 'Purple Sky' is only available on Amazon and it is an exceptional song aimed directly at life's bullies and detractors telling the listener that no matter what they do or say to break you, that it is untrue and that you must rise above because of your beauty akin to a Purple Sky. 'Slipping Away' is only available on itunes and is the ultimate sad love ballad, with tear inducing heartbreak on a grand scale. Here, Greyson is allowed to roam free with his voice full of heart wrenching longing and pain not experienced since MJ's 'She's Out Of My Life'.
There have, of course, been two professional negative reviews for hold On Til The Night. I remind you that you must take these reviews from where they are coming from.
One is from a publication once deemed the leader in the rock and roll world but has since taken to the pandering of industry know nothings and throwaway top 40 trash and artists who can barely be qualified as such. This so called magazine claims the 'fun' aspect isn't there with Greyson. Number one, they are obviously deaf if they can't hear the fun in Little London Girl or Stranded or the overwhelming joy that comes from every word of Waiting Outside the Lines. They claim that Greyson's Handlers (a term I so despise, I mean, come on, Greyson is not a DOG) want him to be the next Justin Beiber but it is they who on countless other occasions throughout the rest of the review continuously try and compare Chance to Beiber. They feel Greyson should be doing what we expect of a young star, more throwaway pop. Sure, thats just what the dying music industry needs right now: More autotuned, modern R & B inspired rubbish. As a publication who should be promoting ACTUAL talent so that they even have a magazine to talk about in the near future, it is long past time for them to get their bearings back.
The other negative review is tied to a blogger who has no actual musical understanding or knowledge of how the music industry works, let alone any chops to properly review a prominent album. This blogger too has a history of promoting artists who autotune their already studio modified voices, sing (and I use the word sing loosely) songs about what certified strippers do, and otherwise deface talented stars by insisting that only this mindless drivel be played on any and every radio station. The blogger's major gripe was that Greyson is too young to be doing the material on HOTTN. Really? Too young to sing songs with positive messages? Too young to sing about love? It is in youth that we LEARN about love and when we experience our strongest feelings on the subject. Who better than a young singer to showcase that? And I'd listen to Waiting Outside the Lines ten thousand times before I ever hear a song about 'shufflin' or 'dougieing' or whipping hair back and forth again.
Its so interesting when you do your history on people who bash obvious talent. The blogger claiming Greyson is too young to sing about love, positive empowerment and everything else on HOTTN has a history of supporting YOUNG artists who put girls dressed more disgustingly than prostitutes or strippers into their videos where they gyrate and simulate sex acts both with the singer in the video and other extras. HMMMM.....sounds a little bit hypocritical to me. That someone would claim that its perfectly okay for a young artist to simulate sex or promote throwaway sex relationships with multiple sex partners in songs aimed at other young people, to me, is not exactly an authority to be relying on when it comes to a properly constructed review of someone singing about uplifting and appropriate subjects with clear talent.
10 of 13 found the following review helpful:
WOW!Aug 02, 2011
By JB
OK, I just listened to this whole album and this kid can crank it! Better than MJ when he was young! Great job whoever all worked on this!
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