AMERICAN singer and self-proclaimed Lady Gaga fan Greyson Chance earned some serious bragging rights last year when the superstar revealed that she is a fan of his.
The Texas-born, Oklahoma-raised singer first gained recognition when a YouTube video of his rendition of Gaga's hit Paparazzi went viral.
He was subsequently invited by talk- show host Ellen DeGeneres to appear on her show, where Gaga herself called in and praised his talent.
"Hearing from Gaga was fantastic, amazing and very, very surreal," he recalled.
The precocious 14-year-old has since released his debut album, which has spawned hit singles like Unfriend You.
Although the album was released under DeGeneres' label eleveneleven - making Chance the first artist to be signed to it - the teen glazed over questions about the woman who discovered him during an interview with my paper when he was in Singapore earlier this month.
All he would say was that "life has changed 100 per cent" since he appeared on her show. He was in town to play a showcase at St James Power Station, as well as to promote his album.
Still, my paper managed to get the baby-faced lad to talk about love, life and those pesky Justin Bieber comparisons.
What inspires your music?
When I write songs, inspiration comes from my friends, fans, the places I visit. It comes from everyday life - love, hate, anger and happiness.
How are the fans on this side of the world different from the ones at home?
The fans here are very appreciative of everything, and they are so polite. Not that the American fans aren't. Don't put that in the paper (laughs).
I had a very interesting experience in Malaysia, where I was in the bathroom and a fan came in and asked for a picture.
That was not fun. I don't want my fans to see me in the bathroom!
Being a young male artist, you often get compared to Canadian pop star Justin Bieber. What do you make of that?
I love Justin! I'm very flattered by the comparisons. I've met him a couple of times and love his music.
Having said that, my music is more pop-rock, so I think we're very different.
Do you see your age as an advantage or disadvantage?
It's both. A lot of people underestimate me. They say: "Oh, you're 14. How do you write about love if you're too young to experience it?"
I ask them: "Were you ever a kid?"
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