In a new interview with Rolling Stone, singer-songwriter Greyson Chance opens up about his traumatic experiences working with Ellen Degeneres over the years, saying of the TV personality: “I’ve never met someone more manipulative, more self-centered, and more blatantly opportunistic than her.”
At 12 years old, Chance became a national sensation after a video went viral of him performing Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” at school. In the wake of Justin Bieber‘s success, music industry execs were scouring the internet for untapped talent, and Chance was exactly that when Degeneres and her team asked him to guest on her daytime The Ellen Degeneres Show in 2010.
Needless to say, the first years were a whirlwind for the young musician. Inspired by Chance’s success on the show, Degeneres launched the eleveneleven record label, signing him as her first artist. As he recalls from those early days, the host was “really invested” in his career—to the point that she “became domineering and way too controlling.”
Related: Rosie O’Donnell reveals what Ellen did to hurt her feelings: “I never really got over it”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Throughout the confessional interview, Chance details the shocking ways Degeneres attempted to take the reins on his life, like the time she called up his mother, Lisa, and berated her for not making him watch Bieber’s documentary, Never Say Never, while on tour.
“My whole week, my whole month, my whole year could change [with] one text message from her,” explains Chance. “That was horrible.”
But things started to change when Chance’s career slowed down. He claims Degeneres “completely removed” herself from his life when his second project on her label bombed. He was quickly dropped by Interscope (which distributed music for the eleveneleven label) and claims his whole management team disappeared soon after.
“I couldn’t get ahold of her. Couldn’t talk to her,” he says.
View this post on Instagram
Though Chance would appear on The Ellen Degeneres Show a number of times over the years, he says that the mood had entirely shifted from their earliest interactions. The musician’s account dovetails with a number of allegations lobbed against Degeneres in 2020 from former employees who claimed the host presided over a “toxic work environment.”
Speaking with Rolling Stone, Chance’s mother shares her view of Degeneres’ work ethic and role in her son’s career: “I think that Ellen is a businesswoman. And if something isn’t trending the way she wants it to, she’s going to put an end to it because it’s business for her. It’s not warm and fuzzy.”
“I don’t think she invited people to be a part of her life or take someone under their wing like she did if she didn’t want to see something come of it. If it wasn’t moving fast enough for her, that’s when she started to shut down or shut us out.”
Related: Greyson Chance on his new single ‘Palladium’, Brandi Carlile, and the lumberjack of his dreams
In the years since working with Degeneres, Chance came out as gay and has continued releasing music, having last visited her show in 2019. Though he was invited to guest on the final weeks of The Ellen Degeneres Show earlier this year, the musician declined. As he see it, the program was a “place of active trauma for me.”
“The first part of my career, I owe a lot of thanks to her and to that team,” Chance says. “But the reason why I’m here today talking about an album, I owe f*cking nothing to her. Because I was the one that had to pull myself up. She was nowhere to be found.”
Coinciding with the arrival of his brand-new, third studio album, Palladium, Chance took to Instagram to detail why now was the right time to get this off his chest:
“Writing this album forced me to look dead in the eyes of my past, and reconcile with everything I went through as a kid. I feel a tremendous weight off of my shoulders now that the truth is out. Thank you to [Rolling Stone and Tomás Mier] who helped me take this step & tell my story honestly and whole-heartedly.”
andrewl
Fame and fortune is a long, windy path. Welcome to reality Grayson Chance. You had a helping hand at first which many other people would have loved to have. It did not work, Ellen moved on as you have done. Bitterness will not change these facts.
Troyfight
@andrewl ….exactly right. …..hopefully he’ll grow up about this in the next few years.
bachy
I have some empathy for this dude cuz his career started very young, and the business world is difficult for all of us – let alone children. But honestly, you’d think some of these ingrates never worked a day in their lives, never learned what it takes to support yourself in this world.
Look, your employer is not some kind of GenZ helicopter parent, shepherding you through life with kid gloves. In business, not everyone gets a gold star just for “participating.” There are winners and there are losers. Your employer will fire you if you’re not bringing the value they expected when they first invested in your potential. It’s tough and it’s competitive and it’s how capitalism works and how economies thrive.
Ellen gave you your first break, a recording contract, a shit-tonne of media coverage and multiple opportunities to appear on her show in front of millions.
If your albums didn’t deliver, how is that HER fault?
Your Mom had it right: “I think that Ellen is a businesswoman. And if something isn’t trending the way she wants it to, she’s going to put an end to it because it’s business for her. It’s not warm and fuzzy.”
Duh!
Fahd
He’s telling his truth, and kudos for Rolling Stone for giving him the outlet to do so and get it off his chest. What he and his mother have said about Ellen can’t shock anyone. All this stuff about Ellen is totally consistent with what others have said.
Cazin
Yes, nothing he said is shocking because it amounts to nothing. As in nothing happened to him. I reread his interview because I kept thinking there must be something scandalous or terrible I missed. Yeah, we get it, she’s cold and opinionated, blah, blah. But, basically, she was irrelevant to his story except for giving him the kind of incredible breaks most musicians, even far more talented ones, only dream of. He had a shot. It didn’t work out. Even really big musicians get dropped from their labels at times, then they pick themselves up and carry on. He just seems bitter he isn’t famous. His music is just so-so. He has the potential to be a better musician, but he is not going to get there whining about how he didn’t become an overnight star. That is all he is complaining about.
Prax07
Not surprised about anything he says about Ellen. Never heard of him before this article though.
wikidBSTN
I’m sure Ellen and people like her would shrug and say “hey, it’s just business”.
As someone important in my life told me upon my graduation, if you’re in business and act like a jerk using the excuse that “it’s just business” – it doesn’t make you any less of a jerk.
jackscott
Ellen is horrible, according to most reports. However, he seems like someone that entered the business very young and didn’t understand the overall process. It isn’t about friendship, it is a business. He just didn’t have hits and now he is looking for another moment in the sun. I wish him well, but focus on your music and moving forward not the past.
jwnseawa
*Ellen is horrible…..according to all of Queerty’s reports.
Caelestius
I so don’t get the purpose here. We all agree Chance is stumbling through a funky patch of something most people call “Life.” Next contestant, please. But wait! There’s so much more to the story: The boss was a cranky-poo! O.M.G. I yawned when I first heard that about Ellen in 1835. Sure, most commenters here seem to shrug their shoulders quite maturely on Ellen gossip. BUT, 47 out of 49 just can’t pass-up a free, parting spitball, like, “it might be gossip, Doll, but its true gossip.” But gosh golly Doll, isn’t it time that–whoops, let’s leave that nail file where it won’t take my eye out, Toots,”–isn’t it maybe time we practice “pass on spitballs?” Please don’t hit me! Ill never bring it up again.
Anyway, why is either pale tale in this drained-of-color story even worth the drain they dumped the color? Aren’t we sick of hearing memoirs of nightmare jobs with daydreaming celebrities by sad-sacks who made the mistake that no-one here apparently thinks they’d make: working for a television tycoon? Answer–yes, we’re so over those.
Then why oh why do so many Americans spend more time tracking who’s trending than devoting just a sliver of that cognitive cool-whip to boxing toiletries for Ukrainian soldiers or Ethiopian refugees? These are genuine questions, not rhetorical lectures. I know queer folk are already some of the most generous and most eagerly involved communities anywhere, and everywhere. But this kitty litter story could have been out-snapped by plenty of other queer-interest, and more queer-meaningful, stories. There are also tens of thousands of NGOs and community volunteer organizations in the Americas, Europe and Anzac that serve millions of people and their needs in hundreds of ways that don’t involve money, special skills, a bad-ass attitude or cute-ass outfit.
I’m not asking for World Peace. I’m not even saying give peace a chance. I’m saying Chance get a life, Doll, get a cause and Qweerty, get quality, or more of it, anyway.
Let’s up the ante on how Queerty thinks queer boys satisfy our white-hot intelligence, red-hot deltoids and moon-shot ambitions to leave the world (and Ellen’s non-disclosure agreements) in better condition.
Neoprene
You’re long winded and boring.
Jim
This is nothing surprising. Ellen is an embarrassment to the gay community
sfhairy
Who? Who is he? Oh right, he’s a failed child star. Next.
Neoprene
That’s showbiz, kiddo! Stop whining and move on to porn already.
Terrycloth
Youtube has many of his music videos..my advice. Stop with all the somber ballads..if that’s what you love to write ..fine .too many have the sameness to them..a better producer to lessen the ballads put out a dance record with great hooks.you are a great singer but record after record of ballads and you sell a few time to change things up..
RomanHans
“I owe f*cking nothing to her. Because I was the one that had to pull myself up. She was nowhere to be found.”
Really? She must have been somewhere to be found when “his second project on her label bombed.” I don’t know where the failure lies but she was there and she tried, so this anger now seems misplaced and immature.
Troyfight
@RomanHans ….I thought the same when i read that quote. And even if his 2nd project wasn’t supported (even if it was better than the first) he needs to forgive, be thankful for his first break, grow and move on.
sfhairy
He’s just wanting to ride the coat-tails of the cancel Ellen trend.
Me2
He believed her when she acted like she personally cared and presented herself as his mentor in front of the camera. He was too young to understand the business is full of smoke, mirrors, and phonies and he just was being groomed for exploitation.
Paulie P
ok you star faded and she saws it and dropped you from the label. elton john was dropped rom his label.. she is a terror as has been reported. but you didn’t catch on the way justin did. its ok. move on.
MHaumesser
I don’t know him!????
However, I’ve said ever since people started dissing Ellen, she’s worth an estimated $500 MILLION! I’m sure she really could care less what anyone has to say about her!
jwnseawa
Y’all (Queerty) just can’t pass up on an opportunity to bash Ellen. So he wanted and expected to be the next Beiber and it didn’t happen. Lots of famous people have been dropped before success. Usually that’s when they say they decided that wasn’t going to set them back and made them determined to make it. He’s a talented guy. I’m not sure if the flop was his fault or Ellen’s lack of experience in the music industry. However, as with any producer, it is a business and they are not going to keep and coddle you all your life just because you had some success when you were 12. Funny, nobody said this is evil when hundreds of men have done this. It was just Businesss. I do know if the song posted in the article is indicative of his other music I see why he didn’t make it. He needs to make something people can enjoy and dance to. You make songs that will be popular and successful and then you have the freedom to can sing ballads about how sad you are.
Invader7
Wow. This guy was used and tossed aside. A lot of the comments are caustic & toxic. Yes Ellen is cold, calculating and fake. This man survived H’wood .. I wonder how the above people would fare in H’wood?
Terrycloth
Ellen was a short lived judge on American idol..her record label she signed 4 people who she thought were amazing. Sold zip..she handed it off to somebody else .she tried to mold this kid into justin Bieber..there’s one justin Bieber .this kid writes mature themes. Million times better singer..maybe he needs a better agent or manager. Or record producer who can mold .shape and promote his music.he puts out an album it lays there..go on every damn tv show you can every radio station..work for yourself…