Greyson Chance Tells 'Truth': Eyes Two Releases in 2013

The Associated Press, Friday, December 28, 2012, 4:00pm (PST)

Billboard --

After laying low for much of the year, Greyson Chance is gearing up for a very busy 2013. The 15-year-old Oklahoma native, who burst onto the scene in April 2010 with his viral cover of Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi," will release the "Truth Be Told part 1" EP in January, and if things work out, his second full length album by year's end.

"I'm gonna put out the EP first and promote the heck out of that and then hopefully put out the full record, which is part two," he tells Billboard. "So I'm looking to put out the second part in 2013. I'm just gonna be touring a lot and promoting and singing my heart out."

Chance wrote all the new songs -- a "big step" he says. "I had to kind of find the new Greyson and channel him to this new record," he tells us. "So, finally I did it."

On Dec. 31, Chance will perform his new single "Sunshine & City Lights" for the first time on U.S. TV on ABC's "Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve."

"It's crazy! This is the show that you put on for New Year's… it's sad that [Dick Clark] is gone, but we're keeping the show alive, so it's really great."

Posted in April 2010, the video of Chance performing "Paparazzi" at his middle school has garnered close to 50 million YouTube views. It led to instant fame for the singer, who was taken under Ellen DeGeneres' wing and signed to the talk show host's fledgling record label eleveneleven.

Released in August 2011, Chance's first album "Hold On 'Til the Night" debuted and peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard 200. It spent six weeks on the tally and has sold 84,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. His biggest selling song is "Waiting Outside the Lines," which has moved 183,000.

ABC's "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Monday (Dec. 31) with a two-hour tribute to the late Dick Clark. At 10, host Ryan Seacrest takes over in Times' Square with performances set from Justin Bieber, OneRepublic, Jason Aldean, The Wanted, Brandy and many others. Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas will host the festivities in Los Angeles.

_ _ _ _

Find more online: Billboard.com