Greyson Chance is an American singer, songwriter and pianist who rose to fame in 2010 after a viral video of him performing Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” at a sixth-grade music festival gained over 60 million views on YouTube. Now 24 years old, Greyson has released two studio albums and several EPs, toured extensively and built a loyal fanbase. When Greyson performs concerts, sometimes he has another musical act that performs before him to “open” the show. Having an opening act is common practice in the music industry to provide fans with more entertainment and introduce them to new talents. So does Greyson Chance utilize openers for his concerts? Let’s take a closer look.
Greyson Chance’s Concert History
Greyson Chance has been actively touring and performing live shows since 2011. His first national tour was as the opening act for Miranda Cosgrove in 2012, when he was just 14 years old. Chance has since headlined four national tours of his own:
- The Waiting 4U Tour (2013)
- Somewhere Over My Head Tour (2016)
- lowkey Tour (2018)
- tour de chance (2022)
In addition to his own headlining tours, Chance has opened for big name artists like Train, The Band Perry, and Fifth Harmony at various concerts and festivals around the world. He’s also done residencies in Las Vegas and hometown shows in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Based on his extensive live performance history, it’s clear that Chance is an experienced touring artist who is very familiar with putting on concerts, including utilizing supporting opening acts.
Past Opening Acts
So which artists has Greyson Chance invited to open for him over the years? His first headlining tour in 2013 featured American Authors and Landon Austin as rotating opening acts. In 2016, Chance’s Somewhere Over My Head Tour had Gavin James and Secret Weapons alternating as openers. On the lowkey Tour in 2018, Chance chose singer-songwriter Riley Clemmons to support him.
Most recently, for his tour de chance run in early 2022, Chance tapped singer/producer adaptr and singer Annie Hamilton to trade off opening duties. Other artists like Jordy and starset have also opened select shows for Chance along the way.
Based on Greyson Chance’s touring history over the past decade, he clearly values having an opening act to set the tone for the show and get the crowd excited before he takes the stage. The openers he selects are usually up-and-coming singers, rappers and bands that pair nicely with Chance’s piano pop style.
Benefits of Having an Opener
There are a few key benefits for Greyson Chance having an opening act at his concerts:
- Introduces fans to new talent – Chance uses his platform to highlight emerging artists that fans may not be familiar with yet.
- Creates a more dynamic show – The opener switches up the vibe and pacing of the concert before Chance comes on.
- Engages the audience – An opener starts interacting with and amping up the crowd early on.
- Allows for stage setup – Openers give Chance’s team time to get his equipment ready behind the scenes.
- Lengthens the event – The extra act results in more entertainment value for the ticket price.
Having an opener perform seems to be a concert production choice that Greyson Chance finds advantageous as both an opportunity for collaboration and a way to enhance the live show experience for his fans.
Greyson Chance’s 2022 Tour
In 2022, Greyson Chance embarked on the tour de chance, his first concert tour in four years. Kicking off on January 29, the tour hit over 20 venues across North America through the end of April. The shows were in support of Chance’s 2021 album Palladium.
On this tour, rising Oregon-based singer Annie Hamilton was the sole supporting opener for all of Chance’s headlining dates. Hamilton is an indie pop artist who was hand-picked by Chance to open the tour. Having just one opener travel with Chance for the full tour rather than a rotating setup enabled the two artists to form a stronger musical bond.
In a January 2022 interview, Chance explained the reasoning behind selecting Annie Hamilton as his opener, stating:
“I’m so excited to have Annie Hamilton on tour with me this time around. I stumbled upon her music a few months ago and was instantly drawn in by her catchy melodies and relatable lyrics. I knew right away that her vibe would perfectly complement my shows, and that my fans would love discovering her music too. It’s going to be so fun hitting the road together!”
This statement shows that Greyson Chance carefully considers both the musical style and personality of potential opening acts, and he believes Annie Hamilton fits the bill this time around.
Early reviews of the tour de chance suggest the pairing of Greyson Chance and opener Annie Hamilton makes for a dynamic, high energy show that truly gets the crowd excited before Chance takes the headlining spot each night.
Set List with an Opener
How does having an opening act impact Greyson Chance’s own set list and performance? Typically Chance performs for 60-75 minutes as the headliner. This allows him adequate time to work through 16-20 of his hit songs.
With an opener like Annie Hamilton performing a 30 minute set first, it enables Chance’s show to extend to 90+ minutes total when factoring in her set, a brief intermission, and any encores.
The overall concert timeline and approximate set list length on tour dates with an opener would look something like this:
Artist | Set Time | Songs Performed |
---|---|---|
Annie Hamilton | 30 minutes | 8-10 songs |
Intermission | 15 minutes | Stage changeover |
Greyson Chance | 60-75 minutes | 16-20 songs |
Encore | 5-10 minutes | 1-2 songs |
Having an opener gives Greyson Chance the flexibility to still perform a full set with his band without having to cut anything short. It simply extends the experience into a longer evening for concertgoers.
Future Opener Possibilities
Given Greyson Chance’s consistent track record of inviting rising talents to open his tours over the past decade, it’s very likely he will continue having openers as his career progresses. He clearly sees it as a win-win scenario.
Some artists who it might make sense for Chance to partner with as openers on future tours include:
- ROLE MODEL – Fellow piano pop singer-songwriter with a young fanbase.
- Alec Benjamin – Known for narrative storytelling lyrics similar to Chance’s style.
- Tate McRae – Talented Gen Z singer with soulful vocals.
- Lauren Spencer-Smith – Powerhouse pop singer who got her start on YouTube like Chance.
These types of contemporary artists who are early in their careers would be ideal candidates for Greyson Chance to potentially invite as supporting openers down the road. Fans can stay tuned to see who he chooses to highlight in the future!
Conclusion
In summary, Greyson Chance has a long history of inviting emerging musical talents to open his headlining tours and concerts. For his recent tour de chance trek, up-and-comer Annie Hamilton was hand-picked by Chance to perform a 30 minute opening set at each show.
Having an opener provides benefits for both Chance and his fans, allowing more time for stage setup while introducing concertgoers to new artists. Everything indicates that Greyson Chance will continue partnering with fresh young openers as a key part of his tour productions for years to come.