Brad Kella, the winner of The Piano series two, has signed a recording contract with the Liverpool-based label Modern Sky.
At just 23 years old, Kella, who grew up in Bootle, Merseyside, released his debut single, “Eve And Frank,” on Friday, dedicating it to his foster parents.
Kella entered foster care at the age of seven, where he learned to play the piano thanks to a government grant that provided him with an electric piano. As a teenager, despite walking out of his GCSE exams, he earned a scholarship to the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), even though he could not read sheet music.
His journey gained attention when a video of him playing a public piano in Liverpool One shopping centre went viral, leading producers of The Piano to reach out and encourage him to audition.
Reflecting on his experience, Kella said, “I just applied for the show, expecting nothing to come of it. I went into the Manchester audition wearing a tracksuit, not looking like a piano player at all. But they were blown away.”
He performed one of his original songs during the audition, despite advice to play classical standards. Judges Mika and Lang Lang praised his bold choice.
The Channel 4 show, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, features talented pianists performing at train stations across the country, with the judges observing discreetly.
The first series was won by 13-year-old blind musician Lucy from West Yorkshire.
Kella, who plans to release a debut album, collaborated with British orchestrator Rosie Danvers, known for her work with artists like Noel Gallagher, Adele, and Michael Kiwanuka.
Speaking about the album-making process, Kella shared, “They sent me down to RAK Studios in London to record an album. Some of the best string players in the world were there, reading through pages of manuscript, but I managed to get through the whole session—eight hours—just remembering it off the top of my head, because I can’t read music. I was 13 when I first saw a piano; now I’m 23, so I feel like I was born to do it.”
Kella will also perform at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool this month, highlighting the value and impact of the creative sector in the UK. His album is set for release in 2025.
