The Piano’s Brad Kella took a ‘risk’ when his world turned upside down

Brad said he wants to show that children in care can do anything

Piano’s Brad Kella is preparing for the next step in his career musical career. Musician from Bottle in recent months he has gained fame since his appearance in Channel 4 show.

Brad told viewers that life wasn’t happy for him and his brother until Eve and Frank became their foster parents. He said: “I used to just wander the streets all day until 10:30–11 p.m., causing chaos.

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“I was put into foster care when I was seven, along with my twin brother. I was so confused. I remember holding on to the railing outside my foster parents’ house, not wanting to go in.”

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Brad, who currently lives in Fazakerleycredits his adoptive parents, Eve and Frank, with changing his life. He said, “What they did for me and my brother was absolutely everything. Making sure we were ready for school, routine, getting up early, going to bed early. They gave me absolutely everything and more.”

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Eve and Frank were instrumental in launching Brad’s unlikely musical career, and Eve made up the difference by providing the care budget to buy a piano. He said: “I didn’t start playing piano until I was 14.

“I can’t read music, I’ve never had a lesson in my life. But when I hear music, there’s something there. I feel it differently than normal people. Eve put some money into buying a piano. From that moment on, my life changed.”

Brad said he used to sit for hours practicing piano and teaching himself. He said, “When I started playing piano, I started to have this special feeling that I was a separate person.

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“I owe everything to my adoptive parents, because before them I had no one who believed that I could do something like play the piano. They are the best people in the world.”

On Friday it was revealed that despite leaving the house GCSE exams, Brad won a scholarship to Liverpool School of Performing Arts (LIPA). But his world was turned upside down again.

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At 18, the death of his mother led to a downward spiral that left him virtually homeless for a time. Brad and his long-time girlfriend Abbie were wandering around Liverpool. He was accidentally filmed playing one of the public pianos in Liverpool ONE. The footage went viral online and caught the attention of Channel 4 producers, who persuaded him to audition for The Piano.

Brad said: “I just applied for the show, not expecting anything. I went to the audition in Manchester dressed in a tracksuit… not looking like a pianist at all. But they were delighted, they said.

“I played one of my own songs. Everyone advised me against it because the other contestants played classic standards, and it was risky. But Lang Lang and Mika, the judges, loved it.”

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In 2020, Brad and his girlfriend Abbie welcomed a daughter, Phoebe. Brad explained to The Piano that he was entering the competition for his daughter, as well as to inspire other children in foster care.

He said, “I want to show people that anything is possible if you believe, because I had everything against me. Some people think my story is sad. The best thing about my story is that it’s not over yet. I don’t think it will end with a sad story.

“Children in foster care are treated like a number. I feel like I could be a voice for these children. There is a new beginning for everyone. You just have to look for it.”

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His performance in Lime Street Station The Piano episode filmed in Liverpool was praised, with Mika saying it was “brilliant”. When Brad found out he had reached the final, he said: “It was absolutely crazy to be here. Thank you so much for giving me this chance, I won’t let you down.”

In the final, Brad performed his original song Eve and Frank to a packed house in Manchester. Claudia Winkleman admitted she cried after Brad’s incredible performance. Mika and Lang Lang gave Brad the title of act of the night, and the talented Scouser cried after winning the award.

He said: “I want to show the country that us kids can still do something. We just have to be pushed and have the right people around us. Thank you very much.” Brad also spoke of his love for his partner Abbie Lewis and their daughter Phoebe.

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Brad made it to the finals of the show and won the performance of the night in the eyes of judges Lang Lang and Mike. A post-show message revealed that Abbie was expecting their second child, who was born on July 4 this year.

On his Instagram page, Brad shared two adorable photos of his newborn daughter, Melody Sarah Kellaher. In the post, which featured Melody and Brad together, he said: “My next princess is here, the best Melody I’ve ever had a hand in creating.

“I will love you unconditionally, you are going to have such an amazing life and I can’t wait to share this adventure of a lifetime with you. “4/7/24, £7.90. Thank you all for your love and support.”

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Brad’s love of Liverpool FC was evident during his appearance on the Channel 4 show, with several scenes showing him smiling in a Liverpool scarf as a child. Brad performed at the opening of the refurbished LFC Museum at Anfield earlier this summer and met the club’s record goalscorer, Ian Rush. He he said that “You will never walk alone” has a special meaning to him.

Brad said: “I’ve been in some dark places in my life and I heard that song. I know I can get through something. Those are powerful words. They stay with people for a long time. People might look at it (football) and say it’s a couple of guys kicking a ball around, but to me that’s everything. That’s what I’m waiting for.”

“It’s the best feeling in the world. I watched it when I was a little boy. I still get that same feeling in my stomach when I watch it now as a grown man.”

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Brad was at Anfield for the first home game of the season against Bournemouth, securing tickets for himself, Frank, his brother and a friend. He continued to share clips of his music on social media over the summer and many wondered when he would officially release his music and perform live. That was confirmed on Friday, when it was announced that Brad had signed a record deal from Modern Sky.

The label already has deals with a number of Scouse musicians and bands, including Jamie WebsterThe Sway, Red Rum Club and Reignmaker. Brad, who will also release a debut album, had his single co-written with British orchestrator Rosie Danvers, who has arranged tracks for Noel Gallagher, Adele and Michael Kiwanuka.

Discussing what it was like to record the album, he said: “They sent me to RAK Studios in London to record the album. Some of the best string players in the world were there, reading pages of manuscript, but I managed to get through the whole session – eight hours – just by remembering it off the top of my head, because I can’t read music. I was 13 when I first saw a piano, I’m 23 now, so I feel like I was born to do this.”

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Brad will also perform at Labour Party A conference in Liverpool this month as part of a programme to showcase the value and impact of the UK’s creative sector. His album is due for release in 2025.

Speaking about his musical influences, Brad said he owes a lot to his music teacher at school. He said: “I love all-time greats like Hans Zimmer and John Williams. And newer artists like Ludovico Einaudi and Yann Tiersen.

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“And I would definitely say my music teacher at school, Andrew Peckham-Morris, because without him none of this would have happened. As far as composers go, my favourite has to be Chopin, because he’s the poet of the piano. That’s the only way I can put it.”