Brad Kella, the winner of the second series of The Piano, was inspired to audition for the Channel 4 show after impressing shoppers at Liverpool One with his performances. Kella, who entered foster care at the age of seven, was able to learn piano thanks to a government grant that provided him with an electric keyboard.

Reflecting on his childhood, he said, “We didn’t have any routine growing up. I never went to school and spent my days roaming the streets until late at night, causing trouble. When I was seven, my twin brother and I were placed in foster care."

He credits his foster parents for transforming his life, adding, “They gave us everything—making sure we had structure, went to school, and followed a routine. They gave us more than I could have ever asked for."

Now 23 and originally from Bootle, Merseyside, Kella has dedicated his debut single, Eve and Frank, to his foster parents. Despite leaving school without completing his GCSEs and being unable to read sheet music, his talent earned him a scholarship to the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA).

Speaking about his experience on The Piano, Kella recalled: “I applied to the show with no expectations. I showed up to the Manchester audition in a tracksuit—not exactly the image of a typical piano player—but they were amazed. I played one of my own songs, even though people advised me against it because other contestants were performing classical pieces. It was a risk, but the judges, Lang Lang and Mika, loved it."