Where The Piano winner Brad Kella is now as star shares major career update

star has become an ambassador for globally renowned pianist Lang Lang's International Music Foundation since winning the show last year. The 22-year-old musician wowed and Mika while on the show with his jaw-dropping talent.

Coupled with his candid confession about his challenging upbringing, Brad won the hearts of the nation and became last year's champion on The Piano - which aims to find the nation's next best piano player. Since winning the TV show, Brad has gone on to perform at a number of events in Liverpool including a sell-out show at the Philharmonic Hall, last November.

He is now an ambassador for the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, which aims to make music an integral part of children's lives across the . The foundation provides schools with high end music rooms, curriculum support and professional assistance for music teachers.

As the foundation's ambassador, Brad's aim is to inspire the next generation of acclaimed musicians from all backgrounds.

Speaking about his appointment, Brad said: "Coming from a council estate in Liverpool to winning a national classical music award show, it’s not meant to happen. But it’s like I manifested it from the early moments of playing the piano."

And Lang Lang added: "Brad’s journey is a testament to how the power of music can transform lives. His raw talent, determination, and passion for inspiring others make him an extraordinary ambassador. We are honoured to welcome him to our foundation."

Recently, Brad performed at Latitude on the Waterfront Stage, following in the footsteps of renowned music artists including Lang Lang. The acclaimed artist was the first classical pianist to perform at the event.

Brad taught himself to play the piano after his foster parents bought him the instrument at the age of seven.

During his first audition, singer and pianist Mika said there was something "something really powerful about him as a pianist", adding: "I feel like not a single inch of it is taken for granted, nor was given to him."

In the final of the TV show, Brad performed his very own composition in honour of his foster parents. At the time, he told the impressed audience: "I got put in foster care. I had the best foster parents in the whole world.

He added: "And they gave me the capability to dream, to believe that anything was actually possible and there’s a stigma with kids in foster care and we genuinely get seen as just a number. I want to show people what a number can do."

He continued: "This piece is called ‘Ev and Frank’ which is named after my foster parents."

Speaking about his upbringing, he revealed: "I got put in foster care when I was seven years old with my twin brother. I was so confused, I remember hanging on to the railings outside my foster parents, and just didn’t want to go in."

He added: "When I told them about wanting a piano, they were immediately like, ‘yes’,” Brad said. “There was a budget for kids in the care system, and Ev put some money in and got me a piano – and from that moment, my whole life changed."

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