Most of us have idolized, or at least really admired a band or singer in our lifetimes. But what happens when your musical idol admires you right back?

Fourteen-year-old Ella Nafziger of Baden was on the receiving end of some high praise from her all-time favourite singer, Dallas Green, last week. Green is an international star from St. Catharines who is currently on tour in Australia and the U.S. He is known for hits such as “Comin’ Home” and “Save Your Scissors” while performing as City and Colour He has also collaborated with Pink on an album which rose to number four on the Billboard 200 list.

Nafziger posted a cover of Green’s song “The Grand Optimist” on Instagram and hashtagged it with not only the title but also Green’s band name. He was going through hashtags online and stopped on Ella’s rendition. Her powerful performance hit Green instantly, and he immediately fell in love with it.

The next day on the Australian radio show Double J, he said Ella’s singing brought him to tears: “She has one of the most beautiful voices I have heard in my life.”

Green proceeded to share one of Nafziger’s original songs, “Big Blue Sea,” from her YouTube channel to an Australia-wide audience on the country’s national broadcasting station.

“My music has been covered by a lot of people on the internet, which is great, and I appreciate that. But something about this girl’s voice. It’s not her singing my words, it’s just her voice — she’s got it,” he told the radio show.

The Australian hosts of Double J then interviewed Ella via Skype the next day to get her reaction to Green’s compliments. She was nearly in tears as she listened to the recorded show and was barely able to find the right words on air.

“What are you supposed to say to that?” Nafziger enthused. “I can’t believe it. It takes things to a whole new level because he is so highly respected,” she told the Independent.

The new level includes increased interest in her YouTube song, which went from 250 views to nearly 3,000 hits in less than a week.

Only once before has one of Nafziger’s posted cover songs received a short comment: when Jocelyn Alice of “Jackpot” fame gave her a quick nod.