Ozzy Osbourne Gifts \$50 Million and Scholarships to Teens Who Penned Emotional Farewell Song
*By Raven Thomas | July 9, 2025*
In a move that has stunned both fans and the music industry alike, heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne has awarded \$50 million and full-ride scholarships to two teenagers who wrote a heartfelt farewell song in his honor. The song, titled *“Ode to the Prince,”* has taken the internet by storm, amassing over 120 million views in less than a week.
The track, written and performed by 17-year-old Ellie Martinez of Austin, Texas, and 18-year-old Jordan Thomas of Liverpool, UK, was uploaded to YouTube just ten days ago as a tribute to Osbourne’s decades-long influence on rock music and pop culture. The duo—who met in an online songwriting community—crafted the song as a “goodbye letter” from the fans to Osbourne, who announced his final retirement from performing last year due to ongoing health complications.
“I was sitting in my garden, having a cup of tea, and my granddaughter showed me the video,” Osbourne told *Rolling Stone* in an exclusive interview. “By the end of it, I was in tears. It wasn’t just a song—it was a love letter. A bloody masterpiece. I knew I had to meet them.”
Within 48 hours of watching the video, Osbourne’s team tracked down Ellie and Jordan. What began as an invitation to meet the Prince of Darkness quickly turned into something much larger. At a private event in Los Angeles on Monday night, Osbourne stunned the teens by presenting each of them with a \$25 million gift and announcing full scholarships to the universities of their choice.
“I thought we were just going to get a handshake,” said Ellie, who plans to attend Berklee College of Music in the fall. “Then Ozzy handed us these envelopes and said, ‘I want to make sure your futures are as loud as your love for music.’ I cried so hard I forgot to breathe.”
Jordan, who is set to attend the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, described the moment as “something out of a dream.”
“I grew up idolizing Sabbath. My dad used to blast *Paranoid* on vinyl every Sunday morning. Meeting Ozzy, let alone having him support our education like this—it’s more than surreal,” he said.
Osbourne, now 76, has long been known for his eccentric personality and rockstar antics, but in recent years he’s shown a softer, more philanthropic side. His wife, Sharon Osbourne, said the gift was entirely his idea.
“He told me, ‘If this is my last big act as Ozzy, I want it to be something that echoes beyond the stage,’” Sharon said. “That’s what these kids did. They gave him a sendoff that touched his soul.”
The song itself is a haunting ballad layered with orchestral guitars and subtle nods to Osbourne’s iconic hits, including lyrical references to *Crazy Train*, *No More Tears*, and *Dreamer*. It ends with the lines:
*”You gave the misfits a place to belong,
With every scream, you sang our song.
So rest now, Prince, your crown still shines,
In every riff and every line.”*
The teens have since been offered record deals and multiple media appearances, but both have stated their focus remains on their education—at least for now.
Osbourne says he plans to release the song officially under his label, Ozzfest Records, with all proceeds going to music education programs in underserved communities.
“I’ve had a hell of a ride,” he said, smiling through tears. “But knowing the next generation is this talented—and this kind? I can go out knowing rock is in good hands.”
As for Ellie and Jordan, they remain humbled and stunned by it all.
“We didn’t write the song for fame or money,” Ellie said. “We wrote it because we love him. That’s all. And somehow, that love came back to us tenfold.”
