The Most Mysterious Floor in Rock and Roll History
Visitors from around the world have walked the halls of Graceland, gazed at Elvis Presley’s gold records, stared into his iconic Jungle Room… but one place remained forever off-limits: the upstairs.
Since Elvis’ death in 1977, no member of the public — not even world leaders or celebrities — has been allowed to step foot beyond the stairwell that leads to his private quarters. The Presley family kept it locked, untouched, and largely unspoken of.
Until now.
In an interview that aired just this week, Riley Keough, Elvis’ granddaughter and the new trustee of the estate, did what no one in the family had ever done before: she spoke openly about the secrets held upstairs at Graceland — and what she said left fans stunned.
“It Feels Like He’s Still There”
Riley, who inherited the estate following the passing of her mother Lisa Marie Presley, admitted that she was nervous about saying anything at all.
“It’s the one part of the house that still feels alive,” she said softly. “We’ve preserved it exactly as it was. His bed, his books, his cologne… it’s all still there.”
She described the upstairs as a time capsule, frozen in 1977 — not just in decor, but in energy. The family has made it clear that the space is not a museum. It’s sacred.
“Walking into that space,” Riley said, “you feel like he might walk in right behind you. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like he never left.”
Unseen Journals and a Hidden Piano
Among the revelations, Riley shared that Elvis kept private journals in his bedroom — many of which are still locked away. She also revealed something fans had never heard before: Elvis had a second piano upstairs, one he would often play in the middle of the night, completely alone.
“He wrote melodies that no one’s ever heard,” she revealed. “Some of the tapes are there, too. We’re still going through them.”
She didn’t confirm whether those recordings will ever be released. But just the idea of unheard Elvis compositionssitting quietly in the darkened corners of the upstairs suite has sent shockwaves through the fan community.
Why No One Has Been Allowed Up There — Not Even Family
When asked why the Presley family has been so protective of the space, Riley didn’t hesitate.
“It’s where he lived, laughed, cried. It’s where he was most human. That space doesn’t belong to the public — it belongs to him.”
She admitted that even she rarely goes upstairs, and when she does, it’s never casual.
“You go up there if you need to feel close to him. Not to look. To listen.”
Fans React With Emotion and Respect
After the interview aired, thousands took to social media — not with outrage over being denied access, but with gratitudefor the glimpse inside. Many said they now understood the family’s silence.
“It’s not a room. It’s a heart that’s still beating,” one fan wrote.
Another added: “Some doors aren’t meant to be opened. Some should be quietly respected.”