Stephen Jerzak put out emo-pop records independently prior to inking a contract with a major label during 2010, leveraging platforms such as MySpace to build up a sizable audience among adolescent listeners. Originating from La Crosse, Wisconsin, his musical journey commenced in his preteen years, as he mastered multiple instruments through experimentation in his father’s personal recording space at home. Additionally, he acquired proficiency with GarageBand, the digital program designed for straightforward self-recording of tracks. By combining acoustic guitar elements with rhythms produced via GarageBand, he developed the electro-acoustic style characteristic of his initial releases. Signing up for MySpace during November 2008 enabled him to post his music online, where he rapidly rose to prominence among the site's emerging talents. This exposure soon secured him a support role on Breathe Carolina’s EZBronz Tour, followed by a Universal Republic proposal just months afterward. His first album, My Uke Has a Crush on You, featured whimsical words and ukulele tunes that drew repeated likenesses to Never Shout Never, after which he shifted toward a broader pop aesthetic, first displayed on Miles and Miles in 2011.
