Vance Joy

Vance Joy catapulted to international prominence once his single "Riptide" emerged as a global phenomenon in 2013. The Australian singer/songwriter fused introspective indie folk with buoyant pop melodies, driving both his EP and first full-length effort, Dream Your Life Away, to multi-platinum status. He sustained that momentum through the decade and secured another chart-topping release with the 2018 album Nation of Two. His third studio set, In Our Own Sweet Time, arrived in 2022.

Born James Keogh in Melbourne, the artist initially showed strong potential as an Australian rules football player until music claimed his full attention. He borrowed the stage name Vance Joy from a figure in Peter Carey's novel Bliss and launched his career on Melbourne's open-mike circuit toward the close of the 2000s, balancing those performances with football commitments and law studies. Growing local recognition soon led him to secure management, expand his live schedule across the city, and finalize a multi-album contract with Atlantic Records. His debut EP, God Loves You When You're Dancing, surfaced in 2013 and introduced the infectious folk-pop track "Riptide." The song's narrative of youthful romance quickly became a major success across Australia, North America, and sections of Europe, lifting the EP to multi-platinum certification and clearing the path for the 2014 chart-topping album Dream Your Life Away, which also contained the hit. In 2015 Joy received the Best Male Artist Award at the ARIA Music Awards and joined Taylor Swift as support on her North American tour. He previewed fresh material in 2017 with the singles "Lay It on Me" and "We're Going Home," both of which registered strong chart positions in Australia without matching "Riptide"'s worldwide reach. Nation of Two, issued early the following year, traced the arc of romantic relationships from beginning to end, earning him a second straight number-one album in Australia while performing solidly on international charts. He further connected with U.S. audiences via the concert recording Live at Red Rocks, which appeared in November.

Joy maintained a lower profile for several years afterward before returning in 2021 with the collaborative single "You," featuring Benny Blanco and Marshmello. Months later he issued his own track "Missing Piece," which earned him an ARIA Award for Best Video. Enlisting producers including Dan Wilson and Joel Little, he completed his third album, In Our Own Sweet Time, released in June 2022. In 2023 he joined Noah Cyrus for the duet "Everybody Needs Someone" and unveiled the live collection Live at Sydney Opera House that April.