Vance Joy

He studied at Monash University, where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Arts and Law, although he still needed to complete a year of internship to become a lawyer.In 2012, Joy moved to Brunswick, a suburb of Melbourne, with a friend. He participated in open mic nights at a café on Chapel Street, where he performed his own songs accompanied by a ukulele. He adopted the artistic name «Vance Joy» from a character in the book Bliss by Peter Carey, to demonstrate his commitment to music and because his surname was difficult to pronounce. In 2012, he formed a band and in October they performed their first concert. In 2013, he signed a contract with Liberation Music, and after a performance at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, he caught the attention of Craig Kallman and Stefan Max of Atlantic Records, signing an agreement for the global distribution of his music, except in Australia and New Zealand.In March 2013, Joy released his first EP, God Loves You When You're Dancing, followed by the single «Riptide».

The song, which he began writing in 2008, was completed in 2012 after receiving positive feedback from his family. To promote it, he funded a music video with savings from his work at a call center. «Riptide» became a hit in Australia, reaching sixth place on the singles chart and staying five weeks in the top ten. By May 2015, it had been on the top 100 for 107 consecutive weeks, a record for an artist. In 2013, it was the most sold Australian single and the second with the most continuous downloads, receiving five platinum certifications from ARIA, equivalent to 350,000 units sold. Additionally, it was the most popular song of the year according to the annual radio Triple J survey.