Australian indie folk singer/songwriter Vance Joy began his career playing the Melbourne open-mike scene at the end of the 2000s while completing his law degree. Finding success with his intimate Bon Iver-influenced songs, Joy decided to put law on hold and pursue a music career instead. Born James Keogh, the singer took the name Vance Joy from a character in Peter Carey's novel Bliss in order to better separate his personal and professional life. As his reputation grew, he began working with a manager, booking bigger shows around town, and eventually recording his debut EP, God Loves You When You're Dancing. His catchy folk-pop single "Riptide" was an immediate success in Australia, and eventually led him to sign a lengthy multi-album deal with Atlantic Records. In 2013, Joy began touring internationally and recording his first album for Atlantic. His debut, Dream Your Life Away, arrived in September 2014. The following year Joy picked up the Best Male Artist gong at the ARIA Music Awards. Returning to the studio in 2017, he set about recording his sophomore album. Charting the life cycle of relationships from start to finish, the resulting album, Nation of Two, was released in early 2018. ~ Timothy Monger