Vance Joy

Photo credit: Ryan Anderson/Atlantic Records.

Singer-songwriter Vance Joy is set to perform at the O2 Academy in Bristol on March 24th, 2018 at 7:00 pm. Born James Gabriel Wanderson Keogh, the Australian artist took the stage name Vance Joy when he debuted his first single in 2013. His stage name came from a Peter Cary book called Bliss that Joy was reading at the time about an elderly storyteller. At the start of his career, he signed a five-album deal with Atlantic Records. He has since released the EP God Loves You When You’re Dancing, in March 2013, and the album Dream Your Life Away in 2014. His second studio album Nation of Two is set to release in February, inspiring his spring UK tour.

Vance Joy originally started by playing covers and making up his own silly lyrics, but soon transitioned to writing original content. He plays both ukulele and guitar, in addition to singing. His most famous track is Riptide, which reached number 1 on the Triple J Hottest 100 in 2013. The song was inspired by a motel of the same name Joy visited as a child in Australia. His family would often go to the beach for the holidays, which is where the nostalgic feel of the song comes from.

Joy has supported a number of famous artists including Taylor Swift before he started headlining at festivals and announced his own tour in 2014. His first EP and first studio album have both received a variety of awards, particularly for the track Riptide. Joy was announced as Best Male Artist at the aria Music Awards in 2015, and Riptide won several awards at the APRA Music Awards in Australia. Joy’s mixture of upbeat and soulful indie, folk, and pop music will make for an engaging concert in Bristol – be sure not to miss him on his most recent UK tour!