Breaking out as an artist, sharing the stage with stars like Taylor Swift and P!NK, and eventually headlining his own shows were some of his realized visions, but winning the hearts of music fans across the globe and making them appreciate his songs took Vance Joy’s career and dreams as music artist to a whole new level.
Talking to Manila Standard Entertainment, Australian singer-songwriter Vance Joy—who has over 3.1 billion streams to his name—tackled the unexpected reward he gets out of writing songs that many people resonate with.
“It’s very special, it means a lot to me. I feel very fortunate to be in the position wherein I write songs and there are people who are excited to hear them. A lot of people out there who write songs but don’t always have an audience. That’s the most important part of the process,” the singer said of the impressive feat of making millions of people listen to his songs.
“It’s nice to have that kind of connection with people. To be writing songs that I’m really passionate about and get goosebumps and feel this adrenaline rush when I play a new song, and to feel that same feeling kind of coming back to me from the people I play the song to, is just surreal,” he added.
It’s no surprise that listeners all over the world connect to Vance Joy's intimate yet anthemic songwriting. His lyrics take you on a journey that will reach out and hold you for a delicate moment. Bringing together a unique, charming mix of folk music with pop influences, these songs capture the familiar pulse of everyday experiences in a unique and celebratory manner.
Case in point, his newest release “Missing Piece,” inspired by separation from a loved one, is gaining traction online. It is the first taste of new music from the Melbourne singer-songwriter in three years, and follows on from his recent collaboration with fellow superstars Benny Blanco and Marshmello on “You.”
Written virtually during a COVID lockdown with Joel Little (Taylor Swift, Khalid, Lorde), “Missing Piece” was inspired by people all over the globe being separated from their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic and is a song for our times.
“Missing Piece is a song about being separated from someone you love. It can be tough but when what you have is good you know that these separations are just small stuff; you’re both holding the line. It’s about the stillness you find when you are together,” Vance Joy (born James Keogh) stated.
“I wrote it with Joel Little on a zoom call. I’m a big fan of his great songwriting and production. I think we tapped into something that’s relatable given so many people around the world have been separated recently due to restricted travel,” he carried on.
One of Australia’s finest contemporary singer-songwriters, Vance Joy has two #1 Australian albums to his name, 2014’s dream your life away and 2018’s Nation of Two. He has been the recipient of two ARIA awards (Best Male and Best Adult Contemporary Album) and nine of his songs are now ARIA-certified platinum or multi-platinum, including his breakout single “Riptide,” which is currently 12x platinum.
The Melbourne star joined other music acts including HONNE, BEKA, and SB19, no name a few, in this year’s G Music Fest from Sept. 25 to 26.