Vance Joy‘s 2014 debut album, Dream Your Life Away, was released 10 years ago Thursday. The record includes the Australian singer-songwriter’s breakout hit, “Riptide,” which he tells ABC Audio earned an early endorsement from some important people in his life.
“I played it to my mom and dad, and they were like, ‘Wow, that’s really good!'” Vance, born James Keogh, says.
Even beyond the parental approval, Keogh always felt “Riptide” “had some magic in it” and describes it as the kind of song “you want to play … to everyone who walks in your door.”
“Basically any opportunity where there’s a guitar in the room, you’re like, ‘Hey, check out this song I wrote,'” he says.
At that point, Keogh’s only goal with “Riptide” was to record it, so in very early 2010s fashion, he found a recording studio through Facebook. Some time later, when he heard it played on Australia’s famed triple j radio station, “Riptide” had already exceed all of his expectations.
“It was amazing, what a thrill,” Keogh says. “So after that, I was like, I feel I’ve made it, you know?”
A decade later, “Riptide” is certified Diamond by the RIAA, while Dream Your Life Away as a whole is certified double Platinum. The album also spawned hits including “Mess Is Mine” and the deluxe track “The Fire and the Flood.”
Keogh will be playing “Riptide” and digging into some deeper Dream Your Life Away cuts on his upcoming anniversary tour, which launches Friday in San Diego.
“I’m glad these songs have a moment to get, I guess, taken back out of the closet and put in a spotlight for a moment,” he says.
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