Do we like Vance Joy?
Our score: 7 out of 10. No harmful words or acts turned up, no court cases or allegations, and some real kindness, but the public record is fairly thin.
Vance Joy is the stage name of James Keogh, the Australian singer-songwriter behind the ever-present hit Riptide. He grew up Catholic, went to Catholic primary and high school, and told 303 Magazine his school was strict but still backed his music and sport.
His big break came when Taylor Swift covered Riptide on BBC Radio 1 and then took him on tour, which is how America found him. By 2017 he was releasing new singles and prepping a follow-up album, and he's been a festival and stadium regular ever since.
On the harm test, there's honestly not much to report. Searches for his views on LGBTQ+ people, women, vaccines, climate and politics turned up nothing harmful, and he's not a grievance-poster or culture-war merchant. His recent work is touring, including opening for Ed Sheeran across Australia and New Zealand in early 2026, and no dodgy collaborators showed up.
Faith doesn't change that. He's talked about growing up Catholic, but said his song God Loves You When You're Dancing wasn't meant to carry religious meaning, and was about being yourself through joy. Nothing in that reads as anything but warm.
He told Nylon the thing he values in himself is “Being kind, showing kindness.” You can say that about yourself and not mean it, but nothing we found contradicts it, and it fits the picture.
Nothing new on him lately beyond music: a double A-side single, Divine Feelings and Fascination in the Dark, in October 2025, and the Sheeran stadium run. The one caveat is that he's a private, low-drama bloke, so the record is thin on strong stands either way.