Troy grew up in a modest family household where there was no TV but plenty of music. He dreamed of going to college to study engineering and play basketball, but after his dad's death, he transferred to Boston College and focused on helping his mother. While working at a restaurant, he started to jam with co-workers and joined a band called In Like Lions, which had a five-year run. Three years ago, he decided to join his girlfriend in New York and pursue his career as a singer-songwriter. He held a job at an engineering firm for a couple of years in order to fund his debut EP. In 2016, his music caught fire on streaming sites - with almost 4 million plays and counting - so he decided to leave his job and pursue music full time.