Prior to starting his music career, Philadelphia native Dustin Tavella worked for a humanitarian organization aiding the homeless and mentoring in youth programs. Once he began to recognize the impact positive music could have on people, he began to make the shift toward a career in entertainment, writing, and recording his R&B-flavored pop songs and posting them on YouTube. Beginning in 2011, he began releasing singles and gained some national exposure when he appeared on CMT's romance reality show Sweet Home Alabama the following year. Mixing a bit of country into his predominantly urban style, he released a handful of singles related to the show. In 2013, he released the single "Everybody Knows (Douchebag)," which went viral when pop singer Selena Gomez choreographed a dance video to the song as a send-off to ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber. Later that year, Gomez made a cameo in Tavella's official video for the song. An EP called Phases 1 | 3 arrived in 2014. ~ Timothy Monger