Van grew up in Texas on a 15-acre farm as one of 10 children. From an early age he dreamed of being a cowboy, but always had a deep love for music. He started singing in church and taught himself to play guitar. At 19, Van moved to Oklahoma to fulfill his dream of being a cowboy, but realized after a year that he was cut out for something more creative. He taught himself to be a graphic designer and landed a job in Seattle as an art director for a coffee chain. He was able to focus more on his music in Seattle, but ultimately decided to move to Nashville for more opportunities. Van is still a full-time graphic designer and continues to write songs and sing, and comes to "The Voice" in hopes of jumpstarting his music career.