For the better part of five years, the musical duo Twenty One Pilots—comprised of drummer Josh Dun and lead singer Tyler Joseph—spun a complex web of bizarre, theatrical lies regarding the story of how they met. The band, known for their unique blend of music and cryptic narratives, consistently gave reporters wildly different and often unbelievable tales of their first encounter. When the simple truth was finally revealed, the media and fans alike were shocked to realize they had been fooled by the duo’s commitment to absurdist storytelling.
The Ever-Changing Origin Stories
As their popularity grew with albums like Vessel (2013) and Blurryface (2015), the question of the band’s formation became a staple in every interview. However, Josh Dun and Tyler Joseph, finding the actual story “too boring,” turned the question into a running joke and a piece of performance art.
Among the most imaginative and ridiculous tales they told reporters were:
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The Fire/Accident: That one saved the other from a house fire, or they met during a train derailment or car crash.
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The App: That they met on a dating app (specifically Tinder).
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The Mission/Jail: That they met on a religious mission in Africa, or even while in prison.
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E-commerce: That they met because Tyler sold Josh a matchbox car on eBay.
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The Concert: That Tyler, working as security, kicked Josh out of a concert, then threw his shoe at him and introduced himself.
Reporters, often quoting the stories in earnest, were frequently left confused by the conflicting accounts, but few suspected that all the stories were fabricated for the sheer fun of misleading the press.
The Simple, Boring Truth Revealed
The duo maintained their elaborate hoax for roughly five years before finally relenting and confirming the mundane, simple reality. The actual formation of the band involved Tyler Joseph, Nick Thomas, and Chris Salih in 2009. The duo fans know today formed when Thomas and Salih left in 2011.
The truth of how Tyler and Josh met, which Josh Dun has recounted, was far less cinematic than their fictional tales:
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The Connection: Josh Dun worked at a Guitar Center with the band’s original drummer, Chris Salih.
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The First Meeting: Josh went to see Twenty One Pilots play at a venue (like the Newport Music Hall) and was instantly impressed by Tyler’s unique and fresh music.
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The Spark: Josh went up to Tyler after the show, and Tyler (who somehow already knew who Josh was) invited him to hang out.
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The Click: They stayed up until 7 in the morning just talking about their shared dreams and musical visions, realizing they wanted to play music together.
Josh joined the band in 2011 after Salih left, upon Salih’s recommendation. The simple reality—that they met through a mutual friend and had an instant, organic connection—was deemed “too boring” for the media.
When the truth came out, reporters and major music outlets were collectively shocked and amused to have been so thoroughly and consistently pranked. The admission was a lighthearted exposé of how easily the media can be manipulated when presented with a captivating narrative.
Performance Art Beyond the Stage
The years-long deception perfectly encapsulates the band’s identity, which is built on theatricality, self-aware humor, and a refusal to adhere to convention. Their insistence on creating a fictional mythology around their meeting reflects the intricate, conceptual storytelling present in their music, which often explores complex themes of anxiety, faith, and mental health. By turning their personal history into a constantly evolving series of fictional narratives, Josh Dun and Tyler Joseph didn’t just fool the press—they transformed their own origin story into a meta-commentary on fame and the public’s thirst for sensationalism.