Foster the People is an American indie pop band formed in Los Angeles, California in 2009. The group is composed of Mark Foster (vocals, keyboards, piano, synthesizers, guitar, programming, percussion), Jacob "Cubbie" Fink (bass and backing vocals), and Mark Pontius (drums, percussion). The group's music, described as melodic dance-infused pop and rock, spans many genres.
Foster founded the band in 2009 after spending several years in Los Angeles as a struggling musician and working as a commercial jingle writer. After Foster's song "Pumped Up Kicks" became a viral success in 2010, the group received a record deal from Startime International and gained a fanbase through small club shows and appearances at music festivals. After releasing their debut album Torches in May 2011, "Pumped Up Kicks" became a crossover hit on commercial radio in mid-2011 and eventually reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100. The record also produced the popular singles "Helena Beat" and "Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)". The group received two Grammy Award nominations for Torches and "Pumped Up Kicks".
After touring for two years in support of Torches, Foster the People released their second album, Supermodel, in March 2014. It was preceded by the lead single "Coming of Age".