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Only 85 days until Bonnaroo! Today’s Featured Bonnaroo Artist is Foster the People, a Los Angeles-based indie pop band known for blending infectious melodies with thought-provoking lyrics. Founded in 2009 by Mark Foster, the group first gained traction when Foster’s track Pumped Up Kicks unexpectedly went viral in 2010. The song’s success landed them a record deal with Startime International, catapulting them from intimate club gigs to major festival stages.
Their debut album, Torches (2011), cemented their status in the indie scene, producing hits like Helena Beat and Houdini, alongside the multi-platinum Pumped Up Kicks, which climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album earned them three Grammy nominations and a devoted fanbase.
Following an extensive tour, Foster the People returned with Supermodel in 2014, featuring the lead single Coming of Age. In 2017, they expanded their lineup with longtime touring members Isom Innis and Sean Cimino and released their third album, Sacred Hearts Club, which spawned the quadruple-platinum hit Sit Next to Me.
Between 2018 and 2021, the band explored new creative directions with a string of singles, two EPs, and a reissue of Torches. In 2024, they re-emerged with Paradise State of Mind, their fourth studio album, released on August 16 to positive reviews. The record was preceded by the single Lost in Space, marking another evolution in their sound.
The band’s unofficial hiatus between 2021 to 2024 with no announcement of new music caused many fans to speculate the band was no longer together. But the band is as strong as ever. Now led by Foster and keyboardist Isom Innis, Foster the People continues to push boundaries, crafting music that’s both sonically adventurous and undeniably catchy. Look for Foster the People on Friday the 13th at the Farm.
