Formed while founding members Chad Graham and Alan Powell were both living in Los Angeles, California, Christian pop band Anthem Lights began as a solo project for Graham in 2007. After working on songs for Graham's debut, the pair decided to expand the project into a four-piece pop group, recruiting vocalists Kyle Kupecky and Caleb Grimm into the group. Working under the name Yellow Cavalier, the four singers released their self-titled debut EP in 2009 before they changed the group's name to Anthem Lights the following year. The quartet later signed on with Reunion Records, and with the new name in place and the backing of a label, Anthem Lights released a pair of eponymous albums, an EP and their full-length debut, in 2011.