Karmin were Amy Heidemann (Vocals/Guitar) and Nick Noonan (Vocals/Cajon) from Boston, Massachusetts. The Brokenhearted Songfacts reports that their name derives from the Latin word 'carmen,' meaning "song," with a slightly altered spelling to "hint at karma." The pair first gained recognition from their covers of popular Hip-Hop and Pop songs posted on YouTube. After offers from various record companies, the duo signed with Sony and Epic Records in June 2011.