Sunshine Anderson is a North Carolina native, born in Winston-Salem, and later moved to Charlotte, as a child. Wallace Sellars, a friend of producer/Soulife A&R Vice President Mike City, heard Anderson singing in line at the cafeteria of North Carolina Central University and introduced the two. From there, Anderson was managed by singer Macy Gray during the recording of her first album. Her first hit single from the album was "Heard It All Before".