Hawk Nelson was a Christian rock band formed in 2000 by Jason Dunn in Ontario, CA. The group started out Dunn left the band to pursue a solo project entitled Abandon Progress in 2012. During that time the band talked about who was going to take over the role as lead singer. It was then decided that guitarist Jon Steingard would fill the role. Steingard was accompanied by original member Daniel Biro and later with Micah Kupier and David Niacaris.

While the band had typically marketed to the pop-punk scene in the past with the help of Tooth & Nail Records and later BEC Recordings, Steingard decided to shift the band’s sound and lyricism in a more CCM direction in 2013. This decision was realized with the release of “Words” for their sixth studio album Made, which started their partnership with Fair Trade Services.

In May of 2020, Steingard had announced to his followers that he had deconstructed his Christian faith. This left the band in an indefinite hiatus.