Foster explains that it's all about how people "will do anything to be, or just to be near an actor, a musician or a supermodel. People will line up in a street and wait for hours just to catch a glimpse of someone famous,"
he says.
And he should know. He has seen it from both sides of the fence - as a struggling musician and as the global pop star behind massive hits Helena Beats and Pumped Up Kicks from the band's debut, Torches.
They're big songs to follow and anyone expecting carbon copies on Supermodel will likely be disappointed.
But there is still a vibrant and fresh feeling to Foster The People's genre-blending sound, and instantly likeable songs such as Are You What You Want To Be, Coming Of Age and Best Friend will please.
But there is more to this Californian three-piece than anthemic festival pleasers. And Foster urges fans to scratch below the sunny surfaces to hear that.
"There's a line in there [on the second track, Ask Yourself] 'The more I want, the less I've got'. I feel like that says it all. That's what we're living in, at least in LA and in the US. We're raised with what the American Dream is - work hard and you can have a house and two cars, two kids and a summer house with a boat. It's all about success.
"I stepped outside of that way of thinking and I saw that in other countries success is defined by how close your family is, what your community looks like around you. I guess it was more about integrity and reputation and love ... it shifted my perspective a bit. A lot, actually."
Foster The People's second album Supermodel is out now.