In February 2013, the band separated from Robert Aaron Ellingson, citing philosophical differences, and wrote and recorded their only album as a three piece.
[2] In August 2009, Aaron Ellingson and Jacob Palahnuk established a nascent connection while playing music with their peers, and the two decided to form a band.
At the time, Vlahovich was a solo artist working on a project called GoldenGirls, but decided to join Palahnuk and Ellingson to form Young Empires.
Vlahovich wanted to perform with Young Empires; at the time, the band had only written a few songs and were given approximately two weeks to produce a half-hour set.
[4] Since then, Young Empires have released a number of online demos and videos, which were recorded in the band member's bedrooms and rehearsal rooms.
[1] Young Empires added to their resume by performing at The Juno Awards on March 25, 2011; at the North-by-Northeast Music and Film Festival (NXNE) on June 17, 2010; and at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre on July 2, 2011.
[8][9] They hit the stage at New York's CMJ (College Media Journal ) music week in October 2011,[10] at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin in March 2011,[11] and The Great Escape Festival in Brighton in May 2011.
Young Empires has shared the stage with headliners such as Jamiroquai, Chromeo, Foster the People, Dragonette, Japandroids, Girl Talk, Sleigh Bells, Jamaica, and Vampire Weekend.
On the one hand we're totally independent and make all of our own decisions; yet, we're immersed in one of the strongest communities in Canadian music," said Robert Aaron Ellingson.
In collaboration with a Toronto-based fashion line called Handsome Clothing, Young Empires has launched a collection of T-shirts and sweatshirts.
6 on SiriusXM's "Top 50 of 2011" Since the release of Wake All My Youth, the band made an appearance on 102.1 The Edge CFNY on January 30, 2012,[21] and on The Verge (XM) Online Radio on February 8, 2012.
They received a highly favorable review of their first 2012 US tour gig at the Mercury Lounge on March 1, 2012, by According 2 G,[23] which stated that "after their set was over, the crowd refused to accept it and was literally begging for them to play more songs.
[24] The French rock magazine Les Inrockuptibles wrote online: "Young Empires' cheeky electro, best anti-crisis remedy [...] These Canadians are fighting against the crisis with their extravagant-coloured pop.
An excerpt from this magazine praised the band as follows: "...the mathmania of Battles, the gloss'n'grandeur of The Killers, and the calamitous quiver of Arcade Fire... Young Empires have consummately summated this generations' achievements in Rock.