A display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus includes: a display panel; and a backlight unit which provides the display panel with backlight. The backlight unit includes: a converter which converts a voltage of a received power and outputs an output power, a plurality of light source modules which receives the output power from the converter, and a control unit which determines powering conditions to operate the plurality of the light source modules in a specific state for each of the plurality of light source modules, and controls the converter sequentially based on the determined powering conditions.