With catchy and deeply lyrical meaning, beautifully designed bass lines, and melodic guitar riffs, their unique sound will keep you humming their tunes all day long. Im so curious about Elas sound. Rainbow Kitten Surprise is an alternative rock indie band, featuring lead vocalist Ela Melo, Darrick "Bozzy" Keller (guitar, backup vocals), Ethan Goodpaster (electric guitar), Jess Haney (drums), and Charlie Holt (bass). My pronouns are she/her. I was so shocked! Congrats on coming out, Ela, one person wrote on Instagram. It's not a daily thing, you're never like, ok well here's that sad story for the day. [3] They later added three new members, Ethan Goodpaster, Jess Haney, and Charlie Holt. The band has had a meteoric rise since their formation in 2013, with their debut album making it to the top of the Billboard Heatseekers chart, and they have since gone on to tour the world and perform at festivals like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza. February 18, 2019 Over the past couple of years, I've been doing some major soul searching in the pursuit of my authentic self. It's an effort to try to control your thoughts and make some sense of what's going on. In the bands words, we have grown as humans and as a band. Other bands as well as their fans rallied around them in support of them. The Caribbean island is where frontman Sam Melo, whose parents were missionaries, spent seven years of his childhood before circumstances forced a permanent move back to the U.S. The North Carolina band have been on the fast track to success in recent years, their first two albums gaining enough support that they began playing ", Produced by Grammy Award-winner Jay Joyce (Cage The Elephant, Sleeper Agent), the album featured RIAA-certified Gold single "It's Called: Freefall", and earned widespread praise from Billboard, TIME, Vice, and NPR who described their sound as "a mix of jam and indie and whatever else you can throw into the soupvery earnest, beautiful, political, loving rock n' roll," and saw the band make several national television appearances, including performances on "CBS This Morning Saturday," "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," and PBS's "Austin City Limits.". The band's Pride Weekend performance at the Troubadour was a truly spectacular celebration of equality, community, and love - not to mention a kickass rock show. You adapt pretty quick as a kid and kind of roll into it. Im grateful to be able to express who I truly am and share in this moment with you.. By the time I get so disillusioned with trying to figure out the ultimate answer to everything, which I think is what every producer is looking for. Ela Rainbow Kitten Surprise is an American indie rock band from Boone, North Carolina. Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m. $25 & up. . NINE LIVES: Rainbow Kitten Surprise frontman Sam Melo, who brings the band to The Ritz in Ybor City, Florida on September 17, 2018. That was the understanding that I had. While Holt has been openly trans for some time now, Melo only came out as gay alongside the release of Rainbow Kitten Surprise's 2018 album, How to: Friend, Love, Freefall. Popular Sam Melo songs. Suddenly, the five musicians found themselves driving to Nashville, where they all now live, setting up shop in the high-end Neon Cross Studios and working with one of the city's most in-demand producers, Jay Joyce. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Maybe even more so going forward but also in the performance aspect, as well. Right on. The tour opens in South Carolina where you essentially wrote the album, but then the next stop is here in Tampa Bay and I wanted to ask you about (your song) "Goodnight Chicago", the lyric says, Twenty years to see New York reflected on subway trains. VOILA!Rainbow Kitten Surprise's Tampa concert moved from Orpheum to The Ritz Ybor City. I don't know if that's the way this next record is going to come together but given our history, I feel like maybe that right now it's still that gestation period I'm curious to know what's going to come out on the other side of the rabbit hole. I'm grateful to be able to express who I truly am and share in this moment with you. The move to Elektra put the band on a different level. RKS 'Work Out' available now! Reading Between The Lines In The New Scooby-Doo Movie. When you consider some of its subject matter songs like "Cocaine Jesus" come to mind the name really is a bit of a "Surprise.". These are things that I've come to piece together afterward. 264K followers. NINE LIVES: Rainbow Kitten Surprise frontman Sam Melo, who brings the band to The Ritz in Ybor City, Florida on September 17, 2018. . "Rainbow Kitten Surprise on their fast road to fame and unforgettable name", "Rainbow Kitten Surprise hometown, biography", "Alternative/indie-pop band signs with Appalachian's Split Rail Records", "Director Kyle Thrash Takes Fans Inside Rainbow Kitten Surprise's Emotional 'Hide' Video", "Rainbow Kitten Surprise | How to: Friend, Love, Freefall | the New Album", "Rainbow Kitten Surprise on Instagram: 'Just a little reminder that our upcoming run starts in less than 2 weeks! It ended up working out, and we did it. Buy Rainbow Kitten Surprise tickets from the official Ticketmaster.com site. Jay Joyce (at Neon Cross Studios and Jason Hall) did a great job with your vision. basically using musical vocal techniques to raise the pitch of your voice to sound more feminine in everyday social scenarios. Although the bands members identities have not been publicly discussed, their music has often been interpreted as being LGBT-friendly. History. ElA you are beautiful! Rainbow Kitten Surprise has also been involved in various Pride events, such as playing at the Los Angeles Pride Parade in 2016. I'm Ela, lead singer of Rainbow Kitten Surprise. It was weird. The band consists of Sam Melo, Darrick Keller, Charlie Holt, Jess Haney, and Caleb Elder. North Carolina indie folk-rock outfit Rainbow Kitten Surprise rose from college dorm-room jammers to main-stage festival performers during the mid-2010s. With an ever-growing following, Ela Rainbow Kitten Surprise is sure to keep producing captivating music for years to come. "It was like, we did RKS. The song's beautiful melody line and the effervescent vibe is a stark juxtaposition to its poignant lyrics about the difficult relationships - of all sorts - that people struggle with. // Manage Preferences, The Dares latest single Good Time, is the definition of were here for a good time, not a long time. The track. The Troubadour is located in West Hollywood, the historic gay district of Los Angeles. The length of the concert will depend on the number of songs the band performs and the amount of time they spend between songs. People who are brainstorming how to heap as much food as they can onto as many plates as possible have a lot to think about. The "Rainbow Kitten Surprise Presale Presale" will go on sale Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 10 a.m. Tickets will cost $39.50 for Lawn seating and $45.50 for the Rapids Section. Were you sad to leave? Before Rainbow Kitten Surprise's sold-out show at the Palace Theatre in St. Paul last month, I met up with Sam Melo (lead vocals and keys) and Charlie Holt (bass). Rainbow Kitten Surprise's Tampa concert moved from Orpheum to The Ritz Ybor City. And then we built . Ela Melo, the lead singer of Rainbow Kitten Surprise, came out as transgender in a social media post on Wednesday, March 30. At that time I was pretty self-absorbed, self-conscious, I mean, I was 14. No weapons or illegal substances. . The lead vocalist (Sam Melo) seems like someone that is very suited for passionate Americana music and has a similar voice to the frontman of . By anibendod. At first, it's "How do you pay bills? In addition to championing equality via their music, the band has frequently partnered with Equality NC, the oldest statewide organization in the country dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights, donating portions of ticket and merch sales to the nonprofit. Excited for the new music from the band. These North Carolina-based festival favorites mix exuberant indie pop and earnest folk-rock. Somebody will grab the phone and somebody will read it out loud and everyone listens. Rainbow Kitten Surprise will perform at soldout album release parties for their new album . "I got into the band through Ethan," Haney said, referencing guitarist Ethan Goodpaster during a recent phone interview. TERMS OF USE. RKS independently released its first album, Seven, which was later re-released together with the band's first EP as a joint album called Seven + Mary. At the end of the video, one of the queens reveals her persona to her father - and in true pride month spirit, he declares, "I'll always be your biggest fan. RKS are the indie rock heroes we deserve. The Alternative/Indie-Pop band takes influence from great artists like Modest Mouse, Lana Del Rey, and Kings of Leon. Line-up: Rainbow Kitten Surprise (USA) + Spoegwolf, Shortstraw & Mann Friday (Zimbabwe). 2023 LIVE NATION WORLDWIDE, INC. And now about her coming out, damn that's brave of her to do that! Where we would go and huddle up and maybe my dad and one of my brothers, and myself would go get a U-Haul and get our stuff from the airport, or however it was shipped. . Their music blends elements of folk, jazz, rock, and hip-hop, creating a unique and captivating sound. No coolerboxes. Rainbow Kitten Surprise prepares to unleash a burst of musical influences at The Jones Assembly. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images We had few friends back here. You never think that when you put words on to a paper that anybody else is going to pick it up and say word for word, that's me, and identify with it. It's all good. Funny story, they got their name back in college before an open-mic gig. 02:32 . Exploring Clues And Implications Of LGBTQ+ Representation In The Nightmare Before Christmas, ISSLN: A Symbol Of Solidarity And Acceptance For The LGBTQ+ Community, Ask Your Insurance Company About Gay Rights. She has performed in the theater for 20 years in nearly 50 plays in London, Scotland, Chile, NYC, Chicago, Miami & Tampa. In 2013, Melo and Keller had self-released a three-song EP, Mary, and the band followed that with a self-released full-length, Seven. No glass or glass hubblies. On October 9, 2020, Rainbow Kitten Surprise released the single "Our Song", which had been previously played at multiple live events. Address: Orange Road, Emmarentia, Johannesburg 2195. Verified. When it comes to Rainbow Kitten Surprise, just remember the old axiom to never judge a book by its cover. . Hailing from the Blue Ridge Mountain college town of Boone, North Carolina, Rainbow Kitten Surprise play a fervent mix of bright indie pop and earnest, harmony-driven folk-rock. Liking Bridget Jones: Does It Mean Im Gay? When Ela Melo, lead singer of Rainbow Kitten Surprise, decided to come out as transgender, her family and friends were overjoyed. Fri, Sep 14, 2018 at 12:09 pm. The Split Rail label was founded in 2005. Press J to jump to the feed. She made the announcement on Instagram just a few days before the bands tour began. Definitely. Since then, Rainbow Kitten Surprise's engaging blend of indie pop and a variety of other genres has won it high-profile festival appearances and a fervent nationwide following. COLD LOVE hitting different today!!! While the band has not explicitly stated that they are LGBT, their music and involvement in Pride events have been seen as a sign of support for the LGBT community. Reading the new introductions to the band has been awesome and I cannot wait for their new chapter! "Work Out" arrived alongside a lyric video, handwritten by RKS frontperson Ela Melo. She sounds happier, but shes still singing the same song. Like if somebody loses a friend and somehow our music is cathartic to them, go for it, man. Mike Stunson covers real-time news for McClatchy. What's more, it was the first time all five band members were involved in the creative process from the ground up. They're as big a surprise as their name and, when they took the stage at First Avenue, the surprises kept on coming. Rainbow Kitten Surprise (RKS) is an American indie rock band that was formed in Boone, North Carolina in 2013. 04. Biography. A rainbow kitten surprise concert can last anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours. I think where it comes from is the place that I'm at when I'm writing. The band got their name during a hospital visit with a friend, who suggested Rainbow Kitten Surprise while under the effects of anesthesia. local news and culture, Augusta Rizzardini Mon. They're songs that Sam [Melo] wrote before Rainbow Kitten Surprise was a thing. . By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy & Cookie Policy as well as our Terms of Use. 116 posts. No mentally. 9827 fans Top Tracks. Arriving in 2018, the band's breakout full-length debut for Elektra, "How to: Friend, Love, Freefall. . A rigorous support tour followed, including a sold-out stop at Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre and a series of shows in Athens, Georgia, which were later compiled into the 2021 concert album RKS! Tickets can also be . From $1.46. Inspired by a close friend's morphine-ridden ramblings from a hospital bed, RKS was. The bandswitty and introspective lyrics complement Alis powerful and emotional voice perfectly. "I mean, I think we just move fast," said Sam Melo, one of the band's . Read our full chat and get information on the show below. Live from Athens Georgia. Rainbow Kitten Surprise With chilling harmonies, dynamic instrumentation, and introspective lyrics, their distinct sound takes influence from artists like Modest Mouse and Kings of Leon. Surely the beginning of a new era for the band, Transgender women voices actually dont change with hormones so they might actually sound the same just with a hot ass chick as the lead , She didn't sound any different when I saw them in December? Still, deliver the caliber performance that you are hoping to. Weve grown a lot as humans and as a band, the group said. So once that reality sets in then it becomes a little bit more productive. But then some days we got more than one song. By the time we left, we were pretty broke and it was sort of defeatist, at least from my eyes. Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Mon. I'm sorry if I'm gonna sound dumb, but we're talking about Sam Melo, that came out right now as trans, right? Can you expand on that? Rainbow Kitten Surprise on Audiotree . Sign up for the latest music, videos, tour dates, and more I'm going live from inside to show admiration, pay respect and donations to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee and their partners. Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox. I was thinking about this performance today when I saw the bands post on Insta, that was an unforgettable show and it makes me so happy ela feels comfortable being her true self . Fergie: An Icon For The LGBTQ+ Community And One Tree Hill Fans, The Never-Ending Debate: Exploring Franklin Jonas Sexuality And Its Impact, Is The Navy Ready To Be Gay Friendly An In-Depth Look At The Navys LGBT Policies, Mariah From Sister Wives: Breaking Down Stereotypes About Polygamy And Sexuality, Is Fred Gay? Rainbow Kitten Surprise - Photo by Chris Taylor. Now two NC men face prison. . Musician/band "Work Out" video out now . I wasn't like a full-time drummer. Fans of the band appreciate their unique sound and the way they bring a sense of joy and fun to their music. I wonder how her voice is going to change though, she has such a unique raspy singing voice, Im excited about the new sound! Sam Melo (lead vocals) - Darrick "Bozzy" Keller (guitar, vocals) - Ethan Goodpaster (lead guitar, vocals) Charlie Holt (bass, vocals . I definitely lose my phone for a month and just dive in. Formed in 2013 by college students Sam Melo and Darrick Keller, Rainbow Kitten Surprise developed a sound that was every bit as colorful as the group's name, eventually becoming one of America's m.. . Buy Rainbow Kitten Surprise's album titled How to: Friend, Love, Freefall. "It was all just very surreal," Haney said. [7] The single "Fever Pitch" from the album climbed to number 34th on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart in spring 2018. Prior to its release, Rainbow Kitten Surprise also issued the 2019 stand-alone single "Our Song.". Thrash has previously performed at Bonnaroo and Austin City Limits. How much are the fans playing into your mindset? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. "Yeah, it was zero to 100 for us, really," Haney said. There's nothing better than being front row for a Rainbow Kitten Surprise show. Im happy to share with you that I am trans. The opening track was a slow-burn, but once Sam Melo danced his way to stage, the front of the crowd came alive at "It's Called: Freefall." Twirls, drops, rapid-fire harmonies ensued. They had started playing shows around the Boone area and . The sound of Rainbow Kitten Surprise, or RKS, as their fans call them, is hard to define. Frontman Sam Melo's dexterous lyrics delivered over the band's uniquely narrative playstyle condenses a vast expanse of emotions and experiences into a cohesive, consumable performance. Medications in Pregnancy: What Not To Take? So once I was a teenager, everything else was a faint glimmer, I didn't really understand The States, so coming back was a rough transition for sure. A year of heavy touring followed and yielded the 2021 concert album RKS! Their live performances are renowned for their high-energy, raw emotion, and often times, humor. Rainbow Kitten Surprise is quickly becoming one of the most beloved and respected bands of their generation. You looked great in your dress on New Years Eve in DC. But if you know anybody over there, we have been trying to reach out to them for some time. They definitely do, more than even with "Hide," which was kind of personal, but "Painkillers" is one of those on the record that definitely people's stories played into it. Dude, thanks for making music that makes me want to ask questions like that.