My pronouns are she/her. She is responsible for overseeing the bands growth, having worked with them since their inception in 2013 and assisting them with their success. Rainbow Kitten Surprise, "RKS" for short, is known for its harmonies, instrumentation, and lyrics. Rainbow Kitten Surprise Brings Pride to the Troubadour [PRIDE MONTH With an eclectic sound that draws elements from classic folk, hip-hop, and rock, the band is a veritable chameleon in the world of popular music. Rainbow Kitten Surprise, the best name ever we know, sat down with us at Outside Lands to talk about their new record and their song Hide. 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. Rainbow Kitten Surprise Lives Up To Its Name At First Ave "Me and Ethan went to high school together, and we kind of played in my basement and did covers of random things. Rainbow Kitten Surprise was formed in 2013 by Ela Melo and Darrick Keller. HEART UKULELE by Rainbow Kitten Surprise - Ultimate Guitar Lyric Video. The Alternative/Indie-Pop band takes influence from great artists like Modest Mouse, Lana Del Rey, and Kings of Leon. 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. It's all fun. More info: theritzybor.com. I was just talking about this with my bassist last night, you encounter different sets of problems the further you go. One day we were all sitting in Boone and the next thing we were touring the world. On August 13, 2021, Rainbow Kitten Surprise released the live album RKS! Are your fans starting to come to you with some pretty heavy coming out stories of their own? Over the past couple of years, Ive been doing some major soul searching in the pursuit of my authentic self. They announced earlier this week that their tour had sold out in less than a week. 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. I wasn't like a full-time drummer. And then we built . On July 14, 2020, RKS played a livestream concert. The Boone, North Carolina quintet hit the Moody Theater stage in support of its highly acclaimed third album How To: Friend, Love, Freefall, from which comes the hits "Hide" and "Fever Pitch . Were you sad to leave? // Cookie Policy They have released seven singles and two EPs, all of which are their own work. Alternative/indie-pop band signs with Appalachian's Split Rail Records Those are things you gotta figure it out. "I got into the band through Ethan," Haney said, referencing guitarist Ethan Goodpaster during a recent phone interview. But then some days we got more than one song. And the circumstance that we left my family had lived on predominately support from missionary organizations so as time progressed, as happens quite often with people going down to do medical work the excitement and support wains because people don't know what's going on down there. The band formed in Boone, North Carolina. We wish them the best and hope to see them back in SLC again soon. No glass or glass hubblies. The bandswitty and introspective lyrics complement Alis powerful and emotional voice perfectly. Rainbow Kitten Surprise lead vocalist, Ela, comes out as trans Speech therapy usually only effects talking, not singing, though speech therapy for trans women is essentially vocal training, I underwent it for a little while a few years back. Unfortunately, Rainbow Kitten Surprise will not be able to reschedule this event. And now about her coming out, damn that's brave of her to do that! BY CONTINUING PAST THIS PAGE YOU AGREE TO OUR Associated Press. When you consider some of its subject matter songs like "Cocaine Jesus" come to mind the name really is a bit of a "Surprise.". 264K followers. Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Your favorite tequila battle is back on 4/7/23! Rainbow Kitten Surprise Biography, Songs, & Albums | AllMusic Rainbow Kitten Surprise will be joined by Briston Maroney for the pair of summer performances. So, to make that jump was definitely a little bit of a shock for all of us. Steven Loftin finds out how they went from obscurity to their first sell-out London show. Rainbow Kitten Surprise's Fort Mill-raised bassist talks how Charlotte It was incredible. How do you find time to practice between working jobs or school?". Rainbow Kitten Surprise Is a Religious Experience - Dallas Observer 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. First Boone, then the world: Rainbow Kitten Surprise drummer talks the By the time we left, we were pretty broke and it was sort of defeatist, at least from my eyes. Right on. Rainbow Kitten Surprise and all five of its members hail from the mountains of Boone, North Carolina. 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. Your band is in such a great position and there is so much for me to think about and I also wanted to congratulate you onHow to: Friend, Love, Freefall. What is genre in the streaming age? 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I'm Ela, lead singer of Rainbow Kitten Surprise. 33 cities. independent local journalism in Dallas. 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. Press J to jump to the feed. Buy Rainbow Kitten Surprise's album titled How to: Friend, Love, Freefall. He is a 2011 Western Kentucky University graduate who has previously worked at the Paducah Sun and Madisonville Messenger as a sports reporter and the Lexington Herald-Leader as a breaking news reporter. 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. Rainbow Kitten Surprise live in South Africa!Genre-defying, live sensations Rainbow Kitten Surprise announce South African Tour Dates for March 2023 including a show at the beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens on Friday 10 March 2023.Rainbow Kitten Surprise recently released the emotionally charged track "Work Out," marking the band's first new music in nearly two years. Rainbow Kitten Surprise and all five of it's members hail from the mountains of Boone, North Carolina. Rainbow Kitten SurpriseWork Out. So we were moving back in the Summer of 2006 and I was about 14, we stayed down there for about a week because we still didn't have a home yet. That's super interesting. 04. Sam Melo, the lead singer, took the stage with the lyrics and bent down to pray during the ominous and richly emotional Holy War . The band sold out the Georgia Theatre. Rainbow Kitten Surprise Fashion Casual Navel,Funny Women_s Personality Sticker. Rainbow Kitten Surprise is Ela Melo (lead vocals), Darrick "Bozzy" Keller (guitar, vocals), Ethan Goodpaster (lead guitar, vocals), Charlie Holt (bass, vocals), Jess Haney (drums). That those are your problems. 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 . Im Ela, lead singer of Rainbow Kitten Surprise. How to: Friend, Love, Freefall by Rainbow Kitten Surprise | CD | Barnes Live Sessions: Rainbow Kitten Surprise They dont see themselves as their spokesmen for the song. Hi everyone! I'm extremely confused as I almost never get any closer to learn more about the band and just now I've learned how she was named and that now her name is Ela. . Genre-defying, live sensations Rainbow Kitten Surprise announce South African Tour Dates for March 2023 including a show at the beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens on Friday 10 March 2023. I still had dial-up till a year after we moved back, so MySpace hit me pretty hard. Are you still going into these "rabbit hole states are you able to work when you are in them? But if you have two weeks, you'll make it in two weeks. This tale of internal conflict is particularly relevant for both the band and this particular show. It's Called: Freefall . Their music blends elements of folk, jazz, rock, and hip-hop, creating a unique and captivating sound. Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Im so glad she finally feels comfortable to be her true self! Over the past couple of years, I've been doing some major soul searching in the pursuit of my authentic self. It ended up working out, and we did it. Melo, who was raised half in Appalachian North Carolina and half in a Dominican Republic mission, belted out the lyrics with every fiber of his being, driving home the importance of embracing your truth while the crowd sang along. Additionally, this performance coincided with the West Hollywood Pride Parade and associated celebrations during a year where the LGBTQ+ community has faced particular hardship, with the advancement of legislation like Donald Trump's recently upheld ban on transgender enrollment in the military. Up to the point Haney joined the band, Rainbow Kitten Surprise had been the duo of singer Sam Melo and guitarist Darrick "Bozzy" Keller. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. 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). Their mix of tight instrumental chops and jam band finesse helped earn them a strong grassroots following and, after a couple of indie releases, they signed with Elektra to issue their second full-length, How To: Friend, Love, Freefall, in 2018. (Courtesy Matthew Salacuse) By Tom Lanham . You adapt pretty quick as a kid and kind of roll into it. Past work can be seen at Suburban Apologist, Tampa Bay Times, Consequence of Sound and The Scroll to read more Show Previews articles, When we went down in '99, it was like this is home now and at least until me and my three brothers were old enough to move back stateside on our own, that's where we'd be living. TERMS OF USE. So once that reality sets in then it becomes a little bit more productive. Everyone uses it down here in Florida. Rainbow Kitten Surprise Tickets - Ticketmaster Dallas' independent source of Once you make it better you gotta figure out how to play it. That was the understanding that I had. As lead singer Sam Melo spent most of his childhood in the Caribbean islands with his missionary parents . This single marked their first release as a band since May 2019. Over the past couple of years, Ive been doing some major soul searching in the pursuit of my authentic self, Melo said on Instagram. Does that feel like a burden for you as your fan base grows and is very devoted to the band? 'Rainbow Kitten Surprise' defies genre at Tennessee Theatre on They enjoy it. And then find our home, which usually was North Carolina. Follow. 264k Followers, 70 Following, 116 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Rainbow Kitten Surprise (@rksbandofficial) rksbandofficial. So you didn't feel constrained, it worked out for you then? 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. Sign up for the latest music, videos, tour dates, and more Rainbow Kitten Surprise on their fast road to fame and unforgettable [Verse 1] Am F Hey pretty Momma don't you leave me like that C Bring it on back, bring it on back Am F Love me don't leave me, don't you leave me like that C Bring it on back, bring it on back [Chorus] Am 'Cause you're high, you're low F C You're fine but you don't say anything Am F Well you've got my heart in your hands C And your love in . Prior to its release, Rainbow Kitten Surprise also issued the 2019 stand-alone single "Our Song.". Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. So happy for her! The internet. Their first EP, Mary, was recorded in a dorm room at the university. thanks in part to Melo's intense vocal style, but also because only two of the 13 tracks cross the four-minute . While the bands music has earned them widespread acclaim, one member in particular has stirred up a bit of controversy: the lead singer, Sam Melo. She made the announcement on Wednesday, March 30 about a week before the band hits the road for a highly-anticipated tour. Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox. But the band is breaking in a really serious way and the story behind it. I wouldn't say it gets easier, it certainly gets more routine. 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. Mon. Congrats on coming out, Ela, one person wrote on Instagram. Live from Athens Georgia. basically using musical vocal techniques to raise the pitch of your voice to sound more feminine in everyday social scenarios. 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.. . Weve grown a lot as humans and as a band, the group said. Im grateful to be able to express who I truly am and share in this moment with you.. Once you get over that search and you get heartbroken by it, you realize all of the tools that are now at your disposal. They later added three new members, Ethan Goodpaster . In fact, Melo publicly came out through one of the tracks off of the project, "Hide." Though he wrote the song in 2015, it wasn't released until three years later. Rainbow Kitten Surprise | Entertainment | wataugademocrat.com Then a couple of years later we're doing it with Jay Joyce in Nashville in like this incredible studio with all of this [label] support behind us. The band name was created by a friend who was on a morphine drip at the time, recently out of surgery. Life is work. Rainbow Kitten Surprise - Mary - EP Lyrics and Tracklist - Genius . There's so much of it down here but I keep forgetting it's actually from New York. Rainbow Kitten Surprise set for June performance at Brown's Island in The alternative band will perform at the famous music venue on Monday, July 11 and Tuesday, July 12, concert promoter AEG Presents announced Monday. 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. By If media is missing, please DM me with a link to submission url and tweet. Even at this early stage, there were signs that Rainbow Kitten Surprise might grow into something more than a just-for-fun college-years band. "Yeah, we were pumping out a song a day and it felt good. It feels like this big, intricate record that was always kind of hiding in the band's music even when it was a two acoustic guitar band. The Alternative/Indie-Pop band takes influence from great artists like Modest Mouse, Lana Del Rey, and Kings of Leon. No coolerboxes. Rainbow Kitten Surprise | iHeart Rainbow Kitten Surprise Vinyl Gifts & Merchandise for Sale But before long, Melo who recently announced on Twitter that she is trans, her pronouns are she/her and that she wants to be referred to as Ela Melo and Keller decided they wanted to have a full band, and that's when fellow students Haney, Goodpaster and bassist Charlie Holt joined up. Though he wrote the song in 2015, it wasn't released until three years later. There's nothing better than being front row for a Rainbow Kitten Surprise show. In fact, Melo publicly came out through one of the tracks off of the project, "Hide." In January 2020, the long-running PBS show Austin City Limits aired Rainbow Kitten Surprise in a half-hour set recorded the previous fall. 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. They are known for their captivating live performances, which often involve elaborate costumes and choreographed dance moves. Fans of the band appreciate their unique sound and the way they bring a sense of joy and fun to their music. 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 most beloved indie-rock acts of the late 2010s and early 2020s. You talked about it being pretty disheartening or defeatist in a way. I'm going live from inside to show admiration, pay respect and donations to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee and their partners. The Boy Scouts Of America Under Pressure To Allow Gay Men To Serve, Is Jack Skellington Gay? Rainbow Kitten Surprise performed a sold-out show at the Bomb Factory on Feb. 15, 2019. . I'm Ela, lead singer of Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Rainbow Kitten Surprise is a band that defies all definition. The album is built around this narrative about how hard it is to pay bills as a musician, it started out as a different idea and you've mentioned this pressure that comes with being a band, basically gone from becoming locally famous after Bozz asked you to play the Galileo show and now you have PR, festival dates, this following, how are you coping this last year, after writing this album, releasing it and going on this tour? Ela Melo, the lead singer for the popular alternative/indie rock band Rainbow Kitten Surprise, revealed she has found her "authentic self" in coming out as transgender. This came after she announced on March 30 that the band would embark on a highly anticipated tour right before the end of the month. I'm sorry if I'm gonna sound dumb, but we're talking about Sam Melo, that came out right now as trans, right? You write a lot about your insecurities that you have on your record, but you also have this you also have a steely side thats resolved itself to pushing the band forward does that come from that time? The length of the concert will depend on the number of songs the band performs and the amount of time they spend between songs. Rainbow Kitten Surprise on Apple Music North Carolina indie folk-rock outfit Rainbow Kitten Surprise rose from college dorm-room jammers to main-stage festival performers during the mid-2010s. The charismatic frontman who loves Bustelo coffee spent 20 minutes talking to CL in advance of his bands upcoming Ybor City show. Everything nice | Music Features - Oklahoma Gazette Apple store abruptly closes at Northlake Mall, in latest blow to struggling NC site, Something new is heading to the former Lulus restaurant space in Plaza Midwood, How to Watch Donald Trumps CPAC 2023 Speech-Time, Schedule and Livestream, In Chicago, adapting electric buses to winters challenges, Chris Rock to finally have his say in new stand-up special, Reports: 3 children dead, 2 wounded in attack at Texas home, Paid express lanes grow more popular in once-reluctant South. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images But back to the Bustelo question. Inspired by a close friend's morphine-ridden ramblings from a hospital bed, RKS was. Ela Melo is the lead vocalist for alt-rock band Rainbow Kitten Surprise; she wrote their biggest hit, "It's Called: Freefall.". RKS are the indie rock heroes we deserve. By danielmorez. Rainbow Kitten Surprise - The Vogue Ela Rainbow Kitten Surprise is an American indie rock band from Boone, North Carolina. From $1.46. These North Carolina-based festival favorites mix exuberant indie pop and earnest folk-rock. I think where it comes from is the place that I'm at when I'm writing. The band is made up of singer-songwriter Sam Melo, bassist Darrick "Bozzy" Keller, drummer Jesse Wells, and guitarist Richarddriver. On June 9, the North Carolina-based band played an intimate show at The Troubadour in West Hollywood, CA, and Ones to Watch was lucky enough to stop by and see what stories the band had to tell. Rainbow Kitten Surprise has also been involved in various Pride events, such as playing at the Los Angeles Pride Parade in 2016. Rainbow Kitten Surprise's Tampa concert moved from Orpheum to The Ritz Ybor City. If you haven't heard yet, we are so excited to have partnered', Rainbow Kitten Surprise [@RKSBandOfficial], "Hi everyone! People who are b. It was just kind of a thing I did in high school with my friends. The group held its earlier rehearsals in Boone, North Carolina . Their music style is a mix of folk, pop, and rock. . Join the Observer community and help support In this album, Rainbow Kitten Surprise continues to evolve and change their music style while maintaining the core elements of what always makes their music great. 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.. . They were voted into the final 24 on the . "Devil Like Me" went on to get radio play, as did two songs from RKS "Cocaine Jesus" and "Lady Lie" propelling Rainbow Kitten Surprise onto tours and appearances at notable festivals including Bonnaroo and Sasquatch. How to raise the money to maintain crucial community care ought to be a no-brainer.Donate to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee:http://shfbmt.convio.net/site/TR?px=1465289\u0026fr_id=1311\u0026pg=personalConnect with RKS:http://rksband.comhttp://instagram.com/rksbandofficialhttp://twitter.com/rksbandofficialhttps://facebook.com/RainbowKittenSurprise#LiveFromHome #StayHome #WithMe As they tried to come up with a name for their music, Rainbow Kitten Surprise was born. This year has seen the deaths of stars and icons, but we honor their memory by highlighting them. Find Rainbow Kitten Surprise tour schedule, concert details, reviews and photos. Rainbow Kitten Surprise: albums, songs, playlists | Listen on Deezer That was pretty rough going down there as a kid, going from first world comfort to the third world. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. 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.