Like if somebody loses a friend and somehow our music is cathartic to them, go for it, man. Being able to share my experiences while remaining true to my LGBTQ identity excites me. Rainbow Kitten Surprise on Apple Music "I mean, I think we just move fast," said Sam Melo, one of the band's . At first, it's "How do you pay bills? I think it was something we had to get acclimated to a bit.". CANCELLED: Rainbow Kitten Surprise. They're songs that Sam [Melo] wrote before Rainbow Kitten Surprise was a thing. Formed in an Appalachian State dorm room in 2013 by singer Ela Melo and guitarist Darrick "Bozzy" Keller, the duo recorded and self-released their first acoustic EP, Mary, before recruiting additional members Ethan Goodpaster (guitar), Charlie Holt (bass), and Jess Haney (drums) to complete the lineup. 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Rainbow Kitten Surprise | iHeart That success drew the attention of Elektra Records, and the major label signed Rainbow Kitten Surprise, setting the table for an even bigger breakout. In this article, we will explore the evidence behind the rumors, and examine whether there is any truth to the speculation that the lead singer of Rainbow Kitten Surprise is, in fact, gay. 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. No professional camera, video, or audio recording equipment. NINE LIVES: Rainbow Kitten Surprise frontman Sam Melo, who brings the band to The Ritz in Ybor City, Florida on September 17, 2018. . And Ethan ended up getting into the band and he was like, 'Well, my roommate used to play drums and he might be able to help us out with a few shows. Their music has a calmer demeanor. 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? Rainbow Kitten Surprise appeared on the show, and even though the group was eliminated in the first round of competition, the appearance brought a notable measure of exposure. What's In A Name? Rainbow Kitten Surprise Astonishes They have released seven singles and two EPs, all of which are their own work. 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). Am I going to fit in? As a boy, can you do that? Video shows Florida alligator easily blasting through a metal fence, The four-day Grand Prix of St. Petersburg starts today. Ela has formally introduced herself : r/RainbowKittenSurprise - reddit 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? Rainbow Kitten Surprise: albums, songs, playlists | Listen on Deezer 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. Rainbow Kitten Surprise on their fast road to fame and unforgettable i saw their instagram post and freaked out bc i thought sam left. Well, we have some family up in Minnesota but obviously that is nowhere close to where we were moving to North Carolina. Obviously, some days we didn't get anything. Indie-folk band Rainbow Kitten Surprise gets personal during concert at Rainbow Kitten Surprise-a band name you don't easily forget. Become a member to support the independent voice of Dallas Rainbow Kitten Surprise Biography, Songs, & Albums | AllMusic Rainbow Kitten Surprise - LiveOne - Premium Live Music Over the past couple of years, I've been doing some major soul searching in the pursuit of my authentic self. No weapons or illegal substances. We did that on a studio-run label thing, and all of that was cool. Ela Melo, the lead singer of Rainbow Kitten Surprise, came out as transgender in a social media post on Wednesday, March 30. The crooning voice we all love so much (: Ansley Elizabeth Photography) 288. Naturally, cheers climaxed when Melo confessed, "He's a better kisser than you'd think, Mom.". Did something happen to you here where you changed? And there are just so many details there are into making a good sounding record. That's the thing, Jay and I talked about this, somebody said the first day, so if you have nine months to make a record it's going to take you nine months to make a record. When you consider some of its subject matter songs like "Cocaine Jesus" come to mind the name really is a bit of a "Surprise.". If you have three days to make it, you'll make it in three days. 04. The two wrote and composed music together as they attended Appalachian State University.The band name was created by a friend who was on a morphine drip at the time, recently out of surgery. It was incredible, but it was a lot to take on at the time. 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. This was their first of the year because of the cancellation of many events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Line-up: Rainbow Kitten Surprise (USA) + Spoegwolf, Shortstraw & Mann Friday (Zimbabwe). Memoriam 2022, which will take place in Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. My dad's cousinlives down there. Live Sessions: Rainbow Kitten Surprise I think it did, I think it went well. The Split Rail label was founded in 2005. As lead singer Sam Melo spent most of his childhood in the Caribbean islands with his missionary parents . [9], In April 2019, RKS performed at several venues across North Carolina to raise funds for Equality NC, the country's oldest statewide LGBT equality organization.[10]. Tbf earlier all I knew was that the lead singer had this gorgeous beard and that's how I knew who is the singer, not by the name. Rainbow Kitten Surprise's Fort Mill-raised bassist talks how Charlotte Sam Melo. Ultimately, Rainbow Kitten Surprises music is open to interpretation, and it is up to the listener to decide whether or not they find spiritual meaning in their songs. But after a while it becomes, you're playing shows every night, you're having to do these press things on the days in between, you gotta always portray because everybody that is coming at you is coming from the perspective of success, like "Wow, congratulations, you're making it." Do you have to cancel all press and just go work? Tickets can also be . Mike Stunson covers real-time news for McClatchy. Facebook screengrab By danielmorez. Happy for her! They have more than 3.3 million monthly streamers on Spotify, with their upcoming tour taking them across the country and to several premier music festivals. 2 countries. Learning how to navigate the technology and capabilities that come with a true professional studio wasn't the only challenge for Rainbow Kitten Surprise. However, there is one feature that is present throughout each of the group's songs - a captivating story. This was the last stop on their summer tour. They dont see themselves as their spokesmen for the song. 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. (Courtesy Matthew Salacuse) By Tom Lanham . This single marked their first release as a band since May 2019. Do you feel any kind of responsibility in hearing their stories? The band name was created by a friend who was on a morphine drip at the time, recently out of surgery. 2023 LIVE NATION WORLDWIDE, INC. And it would be a different record if it got made in nine months, but sometimes you need the two-week record. . Rainbow Kitten Surprise Brings Pride to the Troubadour [PRIDE MONTH . That's just how they like it. Over the past couple of years, I've been doing some major soul searching in the pursuit of my authentic self. 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. [1], Rainbow Kitten Surprise was formed in 2013 by Ela Melo and Darrick Keller. Rainbow Kitten Surprise Band Music Tour Poster. Before long, Melo and Keller had grown RKS into a full band with Haney, Goodpaster and bassist Charlie Holt. She has performed in the theater for 20 years in nearly 50 plays in London, Scotland, Chile, NYC, Chicago, Miami & Tampa. 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. What is genre in the streaming age? Read Full Biography. Right on. I was just talking about this with my bassist last night, you encounter different sets of problems the further you go. Watch on. 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. Yvonne Gougelet is a playwright, theater producer, actress, activist and political & music journalist. If you haven't heard yet, we are so excited to have partnered', Rainbow Kitten Surprise [@RKSBandOfficial], "Hi everyone! independent local journalism in Dallas. We regret to announce, that due to unforeseen circumstances, tonight's show with Rainbow Kitten Surprise has been canceled. The group then worked out a deal with Split Rail Records, a student-run label at Appalachian State's Hayes School of Music, and in 2015, released the album RKS. 4:00AM. [7] The single "Fever Pitch" from the album climbed to number 34th on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart in spring 2018. The Ritz, 1503 E. 7th Ave., Ybor City. Now two NC men face prison. 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). It features 13 tracks, including the single "Hide", the music video of which depicts four drag queens coming out to their families. But if you have two weeks, you'll make it in two weeks. Rainbow Kitten Surprise lead singer Ela Melo revealed in an interview that she had found her true self as a transgender woman. When my family was moving to and from the Dominican growing up, we would always land in Miami and go stay with him in Tampa. My assumption is that you wrote How Tosuper fast in South Carolina. Fans of the band appreciate their unique sound and the way they bring a sense of joy and fun to their music. By The crowd immediately stood to their feet when they heard the . 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. Rainbow Kitten Surprise, also known as RKS (Return to Rainbow Kitten), is a musical phenomenon that many people consider to be a musical phenomenon. Live from Athens Georgia. Well, it just so happens that two of the members of the five-piece band are also members of the LGBTQ+ community - singer Sam Melo is gay and bassist Charlie Holt is trans. [4] From 2014 through 2017, Rainbow Kitten Surprise has performed at multiple music festivals and other events, including Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival and Austin City Limits Festival. By anibendod. How much are the fans playing into your mindset? Everything nice | Music Features - Oklahoma Gazette Formed in an Appalachian State dorm room in 2013 by singer Sam Melo and guitarist Darrick "Bozzy" Keller, the duo recorded and self-released their acoustic EP, Mary . Especially in a place of uncertainty. Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox. The rest of the Rainbow Kitten Surprise bandmates also introduced themselves and revealed what they identify as in their social media post Wednesday. Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Sam Melo of Rainbow Kitten Surprise: Live From The Living Room // Do Not Sell My Personal Information Scroll to read more Music Stories & Interviews articles. Reading Between The Lines In The New Scooby-Doo Movie. Yeah, so Tampa is kind of a city I only know in a very limited fashion. Sam Melo and Ethan Goodpaster of Rainbow Kitten Surprise perform on the Lands End Stage during the 2018 Outside Lands Music And Arts Festival at Golden Gate Park on August 12, 2018 in San Francisco,. basically using musical vocal techniques to raise the pitch of your voice to sound more feminine in everyday social scenarios. In the latest episode of Fender Presents, Rainbow Kitten Surprise plays "Work Out" and talks about their hometown roots, giving back, their greatest inspirat. In June 2019, they performed at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater, which they sold out in seven days. It's like two years old but just brush the dust off and it will be good." Im so glad she finally feels comfortable to be her true self! "It was like, we did RKS. 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. Is what I'm wearing OK? ", RKS' performance of "Hide" at the Troubadour felt particularly profound. Spiritual warfare informs Sam Melo's music - sfexaminer.com Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Click for more. 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? But not every day feels like that, so how do you keep positive things flowing out your mouth without expressing, "Wow, yes, sometimes this is hard," or how do you play shows back to back-to-back every night and how do you still get into it? I looked up their Wikipedia for the first time yesterday 3/31 and was very confused. ', "I always thought it was funny that I was insistent that I was only going to do one show," Haney said. The band consists of Sam Melo, Darrick Keller, Charlie Holt, Jess Haney, and Caleb Elder. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Rainbow Kitten Surprise. You tend to do it when something is unstable in your real world and then you hole up to gain some measure of control by expelling into this musical format. 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. Rainbow Kitten Surprise's May 20th Instagram post touts what was by all measures the group's most successful tour to date: "38 shows. 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. As a son of missionary parents, Melo spent seven years of his childhood in the Dominican Republic before moving back to the United States, ultimately attending Appalachian State University in N.C. I'm grateful to be able to express who I truly am and share in this moment with you. "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! ", 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.". Rainbow Kitten Surprise singer comes out as transgender. | The Kansas You adapt pretty quick as a kid and kind of roll into it. 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. // Manage Preferences, The Dares latest single Good Time, is the definition of were here for a good time, not a long time. The track. thanks to their energetic performances, and frontman Sam Melo's impressive dance moves. music festival marks formal launch of San Antonio venue The Espee, Live Music in San Antonio This Week: Silversun Pickups, Epik High, Marisela and more, Comedian George Lopez is returning to San Antonio's Majestic Theatre this summer, San Antonio punk band Fea composed original music for new play debuting at Public Theater, Live Music in San Antonio This Week: August Burns Red, Inner Wave, Thy Art Is Murder and more, Celebrate Bowie tour with Peter Murphy and Adrian Belew coming to San Antonio's Tobin Center. There wasn't a seat remaining as the lights dimmed in the Tennessee Theatre. And then find our home, which usually was North Carolina. The band is scheduled to play a sold-out show at New Braunfels' Whitewater Amphitheater on Saturday, July 9. Associated Press. Sept. 17, 7:30 p . No glass or glass hubblies. And you were aware of this at 14, I'm assuming you've been a deep feeling person your whole life. It is said to mix indie rock and roll, hip-hop, electronic music, and pop influences in its music. Its like 2 AM and the bars all close at ten in hell, thats a rule I made'Anyway, you say youre too busy saving everybody else to save yourselfAnd you dont want no help, oh wellThats the story to tell". On this weekend, the quintet from North Carolina will perform at Boston Calling. We wish them the best and hope to see them back in SLC again soon. It's all good. 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. Arriving in 2018, the band's breakout full-length debut for Elektra, "How to: Friend, Love, Freefall. We hadn't been in the South for a long time. I will do my best to solve the issue. Choose music service. Im Ela, lead singer of Rainbow Kitten Surprise. These North Carolina-based festival favorites mix exuberant indie pop and earnest folk-rock. Safe travels to you. NINE LIVES: Rainbow Kitten Surprise frontman Sam Melo, who brings the band to The Ritz in Ybor City, Florida on September 17, 2018. While the band does not have an explicitly religious ideology, it has been noted that some of their music does touch on spiritual and religious themes. Rainbow Kitten Surprise is an indie rock band based out of Boone, North Carolina. More info: theritzybor.com. Tags: Music Features, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Sam Melo . Over the past couple of years, Ive been doing some major soul searching in the pursuit of my authentic self. Over the past couple of years, Ive been doing some major soul searching in the pursuit of my authentic self. It's Called: Freefall . I'm happy for her to find courage and embrace it publicly, all the best for Ela , ik i was confused at first too!! Saturday's All Aboard! The group held its earlier rehearsals in Boone, North Carolina . and That was pretty rough going down there as a kid, going from first world comfort to the third world. At that time I was pretty self-absorbed, self-conscious, I mean, I was 14. Songs like Six and Fever Pitch are often cited as being particularly LGBT-friendly, with themes of unrequited love, acceptance and identity. At times I honestly thought the leader singer, Sam Melo, had fallen down after jumping and dancing on stage, but every time he rose up again, somehow becoming better with every song. They later added three new members, Ethan Goodpaster . Rainbow Kitten Surprise prepares to unleash a burst of musical influences at The Jones Assembly. The point being, I'll start all of these ideas and show them to the guys and they'll gestate with them for a while and I'll just completely have forgotten about them. My pronouns are she/her. Sam Melo, the lead singer, took the stage with the lyrics and bent down to pray during the ominous and richly emotional Holy War . But the band is breaking in a really serious way and the story behind it. COLD LOVE hitting different today!!! The Riv // Chicago, IL // February 8, 2019. Somewhere in our minds, we're still just the kids playing music in bars in Boone. The alternative band will perform at the famous music venue on Monday, July 11 and Tuesday, July 12, concert promoter AEG Presents announced Monday. 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. Lyric Video. . First Boone, then the world: Rainbow Kitten Surprise drummer talks the It was limbo for me. . How to: Friend, Love, Freefall. Are you still going into these "rabbit hole states are you able to work when you are in them? Over the past couple of years, I've been doing some major soul searching in the pursuit of my authentic self.I'm happy to share with you that I am trans. Be yourself. 116 posts. 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! Funny story, they got their name back in college before an open-mic gig. Spiritual warfare informs Sam Melo's music. Their songs are often filled with clever wordplay and heartfelt lyrics. Just working with Jay and Jason and the whole crew just opened my eyes to what kind of sonic avenues there were. Musician/band "Work Out" video out now . My pronouns are she/her. Rainbow Kitten Surprise and all five of it's members hail from the mountains of Boone, North Carolina. But if you know anybody over there, we have been trying to reach out to them for some time. If you're looking for the living embodiment of multi-dimensionality, turn to Sam Melo, lead singer from the band Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Straight from the bluegrass hotbed of Boone, North Carolina . Though he wrote the song in 2015, it wasn't released until three years later. No own drinks allowed. 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. These North Carolina-based festival favorites mix exuberant indie pop and earnest folk-rock. In an interview with VICE, he said, I thought that it might be a step too far, because there are just so few songs that talk about it, you know? Once you make it better you gotta figure out how to play it. . I'm glad that it's doing something for people, that people can relate to it. Over the past couple of years, Ive been doing some major soul searching in the pursuit of my authentic self, Melo said on Instagram. Hi everyone! One day we were all sitting in Boone and the next thing we were touring the world. The band formed in Boone, North Carolina. Rainbow Kitten Surprise - Wikipedia She has written, produced, directed &performed in four original plays. Rainbow Kitten Surprise on Holy War, sonic innovation - Gigwise And then we built . Rainbow Kitten Surprise at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas 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. The band opened with one of the marquee tracks off of their most recent release, "It's Called: Freefall," a haunting folk-rock-tinged song that addresses internal conflict. Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m. $25 & up. The charismatic frontman who loves Bustelo coffee spent 20 minutes talking to CL in advance of his bands upcoming Ybor City show. Rainbow Kitten Surprise singer talks about coming out, the origin of I'm Ela, lead singer of Rainbow Kitten Surprise. 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.