Rainbow Kitten Surprise

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. The group held its earlier rehearsals in Boone, North Carolina, where Melo and Keller were attending Appalachian State University. Initially an acoustic duo, Rainbow Kitten Surprise expanded both their lineup and their sound with the 2013 debut album Seven. The band became a staple of American festivals like Bonnaroo and Austin City Limits over the next two years, and by the time the sophomore RKS appeared in 2015, Rainbow Kitten Surprise's audience had swelled considerably. After signing with Elektra Records, they hit a new peak in 2018 with How To: Friend, Love, Freefall, a commercially successful and critically adored album whose biggest single, "Fever Pitch," hit Number 34 on Billboard's Alternative Songs Chart that spring. A two-song single, Mary (B-Sides), followed in 2019, with the concert album RKS! Live from Athens Georgia appearing in 2021. The following year, Melo came out as a transgender female, adopting the name "Ela Melo" and continuing to serve as Rainbow Kitten Surprise's lead vocalist. One week after that announcement, the band released its first single in nearly two years, "Work Out," in April 2022. The group's fourth album, Love Hate Music Box, arrived in May 2024, produced by Daniel Tashian (Kacey Musgraves) alongside Konrad Snyder (Noah Kahan) and Melo. The band continued their musical output with the singles "Espionage" and "Dang", which reached number 34 on Radio Alternative Songs chart. September 2025 saw the release of their fifth full-length, Bones.