Rainbow Kitten Surprise

About

Rainbow Kitten Surprise got their start in a dorm room at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, where founding members Darrick Keller and Ela Melo formed the band in 2013. The name itself has a story: it came from a friend who had recently recovered from a serious illness. Early on, they recorded under Split Rail Records, a student run label at the university, before grinding their way onto bigger stages at Bonnaroo and Austin City Limits Festival. Their 2018 album How To: Friend, Love, Freefall on Elektra Records brought them wider attention, particularly through the single "Hide", whose video followed four drag queens coming out to their families, and "Fever Pitch", which climbed to number 34 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart. A personal milestone came in March 2022, when lead singer Ela Melo came out as transgender, and the band has kept moving forward since. Their 2024 album Love Hate Music Box, which featured a collaboration with Kacey Musgraves on the track "Overtime", reflected on the hardships Melo faced over the previous six years. They have another album, Bones, on the way.