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We chat with Ela Melo of Rainbow Kitten Surprise.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise is slated to have a jam-packed end to their year. After pulling out of their 2023 tour, the NC-based indie rock/pop band is back on the road following the release of their first album in six years and third ever, Love Hate Music Box. And what’s a tour without a visit home? The 35-stop North American tour incorporates two NC shows, including a Raleigh performance at the Lenovo Center Oct. 26.
Formed over a decade ago at Appalachian State University (s/o Boone!), the group has garnered millions of listeners and a steady following. But success hasn’t always been an easy road for the foursome—in the six years since the release of their 2018 album, How to: Friend, Love, Freefall, they’ve faced a slew of challenges, from mental health crises to creative differences and even a medical diagnosis that ultimately led them to cancel last year’s shows.
Now, the 2024 tour and release of Love Hate Music Box ushers in a new era for Rainbow Kitten Surprise. And with a new era comes a new sound—the 22-track album mulls over more fresh, poppier tunes than its previous indie-folk records. Here, we chat with Rainbow Kitten Surprise frontwoman Ela Melo about the natural progression of this sound, living in NC and giving back to their home state.
How has living in North Carolina impacted the Rainbow Kitten Surprise sound?
North Carolina is the weird little gem of the south—the mountains, the beach and the vibes. We were never a part of any kind of scene, we just made what we made. There is an energy beneath it that is specific to the South. I feel it.
What influenced the drastic change in sound Love Hate Music Box reflects?
I got kind of obsessed with the sound and that is the undercurrent of this record—not necessarily maximalist, but [a lot of instruments]. I’ve always had that in demos I’ve made, but with this one it was like, ‘let’s see how it goes.’ I think every record is a little bit different from the next one, and this one took six years to make. It’s a natural evolution of the band.
What artists have you been listening to recently?
I haven’t been digging into much. I’ve been listening to that Mk.gee record, Two Star & The Dream Police. I just love his sound; his guitar is unbelievable. I get in a hole—especially when I’m writing—I just listen to what I’m working on because it feels like progress to figure out what I’m liking and what I’m not liking.
Are you already working on something new?
It’s pretty much done with the last, on to the next. As soon as an album goes up for mastering I don’t really listen to it anymore and then I usually start [writing] right away.
Did Love Hate Music Box take six years to complete or was it a true hiatus?
I don’t know how to not work. It’s a blessing and curse. But by the time we started really digging into what the tracks were to make this record, it took a year to complete. There were other versions of things that got [denied] over the years leading up to this record, and they may or may not see the light of day at some point. So yes, it took six years.
Tell us about the $50,000 Rainbow Kitten Surprise pledged to hurricane relief in Western North Carolina.
We formed in Boone. We are from the mountains, lived there for seven or eight years and are [also] from other towns around Western North Carolina. Some of our friends and family just got power back a few days ago. Our hearts and thoughts are in North Carolina and I think about it every day. Pledging the $50K is just something we can do to help.
Answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity
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