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Credit: Shervin Lainez<\/p>\n53 shows. Two festivals. Nine months. One tour bus. The numbers suggest the kind of rock-and-roll fantasy many bands spend their careers chasing. But for indie rock group Rainbow Kitten Surprise, the journey has always been less about the spectacle and more about the people beside them.<\/p>\n
Rainbow Kitten Surprise (RKS) is set to kick off the second leg of its bones North American Tour, with a stop at Los Angeles\u2019 Greek Theatre on July 21. Originally formed by Ela Melo and Darrick \u201cBozzy\u201d Keller, RKS took shape in an Appalachian State University dorm room in 2013. As with most young students, the pair was searching for community.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used to take my guitar around campus and try to make friends, and it\u2019s just kind of crazy how we connected like that,\u201d Keller said.<\/p>\n
Shortly after, three more band members were brought into the circle. RKS is now composed of lead vocalist Melo, Keller on rhythm guitar, Ethan Goodpaster on lead guitar and Jess Haney on drums. The band saw a sharp rise in success throughout its first three albums, Seven + Mary (2013), RKS (2015) and How to: Friend, Love, Freefall (2018), with the single \u201cFever Pitch\u201d reaching No. 34 on Billboard\u2019s Alternative Songs chart.<\/p>\n
Credit: Shervin Lainez<\/p>\n
Just as the band\u2019s notoriety was hitting its peak, its lead singer was hitting her breaking point. Music, which was once an outlet for Melo, ultimately became her undoing.<\/p>\n
Melo began to fall into a writing frenzy, creating tracks that were, at times, eight minutes long. Though she was unraveling, Melo felt obligated to continue the work in order to do a good job for her bandmates and fans.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIn the effort to keep trying, I pushed past my limits,\u201d Melo recalled. \u201cArt has both of those sides in it, and I think that\u2019s what draws people to art \u2013 the light and the darkness of it \u2026 but that darkness, man, can just swallow you whole.\u201d<\/p>\n
RKS went on hiatus in 2023 after abruptly canceling its world tour. During that time, Melo stepped away from the spotlight and entered a treatment facility, where she received a life-changing bipolar disorder diagnosis. Now, she speaks about her own health in an effort to inspire hope for others struggling, while acknowledging that seeking comprehensive care is unfortunately a privilege.<\/p>\n
\u201c[It\u2019s] way harder than it should be,\u201d Melo said. \u201cIt gets really dark; it\u2019s really lonely.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once Melo returned to music, now with the combined support of her loved ones, work team and health professionals, she began writing what she considers the best music of her career. The band released Love Hate Music Box in 2024, following six years without a full-length album. Featuring a staggering 22 songs, Keller called the album a \u201clong time coming.\u201d Their newest album, bones, is a continuation of that work. While the 2024 album was a culmination of six years, bones is more of a snapshot of where the band is in their lives now.<\/p>\n
The 10-track album stays true to Rainbow Kitten Surprise\u2019s signature alternative rock sound, balancing infectious energy with emotional vulnerability. Melo\u2019s vocals are both raw and poetic, delivering every lyric with a sense of intimacy, while the band\u2019s chemistry is evident in the dialogue between instruments. Together, the tracks flow naturally, exploring the complexities of love and personal growth.<\/p>\n
According to Keller, this phase of RKS is the healthiest point \u2013 not only for Melo, but for the band as a whole.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels good to relish in that,\u201d Keller said, speaking about his own sobriety since the band\u2019s hiatus. \u201cWe\u2019re able to sit down and work out a song \u2013 work out a whole album \u2013 and then go record it. It was kind of, I guess, a reminder to ourselves that we could still do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
bones is RKS\u2019s most collaborative album to date with the writing process working a little differently than in the past. Melo said she enters the studio with ideas and a few lines. From there, the band begins to build off of Melo\u2019s lyrics.<\/p>\n
Just as they were in their college days, RKS created each track of bones organically and as a team, building off each guitar riff and drum hit. This way of working translated into the recording of the album, which they recorded live \u2013 an approach they plan to continue with future work. This raw style leads to a unique experience for concertgoers attending the bones tour: No matter how many shows fans have seen, each performance is unique.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never played the same show twice, and never had the same session twice,\u201d Melo said. \u201cWhat\u2019s the same is the connection that we share as a band \u2026 It goes back to the art thing. It\u2019s just like sharing who you are authentically is how you connect with people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Onstage, the bond between the members of RKS shines through. Longtime fans of the band will catch a glimpse of those Appalachian State University students who were searching for connection through music. Haney chuckled as he described himself and the group as \u201cnerds\u201d who happen to be in a rock band.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe love music, but we also love video games,\u201d Haney said. \u201cIf you were to bust into our green room, you would probably just find us chilling there on our video games or talking about movies.\u201d<\/p>\n
The connection Melo shares with her audience is just as important as the one she shares with her bandmates. She builds that relationship through transparency, bringing the same honesty to the stage whether she is riding a high or navigating a darker day. Authenticity is not just part of the music. It is the foundation of how she connects with others.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody has to find their own way to both snap into their performative self and also their authentic human self,\u201d Melo said.\u00a0<\/p>\n