Ela Melo is the primary vocalist for Rainbow Kitten Surprise, which also includes Darrick “Bozzy” Keller on guitar and backup vocals, Ethan Goodpaster on electric guitar, Jess Haney on drums, and Charlie Holt on bass (bass). In Boone, North Carolina, the band was founded. Rainbow Kitten Surprise, or “RKS” for short, is a band from Robbinsville, North Carolina, and is renowned for its harmonies, musicianship, and lyrics. Artists like Modest Mouse, Kings of Leon, Frank Ocean, and Schoolboy Q have all had an impact on their sound.
2013 saw the founding of Rainbow Kitten Surprise by Ela Melo and Darrick Keller. Together, the two created music while they were students at Appalachian State University. A friend who had just recently undergone surgery and was on a morphine drip came up with the band name. In a collegiate dorm room, they recorded their debut EP, Mary. Ethan Goodpaster, Jess Haney, and Charlie Holt were eventually added as three additional members. RKS independently published its debut record, Seven, which was eventually reissued alongside the group’s debut EP as the collaborative project Seven + Mary. RKS first released their songs on the Split Rail Records label, which was maintained by students at the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University, where three of the band members studied. Rainbow Kitten Surprise has given performances at numerous music festivals and other occasions between 2014 and 2017, including Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival and Austin City Limits Festival.