ROO AOTD #13 Rainbow Kitten Surprise

All aboard the hype train for Bonnaroo 2026! Only 117 days until we are all on the Farm again, can you believe it? It’s coming up fast, and we can’t wait to be dancing with all of you at Bonnaroo! Today’s Artist of the Day is the one and only Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Learn more about the artist below. Don’t forget to check out all of our artist spotlights! Thank you for reading these posts!

Artist Biography

Rainbow Kitten Surprise is the Boone, North Carolina–born alternative/indie rock band whose evolution from Appalachian State University dorm room collaborators into a genre-defying festival powerhouse reflects an uncanny fusion of poetic lyricism, dynamic instrumentation, and technical range that defies easy classification. Formed in 2013 by lead vocalist Ela Melo and guitarist Darrick “Bozzy” Keller, the group expanded to include guitarist Ethan Goodpaster and drummer Jess Haney, later departing bassist Charlie Holt, and built a grassroots following with the independently released Seven and EP Mary, later merged into Seven + Mary before signing with Elektra Records. Their breakthrough album How To: Friend, Love, Freefall married earnest harmonies and hook-rich compositions with expansive folk and rock textures, spawning charting singles like “Hide” and “Fever Pitch,” and set the stage for ambitious projects like Love Hate Music Box (2024) and Bones (2025), which weave genre-fluid sonic architecture — from introspective indie balladry to anthemic rock-pop — into deeply expressive songs that reward close listening and electrify live performances with both technical precision and emotional depth.

Genre

Indie Rock

Scheduled at Bonnaroo

Saturday (Link to Daily Schedules)