Right from the start, the skyrocketing success of indie-rock outfit Rainbow Kitten Surprise has come as a shock to drummer Jess Haney.
While attending Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, Haney was only supposed to join the band for just one show way back at the beginning in 2014.
Then everything changed.
“Put yourself in my shoes for one second,” Haney told Revue. “You’ve got your friend from high school and he’s like, ‘Man, I need you to play in this band called Rainbow Kitten Surprise. And I’m thinking to myself, ‘I guess I’ll do one show.’ You know, that’s what I said. I’ll do one show with you guys because I like to play the drums. And, I’m in college, and the rest is history, man. That one performance was kind of like the gateway to the next decade of my life, which is crazy to think about now, but it was definitely worth it. Worth the one Show. And then the hundreds more after.”
Not a full-time drummer at the time, Haney had played drums with his friend RKS lead guitarist Ethan Goodpaster while in high school, but didn’t think joining the group would prove so life-changing.
Started in their dorm by lead singer/guitarist Ela Melo and rhythm guitarist Darrick “Bozzy” Keller in 2013, RKS came into their own with the addition of Haney, Goodpaster, and original/longtime bassist Charlie Holt (who parted ways with the band last year).
Things quickly progressed with the self-release of their EP Mary, and their first full-length album Seven. They then partnered with Split Rail Records, a student-run label at Appalachian State’s School of Music, for the release of their self-titled second album, after appearing on VH1’s reality show “Make A Band Famous.” They famously made the top 24, before getting eliminated in the first round, but the TV exposure helped lead to having their songs “Devil Like Me,” “Cocaine Jesus,” and “Lady Lie,” all score radio airplay.
That led to tours and appearances at massive festivals like Bonnaroo, where they drew the attention of Elektra Records, who signed the band and released their massive breakout, How To: Friend, Love, Freefall in 2018. The now Gold-selling record included the hits “Fever Pitch” and “It’s Called: Freefall,” which has racked up hundreds of millions of streams and has become a platinum-certified smash in multiple countries.
Then the pandemic hit, and everything came to a screeching halt.
“The pandemic was hard for everybody in the world, but it was different for touring musicians,” Haney said. “Especially for us. We really love to tour and to play shows and to have that connection with the fans and to share the energy. And that was stripped away, obviously for everyone. But it was really hard to come to terms with. For me personally, I was a little lost, and like just, ‘What am I supposed to do if I’m not playing shows? But I found it also allowed a lot of time to get creative, and see what else is out there. In terms of music writing, and just other things in general. So it was a blessing and a curse. But it was the hardest thing to lose playing live.”
Since then, the band has suffered through a series of false starts. First with the shifting restrictions as lockdown lifted, and then with a shared struggle with mental health, that ultimately led the band to cancel several tours in order for lead singer Ella Melo to receive help with what was ultimately diagnosed as bipolar disorder.
In March 2022, Melo came out as transgender, and Haney said the fans have been supportive and accepting of that journey together.
“There were a lot of times where we weren’t really sure if Rainbow Kitten Surprise was even going to be a thing anymore,” he said. “And then, you know, here we are. And it’s, I would say thriving, at the moment. So I think it’s been a really beautiful journey.”
The latest chapter in that journey is the band’s new album, Love Hate Music Box, released last year.
“It took us six years to make Love Hate,” Haney said. “It went through a whole bunch of different iterations and really just eras of Rainbow Kitten Surprise. So it was a process, for sure. But I’m just thankful that it got out. And the way that it came out, I think is amazing. Every time you go in to make a record, you’re kind of expecting it to be like the last one. And it’s always different. It’s never quite the same just because people change and that, believe it or not, affects the way the people create, and the way that people write records.”
Describing the new album as heading in a more indie-pop direction, Haney said the band has had fun taking those to the stage, and at 22 songs it has added a lot of different directions to the band’s live shows.
RKS hasn’t stopped there, with the release of the new song “Espionage,” earlier this year, which the band plans to play on this current tour as well.
Haney missed the first run of the tour last fall due to becoming a new father and taking paternity leave from the band to spend time with his newborn.
“Having a kid makes me want to be better in every aspect of my life,” he said. “(But) I missed the camaraderie with my second family that is the band. I missed everybody. And it was hard to be away and have everybody doing the thing, and not be there. So I’m so excited to be back with everybody.”
Even though RKS has since officially relocated to Nashville, they still consider North Carolina their home, so when Hurricane Helene hit last year, they partnered with Plus1 Rapid Relief Effort and pledged $50,000 towards immediate and long-term relief efforts in the region devastated by flash flooding and high-speed winds.
“Every single one of us have family still in North Carolina,” Haney said. “And, you know, it’s just really, really sad what happened there. It just destroyed communities and really set people back. And we almost felt called to help the land that raised us, to be honest. And I personally, me and Ethan, we grew up really close to Asheville, which caught a big brood of the damage. So that hit really close to home. Thankfully, we were able to help in any way. And it’s just really sad what happened there. But we love North Carolina, and I believe that it could be an even better place after this.”
Rainbow Kitten Surprise – Thanks For Coming Tour
GLC Live at 20 Monroe, 11 Ottawa Ave. NW, Grand Rapids
May 18, 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, All Ages, SOLD OUT (Verified Resale Available)
Glcliveat20monroe.com
