The Scarlet Opera on Identity, Performing on The Late Late Show, and Their Debut EP, 'Comedy'
The Los Angeles-based band, The Scarlet Opera, was first formed in 2016 as Perta and was then reborn in 2022. Ready to take the scene by storm, they explore themes of love, identity, glamor, and lust, coupled with harmonious vocals and uplifting sound. With the release of their EP, Comedy, in late-March, they are prepared to share their immersive sound with a bigger audience. The band is starting their West Coast tour in April and the five members are extremely excited to share their love of music with their audience. Unpublished had the opportunity to sit down with The Scarlet Opera in an exclusive press conference to talk about everything from being a struggling artist, the dark side of comedy, to their upcoming tour.
The band was asked about their debut EP and the meaning behind the title, Comedy, to which they responded by explaining that it was unintentionally about the journey from Pennsylvania to Los Angeles and what it meant to be a struggling artist. With an uplifting sound but darker lyrics, their music can transport you into a different world and when you listen closer, you come to understand the hardships and lessons learned through their personal experiences. The band discussed the strangeness of having regular day jobs while simultaneously being signed to Republic, which ultimately showed them that they needed to keep having a belief in themselves.
While explaining that the songs on Comedy pulls the listener in two different directions, the band expressed that, “The reality is coming up against our expectations, you know, when you start in this business and you see your heroes doing it you think you wanna get here and when this happens you’ve made it. That’s kinda the joke, cause now we’re in this position and we’ve got so much further to go, and so much work to do. There was this kind of irony in all of that.” Having the lyrics be hopeless and raw whilst the sound makes the listener get up and dance creates an interesting dichotomy that could camouflage the vulnerableness of their words if one only listened to the beat. In a sense, it gives the listener the opportunity to make the music mean whatever they need it to mean in that exact moment.
When asked about their stage presence in comparison to other artists the band stated that it was an honor to be compared to other fantastic artists. They expressed that they never set out to be just one thing. When they started to make music, their soundscape was so many various things, however they ended up narrowing in on their current sound because it was music that brought them joy. As each of the band members grew up with a distinct music taste, it gave their own music the opportunity to form into something unique by blending each member’s talent and taste together. They began to understand that the music that connected was the songs that revealed themselves almost by themselves during the writing process, rather than sitting down and trying to force a track out of nothing. There was a beauty in seeing the song develop and turn into what it wanted to be.
The Scarlet Opera discussed the writing process and inspiration behind their song, “Alive,” and explained that the idea began as a slow song on a piano, however as it developed it continuously picked up and gained momentum. “Alive” revealed their pondering on the ideology of life and the idea of giving up and giving in. When listening to the track, it starts as a slow and beautiful piece but eventually the drums come in and it transforms into an upbeat and energetic track. The band explained this as “the choice of giving into life and the experiences that are worth having.”
During their appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, the band performed “Alive,” but opposed to the more theatrical performance they put on stage, they actually had to tone it back a bit to curate it for television. This performance being toned down can truly show the energetic, talented, and theatrical work they put into their art. The Scarlet Opera wants to convey to rid yourself of any shame you might have had and to grow into your best self. Their performances and music can show listeners the power of becoming comfortable with who you are and the beauty of individual identities.
With their unique, powerful stage presence, and melodic music, The Scarlet Opera is bound to impress the audience coming to their upcoming tour and make everyone in the room feel like they can celebrate their own identity.
