Los Angeles' the Scarlet Opera combine rock pageantry and Broadway bombast into an amalgamation of sonic and visual delights. Taking their name from Nathaniel Hawthorne's gothic romance, The Scarlet Letter, the band aims to provide refuge for the outcasts and misrepresented. Initially operating under the moniker Perta, the group was reborn as the Scarlet Opera in 2022 under the direction of frontman and lyricist Luka Bazulka, whose vocal prowess and stage presence echo artists like Freddie Mercury and Elton John. Colin Kenrick (keyboard), Daniel Zuker (bass), Justin Siegal (drums), and Chance Taylor (guitar) completed the lineup, and the band's captivating live performances caught the attention of Republic Records, which brought in songwriter and producer David Stewart (BTS, Jonas Brothers) to collaborate. The band issued their debut single, "The Place to Be," later that year, with the five-song EP, Comedy, appearing in 2023. ~ James Christopher Monger