The Scarlet Opera
Article by Brittany Ormiston
Hosted by: 1824 - UMG’s creative solutions team
Photo by: Kirby Gladstein
The Scarlet Opera is a magnificent, flamboyant five-piece band who has mastered the ability to blend rock and roll and the theatre in all its glory. Originally formed as Perta in 2016 and reborn as The Scarlet Opera in 2022, Luka Bazulka [frontman, lead vocalist, lyricist], Colin Kenrick [keyboard], Daniel Zuker [bass], Justin Siegal [drums], and Chance Taylor [guitar] are sure to bring down the house. The music is the sole inspiration for the name of the band, and their message resonates deeply with all who come to know them. “The scarlet lettering of the misunderstood comes with a lot of shame…The opera takes the person who feels like the scarlet and lifts them into this fine art world, and idolizes them and makes them beautiful,” shares Luka. The band strives to convey an overall theme of exoneration through their music and performances to give listeners the space to rid themselves of any shame they may have experienced.
Through their exquisite craft, The Scarlet Opera awakens passion, promiscuity, and boldness and brings it all to the surface. Those who listen feel glamorous, unstoppable…free. The band’s recent EP, Comedy, continues to display these themes with tracks of the uplifting nature mixed with “trials and tribulations.” On the surface the melodies are fun and energetic, but digging a little deeper tells a different story. “Underneath all the wooden banter and the one-liners is something so aggressively human,” adds Luka. With Comedy being an honest and direct body of work, anyone can connect with it based off of their own personal experiences. The lyricism dives into life’s struggles varying from identity to trying to make it in this gruesome world. The title demonstrates the irony of idolizing someone, and doing everything possible to get to where they are. If and when the finish line is crossed, you quickly realize you have much further to go.
Photo by: Kirby Gladstein
The creative process for the EP was quite different than what the band was used to. Since signing with Republic Records back in 2022, The Scarlet Opera had the opportunity to work in a professional setting giving rise to their best music to date. The band collaborated with producer David Stewart [BTS, Jonas Brothers] while harnessing “very focused energy,” and making bold choices over the course of three weeks. As Colin mentioned, malleability was one of the biggest lessons learned throughout that time. With each band member having an open mindset, a space was created where ideas could be freely pitched and songs inevitably revealed themselves. Despite enjoying their time spent in the studio, The Scarlet Opera consistently thought about how the EP would “translate to a live show.” They see themselves as entertainers and live performers more than recording artists. When asked to describe the EP as a whole the band responded, “It’s a hell of a show.”
In April, the Scarlet Opera had the opportunity to take Comedy out on the road for their first tour. The EP transformed their live show into being “more grand and concise.” Even though each band member comes from very different musical backgrounds, they all cohesively display a stage presence that has often been comparable to Queen. The theatricality of the band’s performances came about as a byproduct of the music they have created, and Luka’s love for the arts and “Euro punk glam rock.” He finds inspiration in films, such as Velvet Goldmine, that displays euro punk glam rock as youthful and romantic. Luka’s long-time friend from college, Athena Lawton, has brought Luka’s ideas to life through her exquisite personal styling and customized designs. Her talent was made very evident during The Scarlet Opera’s performance on The Late Late Show with James Corden back in February. Athena made a cape for Luka, and was able to “create this new-age, renaissance image of what it means to be fine art and embody fine art.” Ken Law has recently been added to the team to assist with styling the rest of the band based on the elements Athena and Luca utilize. He has developed designs that unify the band yet also display the uniqueness of each band member. Their late-night television debut and performance of ‘Alive’ “showed true rock opera,” and exemplified the band’s capability of being the next big thing.
The Scarlet Opera is captivating, relentless, and devotes themselves to the outcasts. Their soul-baring music and performances provide everyone with the utmost encouragement to be whoever they choose, and let go of all burdens. They have taken the music scene by storm, and are making good impressions with each passing day. They are set to provide support for Ava Max’s tour in the coming months where they are sure to gain the approval of many. As always, “life keeps rolling so keep the party alive.” End scene.
