Royel Otis Explained

Royel Otis
Background:group_or_band
Origin:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Years Active:2019–present
Current Members:
  • Royel Maddell
  • Otis Pavlovic

Royel Otis are an Australian guitar-pop duo from Sydney. The band was formed in 2019 by Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic. Their musical style is described as indie pop, indie rock, new wave, pop rock, post-punk and psychedelic rock.[1] Royel Otis released three EPs, including Sofa Kings, before their debut studio album, Pratts & Pain, was released in February 2024.

History

Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic had known of each other around the Byron Bay area before Pavlovic sent Maddell some demos in 2019. They bonded over their shared love of the same bands and music with Maddell claiming this was "the collaboration he'd been chasing his whole life".[2] [3] The band's name is a combination of the first names of Maddell and Pavlovic, respectively.[4]

In October 2021, the duo released their debut EP Campus.[5] This was followed in August 2022, with Bar n Grill of which included their breakthrough single "Oysters in My Pocket."[6] [7] Off the back of the single's success, Spotify selected Royel Otis for the platform’s esteemed RADAR program.[8]

Their third EP Sofa Kings, released in March 2023, peaked at number 43 on the ARIA Charts following its physical release in July 2023.[9]

Royel Otis' debut studio album Pratts & Pain was released on 16 February 2024, debuting at #1 on the ARIA Australian Albums Chart.[10] [11] The deluxe version of the album: PRATTS & PAINIt Ain’t Over Til It Ends dropped in October 2024. The album included 3 new tracks: "Til The Morning", "Claw Foot" and "Merry Mary Marry Me."[12]

International breakthrough

In January 2024, The Grammys named Royel Otis as one of '25 Artists To Watch in 2024.'[13]

Later in January 2024, Royel Otis performed Like a Version cover of Sophie Ellis-Bextor's song "Murder on the Dancefloor" for Australian radio station Triple J.[14] The cover went viral.[15] It reached the ARIA Charts in February and earned #1 on US Alternative Radio Chart in June.[16] [17]

The duo performed a cover of The Cranberries' "Linger" for Sirius XM radio in April 2024. It became a viral global hit on social media and reached the Billboard Hot 100 in August 2024.[18] [19]

On 17 October 2024 Royel Otis made their US television debut performing "Sofa King" on Jimmy Kimmel Live.[20]

Royel Otis' song "Going Kokomo" was included in the EA Sports FC 24 soundtrack.[21] Their song "Nack Nostalgia" was featured in The Sims 4, the duo also re-recorded their song in Simlish specifically for the game.[22]

Following their success in the US, Royel Otis were signed by Capitol Records in November 2024.[23] [24]

Discography

Albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2"
DetailsPeak chart positions
AUS
[25]
UK
Sales

[26]
UK
Indie
Pratts & Pain
  • Released: 16 February 2024
  • Format: CD, LP, digital
  • Label: Ourness (OURN3003.1)
10 87 21

Extended plays

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2"
EP detailsPeak chart positions
AUS
[27]
Campus
  • Released: 7 October 2021
  • Format: digital
  • Label: Ourness / House Anxiety
Bar n Grill
  • Released: 5 August 2022
  • Format: digital
  • Label: Ourness / House Anxiety
Sofa Kings
  • Released: 31 March 2023
  • Format: digital, LP
  • Label: Ourness / House Anxiety (OUREPV006)
43
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2"
YearPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum
AUS
[28]
CAN
Rock
[29]
IRE
[30]
NZ
Hot
[31]
UK
UK
Indie
US
[32]
US
Rock
[33]
US
Alt.

[34]
"Only One"[35] 2021Campus
"Without U"
"Oysters in My Pocket"[36] 2022 Bar n Grill
"Bull Breed"[38]
"Motels"[39]
"Kool Aid"[40] Sofa Kings
"I Wanna Dance with You"[41] 2023
"Sofa King"[42] 12
"Going Kokomo"[43]
"Adored"[44] Pratts & Pain
"Fried Rice"[45]
"Heading for the Door"[46]
"Velvet"[47] 2024
"Murder on the Dancefloor" (Like a Version)35 29 14 41 1
  • ARIA: Gold
"Foam"[48] Pratts & Pain
"Claw Foot"[49]
"Linger" (SiriusXM Session)46 63 11 84 17 94 16 12
"Nack Nostalgia"[50] Bose x NME: C24 Mixtape
"Til the Morning"[51] Pratts & Pain (extended)
"If Our Love Is Dead"[52] 37 Pratts & Pain (deluxe)
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Awards and nominations

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.! |-| rowspan="2"| 2024| Royel Otis| Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year| | rowspan="2"| [53] |-| Sofa Kings| Best Independent Rock Album or EP| |}

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.

! |-! scope="row" rowspan="1"| 2024| rowspan="1"| Otis Pavlovic & Royel Maddell | Emerging Songwriter of the Year| |rowspan="1"| [54]

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual award ceremony event celebrating the Australian music industry.

! |-| 2023| Sofa Kings| Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist| | [55] |-| rowspan="8"| 2024| rowspan="4"| Pratts & Pain| Album of the Year| | rowspan="8"| [56] |-| Best Group| |-| Best Rock Album| |-| Best Independent Release| |-| "Murder on the Dance Floor" (Triple J Like a Version)| Song of the Year| |-| Pratts & Pain Tour| Australian Live Act| |-| rowspan="2"| Chris Collins for Royel Otis - Pratts & Pain| Best Produced Release| |-| Best Engineered Release| |}

J Awards

The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.! |-| 2023| "Kool Aid"| Australian Video of the Year| | [57] |-| 2024|Pratts & Pain| Australian Album of the Year| |[58]

Rolling Stone Australia Awards

The Rolling Stone Australia Awards are awarded annually by the Australian edition of Rolling Stone magazine for outstanding contributions to popular culture in the previous year.! |-|rowspan="1"| 2024| Royel Otis| Best New Artist| |rowspan="1"| [59] |}

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 19 February 2024 . Royel Otis: Australia's next breakout indie heroes . NME.
  2. Web site: Williams . Sophie . 31 January 2023 . Royel Otis are bringing a radically positive vision to Australia's guitar scene . 16 July 2023 . NME.
  3. Web site: Yasar . Janset . 2024-03-10 . Royel Otis and the Art of Not Taking It Too Seriously . 2025-01-02 . Tonitruale . en.
  4. Web site: Lochrie . Conor . 3 March 2023 . Get To Know: Sydney's dreamy guitar-pop duo Royel Otis . 16 July 2023 . Tone Deaf.
  5. Web site: Grogan . Louis . October 2021 . Royel Otis: Campus – EP Review . 16 July 2023 . Vinyl Chapters.
  6. Web site: Gera . Amar . August 2022 . Track By Track: Royel Otis Talk Us Through Their Sophomore EP 'Bar N' Grill' . 16 July 2023 . Life Without Andy.
  7. Web site: . 18 December 2024 . WONDERLAND MEETS: ROYEL OTIS . 23 December 2024 . Wonderland .
  8. Web site: Newbury . Emma . Royel Otis Are The Inescapable Indie-Rock Sensation Making The Most Of It . 2024-12-31 . The Music . en.
  9. Web site: Taylor beats Swift. Aria. 14 July 2023. 16 July 2023.
  10. Web site: Major . Michael . 5 October 2023 . Royel Otis Announce Debut Album Pratts & Pain & Share New Single 'Fried Rice' . 10 December 2023 . Broadway World.
  11. Web site: Pratts & Pain - Album by Royel Otis . 12 January 2023 . Apple Music.
  12. Web site: 2024-10-03 . Royel Otis Release Deluxe Album, New Single . 2025-01-02 . Rolling Stone Australia . en-AU.
  13. Web site: Cantor. Brian. 2024-01-04 . 25 Artists To Watch In 2024: Chappell Roan, VCHA, Teezo Touchdown & More. 2024-12-23 . Grammy.com. en-US.
  14. Web site: Singh . Surej . 2024-01-19 . Watch Royel Otis cover Sophie Ellis-Bextor's 'Murder On The Dancefloor' for 'Like A Version' . 2024-01-26 . NME . en-GB.
  15. Web site: Pritchard. Tahlia. 2024-01-22 . Aussie band Royel Otis' cover of 'Murder on The Dancefloor' goes viral . 2024-12-23 . Yahoo! Lifestyle. en-US.
  16. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart - 12 February 2024 . 2024-02-13 . www.aria.com.au . en.
  17. Web site: Royel Otis’ "Murder On The Dancefloor" Cover Earns #1 On US Alternative Radio Chart . 2024-12-26 . www.headlineplanet.com . en.
  18. Web site: Zellner . Xander . 2024-08-08 . Hot 100 First-Timers: Royel Otis Scores First Entry With Cover of The Cranberries’ ‘Linger’ . 2024-08-09 . Billboard . en-US.
  19. Web site: Brandle . Lars. 2024-08-12 . Royel Otis’ Cover of Cranberries’ ‘Linger’ Is a Global Hit . 2024-12-23 . Tone Deaf. en-US.
  20. Web site: Tregoning. Jack. 2024-10-01. Glass Animals, JENNIE, Royel Otis Confirmed For "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Performances. 2024-12-23 . Headline Planet. en-US.
  21. Web site: The EA SPORTS FC™ 24 Official Soundtrack . . EA Sports . 20 September 2023 . 31 January 2024 .
  22. Web site: 2024-11-15 . Understanding Simlish:Nack Nostalgia Explained. 2025-01-01 . TikTok.com.
  23. Web site: Eggertsen . Chris . 2024-11-27 . Signed: Royel Otis Heads to Capitol Via Ourness Partnership, Pakistani Artists Ink With Mass Appeal . 2025-01-01 . Billboard . en-US.
  24. Web site: CAPITOL, OURNESS TEAM FOR ROYEL OTIS PUSH . 2025-01-01 . HITS Daily Double . en.
  25. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association. 26 February 2024. 23 February 2024.
  26. Web site: Royel Otis songs and albums full Official Chart history. Official Charts Company. 13 July 2024.
  27. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association. 17 July 2023. 14 July 2023.
  28. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association. 12 February 2024. 9 February 2024.
  29. Canada Rock - July 20, 2024. 20 July 2024 . 6 August 2024. Billboard.
  30. Web site: IRMA - Irish Charts - Singles: Week 31 2024. Irish Recorded Music Association. 17 August 2024.
  31. Peaks in the New Zealand Hot Singles Chart:
  32. Billboard Hot 100: Week of August 10, 2024. Billboard. 6 August 2024.
  33. Peaks on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart:
  34. Web site: Zellner . Xander . 2024-08-08 . Hot 100 First-Timers: Royel Otis Scores First Entry With Cover of The Cranberries' 'Linger' . 2024-08-23 . Billboard . en-US.
  35. Web site: Royel Otis bask in a sunny yet lovesick groove on "Without U" . The Line of Best Fit. 2 September 2021. 6 August 2024.
  36. Web site: Royel Otis Share New Single 'Oysters in My Pocket' . Broadway World. 14 March 2022. 6 August 2024.
  37. Web site: Royel Otis Go Gold With Sophie Ellis-Bextor Cover . The Music. 4 May 2024. 5 May 2024.
  38. Web site: Royel Otis Share New Single 'Bull Breed' & Announce 'Bar N Grill' EP . Broadway World. 31 May 2022. 6 August 2024.
  39. Web site: Royel Otis Release New Single 'Motels' . Broadway World. 4 August 2022. 6 August 2024.
  40. Web site: NEW AUS MUSIC PLAYLIST: Our Favourite Tunes Of The Week . Music Feeds. 14 October 2022. 3 March 2024.
  41. Web site: Royel Otis share new single 'I Wanna Dance With You' and announce third EP . NME. 12 January 2023. 6 August 2024.
  42. Web site: Song You Need to Know: Royel Otis, 'Sofa King'. Rolling Stone Australia. 2 March 2023. 3 March 2024.
  43. Web site: ROYEL OTIS Going Kokomo . Film Freeway. 31 March 2023. 3 March 2024.
  44. Web site: Papathanasopoulos . Vasili . Royel Otis Unveil New Single 'Adored' . Milky . 27 February 2024 . 19 July 2023.
  45. Web site: Johnson . Tommy . Royel Otis Announce Long Awaited Debut Album, Share "Fried Rice" . Ghettoblaster . 27 February 2024 . 5 October 2023.
  46. Web site: Murray . Robin . Royel Otis Share Indie Pop Booster 'Heading For The Door' . . 27 February 2024 . 7 December 2023.
  47. Web site: Taylor . Sam . Royel Otis Have Shared A Brand New Single, 'Velvet' . . 27 February 2024 . 12 January 2024.
  48. Web site: Taylor . Sam . Royel Otis Have Shared A New Video For 'Foam' . Dork . 27 February 2024 . 16 February 2024.
  49. Web site: Royel Otis Share Music Video For "Claw Foot" . Music Feeds. 7 May 2024. 16 June 2024.
  50. Web site: ROYEL OTIS Share New Single "Nack Nostalgia" + Glory to Glory Tour This Fall — Hashtag Magazine . Hashtag Magazine. 19 July 2024. 6 August 2024.
  51. Web site: Royel Otis Share Heartfelt New Single 'Til the Morning' . Rolling Stone Magazine Australia. 6 September 2024. 7 September 2024.
  52. Web site: Royel Otis have released a deluxe edition of their debut album Pratts & Pain, titled 'It Ain't Over Til It Ends Edition'. . Read Dork. 3 October 2024. 5 October 2024.
  53. Web site: 2024 AIR Awards Nominees: Genesis Owusu, Cub Sport, RVG, Teen Jesus & More. The Music. 14 May 2024. 16 May 2024.
  54. Web site: 2024 APRA Music Awards nominees announced: Paul Kelly, Troye Sivan, Tex Perkins, and more. Mumbrella. 4 April 2024. 10 April 2024.
  55. Web site: Nominees Announced for 2023 ARIA Awards. Music Feeds. 21 September 2023. 23 September 2023.
  56. Web site: ARIA Awards 2024 nominations — everything you need to know. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 26 September 2024. 29 September 2024.
  57. Web site: Check out all the nominees for the 2023 J Awards . Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 1 November 2023. 1 November 2023.
  58. Web site: Varvaris . Mary . 1 November 2024 . Amyl And The Sniffers, Speed, Emily Wurramara Lead 2024 J Award Nominees . 1 November 2024 . . en.
  59. Web site: Troye Sivan, Kylie Minogue & Dom Dolla Among 2024 Shure Rolling Stone Australia Awards Nominees. Rolling Stone Australia. 4 March 2024. 11 March 2024.