royel otis are the band you want to see live this summer (and forever)

Fresh off the heels of their sold-out pop-up shows in the States and a whirlwind festival run this summer including Governor’s Ball, Lollapalooza, and Glastonbury, Sydney’s own Royel Otis are showing no signs of slowing down. The duo announced their much-anticipated sophomore album, hickey, set for release on August 22 via OURNESS / Capitol Records.

It arrives just a year after their shimmering debut, PRATTS & PAIN, and introduces a sharper, more live-ready sound. As they put it: “because love bites harder than any other emotion in the world.”

Following the release of lead single “moody” and ahead of their upcoming “meet me in the car” tour—which is already selling out cities across North America. We sat down with Royel Otis to talk touring chaos, existential bangers, and the very personal bite behind hickey.

You've been incredibly busy lately—lots of shows, festivals, and now a new album. Do you ever get a break?

Otis: We probably shouldn’t say this, but... not really. Maybe around Christmas and New Year’s, there might be a little window. I think there's a public holiday in there somewhere, maybe Christmas? (laughs)

You just announced the new album today "hickey"—congrats! What’s it about, and how does it differ from your previous work?

Royel: It’s a collection of songs around themes like love, breakups... a bit of existential stuff too.

Otis: Some of it’s personal, some of it’s totally not. But this time, we approached it with more intention. We wanted songs that would translate well live - unlike before, when we weren’t really thinking about an audience at all. Now, with festivals and bigger shows, we're thinking more about what will make people move.

Speaking of festivals—you’re hitting Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds, Lollapalooza, Mad Cool... What can we expect from your festival set versus your headline tour?

Royel: Festival sets are usually shorter, maybe 45 minutes or so. We’ll probably tweak the setlist a bit, but overall it'll have the same energy.

Otis: Yeah, we’ll just keep it tight and make sure it hits hard.

Let's talk Glasto! How are you feeling about playing one of the most iconic festivals in the world?

Otis: Honestly? Terrified. But in a good way.

Royel: It’s like a little city, massive. Takes hours just to walk across it.

Otis: People say it’s the UK’s answer to Coachella, but I feel like it’s got a totally different energy.

Royel: Yeah, it’s one of the most densely packed festivals we've seen, so many people in a pretty small space. Should be insane.

You kicked off the album with the single “Moody.” Why that track first?

Royel: It’s a bit of a different vibe from the rest of the album. Honestly, it was just a team decision. We all liked it.

Otis: Yeah, and it gave us a fun contrast to the rest of the record.

You mentioned earlier how you're writing more for live audiences now. Have you always planned to be musicians, or was there a backup plan at some point?

Royel: Not really a plan, more like making music, releasing it from our bedrooms, and seeing what happens.

Otis: It only started to feel real once we began playing shows. We kind of accidentally became a band.

Royel: There wasn’t a Plan B. I was meant to be an engineer... didn't quite get there.

Otis: Yeah, I didn't have one either. And thank god for that.

You're from Australia—do you notice any differences in audiences around the world?

Royel: Oh yeah. Even different cities in the same country can be wildly different.

Otis: I remember someone warned us about a gig in Switzerland, said the crowd would be standoffish. And they totally were, but in a weirdly supportive way. Like, they were into it, but just very... reserved.

Royel: The night before, in the same country, the crowd went absolutely mental.

Otis: It’s definitely cultural, every place has its own vibe.

Do you have a favourite place to play?

Royel: It depends on the crowd. We just played in Lisbon, Portugal the other night, outdoor festival, great weather, amazing people.

Back to the album "hickey"iss out August 22. You’ll be in the UK just after that, playing Reading & Leeds Festival. We're the lucky ones to hear some new songs live maybe? What’s the core message behind the record?

Royel: We just want people to connect with it and relate to it in some way.

Otis: And also not take it too seriously. There’s a lot of heavy stuff happening in the world right now, we hope this can be a bit of a release. Fun, cathartic, something to let loose to.

What was the creative process like? Were you writing on the road or in a studio?

Royel: We’re always jotting down ideas, recording voice memos. Touring makes it harder though, you're tired, you want to sleep, not write.

Otis: Yeah, we ended up carving out about three months for studio time. Most days we were in the studio, sometimes finishing things at home too.

Last question, it’s the classic closer. What’s next for Royel Otis?

Royel: Honestly? We’re not totally sure. We're on the road for the next six months, at least.

Otis: It’s exciting, but also exhausting.

Royel: Yeah, but mostly exciting. You get to meet people, travel, share the music live. That’s the fun part. No rest for the wicked.

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Words by Sal F. and photos by Ines B.