SUSAN KNOX: From Sydney to Shoreditch: Royel Otis make mark on global stage with 'hickey'

Sydney duo Royel Otis have officially entered their next chapter with the release of hickey - a shimmering debut that cements them as one of Australia’s most exciting indie exports.

To mark the special occasion, the band invited a select group of top Spotify fans to a private show at London’s Village Underground, offering a rare and up-close listen to their new material in a city which has quickly become one of their most loyal homes away from home.

Formed in 2020, Royel Otis, which is made up of Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic, have quickly carved out their own lane in the charts with a blend of cool indie rock and dreamy pop hooks along with emotionally charged lyricism about breakups, heartbreak, and, as die-hard fans will know, oysters.

Their earlier EPs introduced audiences to their unique chemistry, pairing laid-back vocals with feel-good guitar hooks and catchy yet often bittersweet melodies.

With their new record hickey, Royel Otis have expanded their already incredible sound and have embraced a punchier, more experimental sound without losing the charm that made them stand out from the crowd in the first place.

On stage in Shoreditch on Thursday, the Sydney duo wasted no time diving into the new record, opening with the reflective tones and soaring chorus of Moody - one of hickey’s most compelling tracks.

The setlist pulled heavily from the album, with highlights including Say Something, a sharp track with deeper cuts that showcase the record’s emotional range.

While hickey retains the breezy, sun-soaked feel of their earlier work, it leans further into darker, more vulnerable territory which is at times playful but at other times raw and aching - the perfect album to listen to if you're missing an ex of some kind.

"This album feels like us being completely unfiltered," the duo have said in recent interviews, and that honesty resonated on stage. The crowd, mos of which were superfans handpicked by Spotify, responded in kind, singing along to every word and swaying through the band’s more tender tracks.

Of course, no Royel Otis show would be complete without their viral covers. Their rendition of The Cranberries’ Linger and Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s iconic tune Murder On the Dancefloor has earned them huge online attention, and both made the setlist.

The two tracks were delivered with a mix of reverence and charm that sums up the band’s personality perfectly as they brought their own sound to the classic tracks.

At just under an hour, the enlightening show was a perfect introduction to hickey - a record that feels like a coming-of-age for the already well established and loved musical duo.

It’s clear Royel Otis are no longer just a buzzy name from the Australian indie scene. With hickey, they’re stepping confidently into a much larger spotlight - and they've got the whole of London behind them.

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