Royel Otis Release new single ahead of sophomore album Hickey and Australian Tour
THIS IS A ROYEL OTIS PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING THEIR NEW SINGLE
“say something”
BUY/STREAM HERE
THIS IS THE THIRD SINGLE FROM THEIR SOPHOMORE ALBUM
hickey
PRE-ORDER/PRE-SAVE HERE
OUT FRIDAY 22 AUGUST VIA OURNESS / CAPITOL RECORDS
IT PREMIERED ON THE ZANE LOWE SHOW TODAY
TICKETS TO THE “meet me in the car” TOUR ARE NOW AVAILABLE
Aussie indie duo Royel Otis share the next taste of their highly anticipated new album hickey, the bittersweet and upbeat “say something”, out now on OURNESS / Capitol Records. The subtly catchy new single premiered on The Zane Lowe Show and launched on Apple Music’s New Music Daily playlist, too.
Cowritten by Royel Otis (Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic) with Billy Walsh (Post Malone, The Weeknd) and producer Omer Fedi (Lil Nas X, The Kid LAROI), “say something” is a swirl of wistful melodies, jangle-pop catchiness, and big “Take on Me”-inspired drums. As the track drives forward, Otis drifts over the top, pleading for interpersonal resolution: “Sucking all my energy / And even though you wear me out, I’m not gonna let this go / So what do you want from me, what do you need? / Can you say something? Say something / I’m trying to work it out before you leave.”
Royel Otis had this to share on today’s single: “This is a song about unspoken words.”
“say something” arrives in the wake of hickey’s effortlessly infectious lead single “moody” notching two weeks on top of Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart, which made Royel Otis the first new act this year to nab a Triple A crown. A lilting cut with a sticky hook and easy ’90s slacker groove, “moody” was rightly dubbed “the perfect indie daydream” by Ones to Watch.
Last month, Royel Otis debuted “car”, which launched as a BBC Radio 1 “Hottest Record” and saw unwavering support here in Australia with rotation at triple j and widespread airplay across commercial radio.
Royel Otis kicked off their new musical era in May with back-to-back gigs at West Hollywood’s storied Troubadour that sold out within minutes. They’ve been on a tear through nearly every festival worth attending stateside and abroad since, while also throwing pop-up shows along the way. In Toronto, they even played to the fans outside who didn’t make it into the impromptu gig.
To celebrate the album, the duo will return home for a massive national tour, playing six special shows across the country. They’ll hit Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena on Friday 17 October, followed by two back-to-back nights at Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall on Monday 20 October (sold out) and a newly added show on Tuesday 21 October. Sydney fans can catch them at the Hordern Pavilion on Friday 24 October (sold out), with a second show added for Saturday 25 October due to overwhelming demand. The tour will wrap up in Perth at the Ice Cream Factory on Wednesday 29 October.
hickey comes just a year after the band’s shimmering debut album, PRATTS & PAIN (February 2024). The pair have been in the States playing pop up shows across the coasts giving fans a taste of what to expect. Speaking to the album’s title, Royel Otis shared “…because love bites harder than any other emotion in the world.”
While the band is currently on a tear through just about every festival worth attending, including Governor’s Ball (New York City), Lollapalooza (Chicago), Outside Lands (San Francisco) and more, Royel Otis also recently announced their upcoming “meet me in the car” tour which will find them headlining cities across North America. The pair have already sold out major cities such as Austin, TX and New York City.
Royel Otis have already earned a reputation not just for their charmed indie rock, but also a live show that puts the pair’s creative chemistry on full display. To celebrate the launch of their new musical era in May, they played back-to-back gigs at West Hollywood’s storied Troubadour which sold out within minutes. Fans lucky enough to attend were treated to more unreleased music.
“say something” is out now
BUY/STREAM HERE
hickey is out friday 22 august
PRE-ORDER/PRE-SAVE HERE
this is where you can find royel otis
INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK | SPOTIFY | YOUTUBE | X
ROYEL OTIS AUS TOUR (tickets here)
Friday 17 October – Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne
Monday 20 October – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane (sold out)
Tuesday 21 October – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane (2nd show added)
Friday 24 October – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney (sold out)
Saturday 25 October – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney (2nd show added)
Wednesday 29 October – The Ice Cream Factory, Perth
