Sydney duo Royel Otis have returned with their new single car ahead of their second album hickey. The album is set for release in August via OURNESS/Capitol Records. The song is a sparse but emotive cut, co-written with Blake Slatkin and Omer Fedi, that blends jangly guitars with a bittersweet goodbye as frontman Otis Pavlovic sings, “Yeah I’ll meet you at the car on the corner, but we know it’s gotta change sometime / You know I love the taste of your water, but I think it’s time to say goodbye.” It’s a song which captures the moment when something is ending and all suddenly becomes clear.
The track is the second preview from hickey, following last month’s moody and marks the next chapter for the band following their acclaimed debut PRATTS & PAIN. Royel Otis have kept up a busy tour schedule with festival appearances and pop-up gigs across North America and Europe and will now return to the UK in August to perform at two of its biggest summer festivals. They are currently tour the US with sets at Lollapalooza, Outside Lands and a string of headline shows. 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.
Royel Otis release hickey on 22 August 2025.
When is Royel Otis Playing in the UK?
Royel Otis will perform at Glastonbury Festival on 29 June, followed by appearances at Reading and Leeds Festivals on 23 and 24 August. They are expected to announce details of a UK tour later this year.
29 June – Glastonbury Festival
23 August – Reading, Reading and Leeds Festival
24 August – Leeds, Reading and Leeds Festival
Music – Royel Otis – image courtesy Zora Sicher
