After a breakthrough year that included a swag of major awards, a U.S. hit, a top 10 in their homeland, and critical love around the globe, Royel Otis could be excused for grabbing a well-deserved break.
They’re not getting it just yet.
Led by Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic, the indie-rock outfit is back on home soil for a spot on the Beyond The Valley festival, which is produced by Untitled Group and returns later this month for its ninth edition.
The Sydney outfit will perform on The Valley stage next Monday, December 30th, on a bill featuring the likes of FISHER, Ice Spice, Chase & Status, Marlon Hoffstadt, Tinashe, Sammy Virji, Sugababes and Natasha Bedingfield. BTV will roll out at Barunah Plains from December 28th, 2024 to January 1st, 2025.
“We’re looking forward to it,” says Maddell, speaking to Tone Deaf from Bondi Beach. “It’s been ages, eight months” since they were last home, recounts Pavlovic. “Pretty much” that entire stretch has been spent on the road, adds Pavlovic, homeward bound after a week off with his girlfriend in chilly Wyoming.
Ahead of Christmas, and with the rare opportunity to reflect on a huge year, Maddell and Pavlovic agree on one word that sums up their 2024: “chaos.”
“It’s amazing,” says Maddell. “Now is the time personally I’ve been looking back and thinking, ‘wow, it’s a crazy year, an amazing year,’ and talking to friends and catching up, going through the memories. But at the time and going throughout the year, it was just constant chaos.”
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Pavlovic concurs. “It was definitely constant chaos. The whole year was a bit of a blur. It was also a really long year. It kept on going, kept on rolling. I’ve kind of been doing the same, looking back. I’m glad I did it.”
Maddell chimes in. “It was so worth it.”
By every metric, it really was worth it. The Sydneysiders toured hard in support of their debut full length album, Pratts & Pain, which dropped in February via Andrew Klippel’s Ourness, and went straight into the ARIA top 10, at No. 10.
The collection, which takes its name from the pub in Streatham, south London, the local for Dan Carey (Wet Leg, Fontaines DC), who produced the new album at his home studio, got the expanded treatment in October with the release of a deluxe edition, including a new single “If Our Love Is Dead.”
After missing out on the Michael Gudinski newcomer award in 2023, Royel Otis led the way with eight nominations at the 2024 event, taking home three pointy trophies – including the best group nod.
One of those chances came in the category for best song, with their triple j “Live A Version” of Sophie Ellis- Bextor’s “Murder on the Dance Floor.”
If that was a touch unexpected, the United States threw out a curveball when Royel Otis’ cover of The Cranberries’ “Linger,” taped from a live session for SiriusXM’s Alt Nation, gave the group their first stateside hit. “Linger” entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 94.
With “Linger” surging, Capitol Records struck a partnership with Ourness, giving Royel Otis a direct route into the U.S. market.
After headline tours on both sides of the Atlantic in 2024, a final tune-up with their “Coming Home” show last Saturday, December 21st at the Hordern Pavilion, produced by Frontier Touring.
And what advice would the lads give themselves, say, two years ago?
“If I could take myself back,” remarks Maddell, “I’d get some training to prepare my body for the sheer hell we were gonna put ourselves our bodies through throughout the year.”
The time for a New Year’s resolution is just days away.
