Sydney indie-pop duo Royel Otis are under fire following the release of their new single “Moody”, with listeners calling out the track’s lyrics as misogynistic.
Released on May 9th, “Moody” was co-written with Grammy-winning songwriter Amy Allen and produced by Blake Slatkin, whose credits include Charli XCX and Omar Apollo.
The track has quickly become Royel Otis’ biggest radio and digital hit to date, racking up tens of thousands of views on YouTube and significant playlist traction.
But despite its early success, the song’s lyrical content has stirred controversy: particularly a line that refers to a woman as a “bitch”.
The backlash has played out across social media, with some users accusing the band of lazy or outdated songwriting, and others pointing to a broader pattern of dismissive language in male-fronted indie music.
Fans have also claimed that comments critiquing the lyric were deleted from Royel Otis’ social media accounts.
Lyrics from the track include: “She’s always givin’ it to me/Late nights, she always accusin’/Last time, she said she would kill me/My girl’s a bitch when she’s moody …”
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The track, described by the band as simply “a song about a girl,” was debuted in front of celebrity guests at a sold-out Troubadour before its official release. However, criticism mounted quickly upon its official release, with social media users accusing the band of promoting harmful stereotypes and silencing dissenting voices by removing negative comments.
A former schoolmate of Otis Pavlovic told news.com.authey found the lyrics disappointing and out of step with current conversations around gender and representation. “In 2025, it’s disheartening to hear a local Australian artist—someone I know or I knew—casually refer to women as ‘bitches’ in their lyrics,” they said. “They’ve been deleting comments that call out the lyrics and video, while only replying to the positive ones. It’s dismissive and cowardly, and it says a lot about whose voices they value.”
The schoolmate continued, “When artists use their platforms to propagate harmful language, they contribute to a culture that devalues women and hinders progress toward equality and safety. It’s so important that we hold creators accountable and demand more responsible representation.”
In a response provided to news.com.au by Kay and Hughes Art and Entertainment Lawyers on behalf of the band, Royel Otis said: “’Moody’ has been Royel Otis’ highest performing release in the first two weeks globally both digitally and on radio.”
They added, “This song is written from a specific perspective, it is not intended to convey a broader view or standpoint about women in general. We apologise if anyone understood those lyrics otherwise.”
Rolling Stone AU/NZ has reached out to the band’s management for further comment.
The duo—Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic—have had a whirlwind last year, which saw a top 10 debut album, four ARIA wins including Best Group, international tours, and a sold-out homecoming at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion. Their latest release comes ahead of a huge run of dates across the US, including sets at Glastonbury, Mad Cool, Lollapalooza, Governors Ball, and Bonnaroo, as well as supporting Halsey on her North American tour in June.
