Better Late Than Never: Discovering Royel Otis

My latest music obsession is a duo that’s been lingering on my radar for about a year now: Royel Otis. I’ve known about them, had a few of their songs sitting in my library, but never really took the time to dig deeper (boy do I wish I had). However, that changed recently when they released two incredible new songs, and they were enough to finally pull me into a deep dive through their discography. They’ve got a brand new album coming next month, and I have a feeling it’s gonna be big. 

I actually first came across Royel Otis when their cover of Linger by The Cranberries started taking over my TikTok feed last year. Maybe a controversial take, but I find myself gravitating toward their version more than the original. Otis, the lead singer, has a really soft and captivating vocal style that immediately grabbed my attention as a listener. Their version of Linger feels more vulnerable and deep. They took an already incredible song and, in my opinion, brought so much more emotion to it, which I really think strengthens the song. I love when you can clearly hear a singer’s emotions in their vocals — Otis has that down.

After discovering their cover, I eventually found my way to some of their other songs: Sofa King, Oysters in My Pocket, and Kool Aid. But as I said, it stayed limited to those, and I unfortunately never looked farther until recently.

Spotify threw their new song Moody at me last month, and that’s when I officially got hooked on these guys. This song is so catchy. I’ve had it on repeat since I first found it — and yet, I’m still not tired of it. The way the guitar drops in at the start of the song scratches my brain in the best way. It’s one of those intros that just immediately pulls you in. Moody takes on a garage-pop sound, but in its own unique way. They layer fun, upbeat energy with softer, more mellow undertones. Otis’s voice is so gentle, and pairing that kind of vocal delivery with louder, upbeat instrumentals creates this super exciting contrast.

I was also excited to see Amy Allen’s name on the credits for this one. She’s been a big piece to the pop industry recently, working with Sabrina, Olivia Rodrigo, Harry Styles, and plenty more. This song makes me want to drive around with the windows down in the summer — and everyone knows those are the best kinds of songs.

Ok, so I loved Moody, but what do I think I might just love even more? Royel Otis’s second-newest release, Car. Now this may be my song of the summer. Car was released last week, and just like Moody, I’ve had it on repeat ever since. The talent these guys have really shows in this one. They know how to write a catchy guitar riff, that’s for sure.

My favorite part of the song is right when the bridge takes us into the main chorus again. The bridge yet again showcases Otis’s incredible voice. As a listener, you can feel what he’s feeling here without even paying close attention to the lyrics. That kind of connection in vocal delivery is hard to pull off, but he nails it. And the way the chorus hits you right afterward? Immaculate. The drum pattern is a little different at this part — it speeds up, completely drops out, and then drops back in. It adds a little burst of excitement to the end of the song, making the chorus feel even better. It’s so good. I’m obsessed with this song. If you haven’t heard it yet, do your ears a favor and go press play.

I’ve been having so much fun listening to these guys’ entire discography the past few weeks. They have a really impressive collection of songs already established, and I can only see them getting better. They’re playing Lolla at the end of the month, so I will definitely be at their set. I can’t wait to hear these songs live. And I’m even more excited for their new album to drop next month. Maybe I’ll have to do another post about it when that comes out. But for now, I’m gonna keep these guys on repeat.