Royel Otis join Ash to reminisce on the last 5 years, from writing songs in Sydney sunrooms to accidentally blowing up and becoming a household name.

Royel Otis are a Sydney-born indie duo (Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic) who formed in 2019. Their 2024 debut album PRATTS & PAIN broke into the ARIA top 10, and by the end of the year they’d sold out shows globally, played major festivals and quickly became one of Australia’s biggest international exports.

In this conversation, Roy and Otis open up about the early days, the tiny gigs, and the moment everything shifted. We get into the chaos behind their viral covers, performing with Sophie Ellis-Bextor, going global, navigating a fanbase that suddenly doubled overnight, and the pressure that comes with momentum.

They talk touring burnout, writing on the move, nearly losing an eye on the road, advice from Chris Martin and Ed Sheeran blasting their new album hickey.

If you’re a Royel Otis fan, or you’re still trying to understand how two guys from Sydney became one of the most in-demand indie bands on the planet, this is the one.

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This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.