Royel Otis return with their dreamy sophomore album ‘hickey’, blending jangle pop, indie rock, and heartfelt emotion.
With their signature mix of hazy pop textures and punchy indie-rock instincts, Royel Otis unveil their long-awaited sophomore album hickey, now out via OURNESS/Capitol Records. Across 13 tracks, the duo digs deep into the emotional spectrum of young, chaotic love—balancing between bliss and heartbreak with a sonic palette full of energy and nuance.
The release follows the major success of their single “moody,” which has just completed its seventh week at #1 on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart, making Royel Otis the first new act this year to achieve that feat. The band recently brought “say something” to late-night television with a performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and made festival stops around the globe, from Lollapalooza to Japan’s Fuji Rock.
hickey opens new dimensions for the duo, blending jangly new wave, slacker rock, and dreamy synth-pop. Standout track “who’s your boyfriend”—cowritten with Amy Allen and produced by Blake Slatkin—pairs bouncing drums with swirling guitar riffs and biting lyrics. The track’s video, directed by Lauren Dunn and starring Lola Tung (The Summer I Turned Pretty), brings that emotional tension to life.
Another special moment? The band’s viral cover of The Cranberries’ “Linger” was recently featured on The Summer I Turned Pretty, tying the band’s narrative arc back to the small screen.
Reflecting on their newest work, Royel Otis shared: “Love bites harder than any other emotion in the world.” And with hickey, they’ve captured every jagged edge, soft memory, and fleeting feeling along the way.
