Royel Otis Quietly Drop New Song ‘Car’

Royel Otis aren’t shouting from rooftops, more like humming from the back room of a bar.

The Sydney duo just quietly dropped a new track called Car. They slipped it out without fanfare but with a charm that hits just as hard.

Instead of the usual rollout theatrics, they opted to debut the song acoustically at the Red Lion Tavern in Los Angeles, a dark-wood, beer-stained haunt more known for bratwurst than buzz. But it worked. No glitz, no filters—just two guys, a guitar, and a room full of fans leaning in. A clip of the performance surfaced online this week, showing Otis Pavlovic hunched over the mic while Royel Maddell gently picked out the track’s moody, melancholic bones. It’s classic Royel Otis: hazy vocals, understated heartbreak, and that dream-pop glaze they’ve made their calling card.

The Car floats in the same emotional lane as their last release, Moody, a woozy breakup track that leans into longing without getting lost in it. The song marked a shift into softer, more introspective terrain for the duo, following the glossier highs of their 2023 debut, PRATTS & PAIN. While Moody had a bit more studio shine, Car feels properly lived-in. Like it was written at the end of a long drive or just before a regret hits. It’s vulnerable, but it’s not begging for sympathy.

The release wasn’t teased or hyped. No countdowns, no influencer tie-ins. Just the song, dropped quietly into the world like a secret worth hearing. In a landscape where bands are constantly fighting to out-shout each other, Royel Otis are doing the opposite—lowering their voice and forcing you to listen closer.

If Moody was the candle flickering at the end of the night, Car is the engine idling outside, waiting to take you somewhere else entirely. And if this is the sound of their next era, we’re more than happy to be along for the ride.