Royel Otis have become one of Australia’s most in-demand indie-pop exports, but the hard-touring Sydney duo haven’t lost touch with the music from their home country. If anything, being overseas so much has just made them more affectionate for the songs that shaped them as musicians. “We grew up with all these artists,” Royel Maddell tells Apple Music about this handpicked playlist. “They subconsciously influenced our music.” Listen to the pair’s selections and read on for insights into many of their picks. Genesis Owusu, “DEATH CULT ZOMBIE” Royel Maddell: “He’s an absolute legend. Not only does he have incredible songs, but when he performs, it’s insane to see the difference of how he is off stage to when he is on stage. He’s so calm and collected and chill. And then once he steps on stage, he transforms. It’s like polar opposites. He’s just got so much energy. It’s inspiring.” Radio Free Alice, “2010” Otis Pavlovic: “Radio Free Alice is a band we’ve toured with. They are up and coming, and it’s great to see them touring not only in Australia but internationally. They’ve got great songs and great guitar parts.” Rowland S. Howard, “Dead Radio” RM: “Rowland S. Howard was a massive inspiration for me growing up. All the way down to his white Jaguar [guitar], he was just incredible. He wrote a lot of really great early Nick Cave stuff. He died way too young, an incredible guitarist. I’m still not sure how he managed to control feedback like that. [And he] looked like a pixie with the voice of a whiskey-logged, cigar-smoking cowboy.” Courtney Barnett, “History Eraser” RM: “Courtney Barnett is cool as f**k. She came out with these songs out of nowhere. And it was just so cool to see someone with such a thick Australian accent, traveling internationally and making an impact on the rest of the world. Her lyrics seem so effortlessly rad.” Kylie Minogue, “On a Night Like This” RM: “Australia’s queen. She is unbelievable. Her albums [are] flawless. Each one different [too]. Amazing…from her days in Neighbours all the way up till right now. We watched her live last year, and she is an incredible performer. Highlight of the tour.” The Sleepy Jackson, “Rain Falls for Wind” OP: “They have a lot of songs we both love, just because of how it sounds unintentional but there’s a lot of stuff going on and [Luke Steele’s] melodies are great. I wasn’t really aware of them until three or four years ago; I think [Roy] showed me in London. [Steele is also] the singer of Empire Of The Sun.” RM: “His repertoire is insane. His back catalog, everything. [The Sleepy Jackson’s] ‘Miles Away’ is a really beautiful song that we resonate a lot with.” Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, “BAIT” OP: “They’re another band we toured with in Australia; we supported them. They were nothing but angels, and so supporting and kind. They are a hard-working band and so passionate.” Australian Crawl, “Reckless” OP: “[This] is a song that I’ve heard since I was a kid. My parents played it a lot. It was a song I just kept listening to as I was growing up. I just love the whole song: the hook, the guitar parts, and the nylon guitar.” RM: “It’s sick how it starts with just a kick and a snare. It’s also funny how there are references to [Sydney’s Circular Quay and] Manly ferry.” Kylie Minogue, “Slow” RM: “One of the coolest pop songs ever written. The bassline, Kylie’s vocals, and the fact that [producer] Dan Carey worked on it with her is just so cool. He’s got some fantastic stories about that. The film clip is wild as well; it looks like a Vogue magazine cover.” The Vines, “Homesick” OP: “Great song; a bit more of a ballad. Craig Nicholls’ vocals [and] harmonies…it reminds me of The Beach Boys a bit. It resonates because we’re away from home [right now].”

Royel Otis: Favorite Australian Songs

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