Concert Photos: Royel Otis at Montreux Jazz Festival, 07.07.2025

Another day, another concert – this time it was Royel Otis at Montreux Jazz Festival. Australian duo Royel Otis—Royel Maddell (guitar) and Otis Pavlovic (vocals)—opened the night at Scène du Lac on July 7, 2025, bringing sun-drenched, breezy indie-rock vibes that felt perfectly suited to Montreux’s lakeside setting.

I’d been hoping to shoot the headliner, Noah Kahan, but my photo pass got declined just 1.5hrs before showtime —so no photos. Thankfully, Royel Otis more than made up for it.

Catchy tunes & visuals that stole the show

The aussie band played exactly what I expected: infectious melodies and tight performances. What I did not expect were the visuals that were anything but boring. Each song featured another line of text flashed in a plain font—so simple yet so effective. The audience laughed, hundreds of phones went up. Even I found myself wishing every slide-worthy moment could be snapped. Yes, it was minimalist—just text on a screen—but every phrase felt perfectly timed, pure gold for the crowd. If you haven’t yet, check out my Insta highlights to relive it: Royel Otis Stories

Covers, energy & a Zurich encore on the horizon

I was very excited to hear “Sofa King” and “Say Something”. The setlist didn’t disappoint, we even got their covers of The Cranberries’ “Linger” and Sophie Ellis‑Bextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor.” I love how they transformed both into something that felt entirely Royel Otis—it sounded familiar but brand new.

Otis’s stage presence is on the calmer side—no wild jumps—but the energy never dipped. The drummer stood out in particular, driving each track with flair and a smile on his face.

All in all, a really solid performance. I’d love to catch them again in Switzerland.But it looks like Zurich’s schedule is packed as I am already double booked the day they’re returning for their headline show.

Still, mark your calendars: Royel Otis will be back at Halle 622 in Zurich on December 2, 2025.