How a viral cover band’s legal strategy backfired into a public relations disaster
In short: Australian indie pop duo Royel Otis rose to global fame through viral covers and a chart-topping debut album. Yet, a recent attempt to scrub anonymous online allegations from the internet through the US court system has instead amplified the claims, drawing sharp criticism from a federal judge.
Formed in 2019 by Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic, the Sydney-based duo Royel Otis quickly ascended the indie pop scene. Their breakthrough arrived via viral covers of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s "Murder on the Dancefloor" and the Cranberries’ "Linger," the latter of which reached the Billboard Hot 100 in August 2024. By late 2024, the band had performed over 100 sold-out shows and signed with Capitol Records. However, their trajectory shifted following the 2025 release of their second album, Hickey, and a series of controversies ranging from accusations of misogyny in their music videos to severe personal allegations surfacing on Reddit.
In early 2026, it was reported that Maddell—born Leroy Bressington—had attempted to compel Reddit to reveal the identities of anonymous users who accused him of engaging in a nonconsensual sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student during his previous employment as a music teacher. Maddell’s legal team sought to identify these users to potentially initiate defamation proceedings. However, on 24 December 2025, Judge William Alsup denied the subpoena request, describing the application as "overreaching" and "overburdensome."
The court’s decision highlighted a critical failure in Maddell's strategy: his application failed to specifically deny the core allegation of sexual misconduct with a minor. Judge Alsup noted that Maddell had not filed a complaint anywhere in the world to stop the statements before seeking the court's assistance. Critics observed that by attempting to force the removal of these claims through a high-profile legal filing, Maddell inadvertently elevated anonymous online rumors into a matter of public record. As of February 2026, reports indicated that Maddell had engaged a high-profile barrister to pursue further defamation proceedings in Australia, while a band representative maintained that the online rumors were entirely false.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Royel Otis
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