A multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, Rex Orange County first came to the public's attention in 2015, when he was still a teenager. Born Alex O'Connor, Rex Orange County was raised in Haslemere, a town in Surrey, on the outskirts of London. A self-taught percussionist, Rex Orange County began to add to his repertoire of sounds by working on the keyboard, and later still, developing his own vocal style. As a teenager, he started to write songs that have been variously described as 'loose-footed', 'personable' and 'fluid'. In fact, his tunes are catchy, and despite the ennui of much of the subject matter – his songs tend to be about being bored or disillusioned with life – he writes in a highly accessible manner.

Rex Orange County's first album

In 2015, Rex Orange County got to work putting an entire album together. This was a self-produced, eleven-track collection that was recorded and mixed entirely by the artist in his bedroom. Like others who had produced works in this way, the album was a highly personal affair and was released for digital download only. The name of the album was bcos u will never b free, featuring the popular track, “Belly”.

Rex Orange County's style at this point of his career is hard to pin down. Elements within bcos u will never b free are definitely rap and hip-hop orientated, with plenty of break beats in the mix. However, at times the influence of contemporary jazz, laid-back R&B and even surf rock can all be detected. The album did well for Rex Orange County, with new followers picking up on its subtle approach, from his Bandcamp web page. It allowed the burgeoning artist to reach out and find that he had an audience, even if it was one that only existed in the online world.

Rex Orange County's later work

The following year, Rex Orange County released the single, “Uno”. Full of lament and fed-up angst, this work got the young performer noticed by the likes of high-profile acts such as Tyler, The Creator. It also led to Rex Orange County being scouted out by BadBadNotGood, the Canadian experimental jazz and hip-hop outfit, for a potential collaboration.

The young songwriter moved to London in 2016 and continued to work on his writing, recording and audio production. He played a sell-out show at the Bermondsey Social Club in South London, in early 2017. He has since set about organising more live dates and there is the promise of a new release, which will perhaps be put out by a major label, such is the interest in the artist.

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