Rex Orange County

UK’s Rex Orange County has a new single out, "Keep It Up," from his forthcoming fourth album Who Cares?, out March 11th via RCA. It's his first new music since 2020's Live At Radio City Music Hall EP taken from his two sold-out shows at the venue in 2020 just before his international Pony tour was cut short in Berlin due to COVID-19. As it turns out, however, that tour being cut short is part of the genesis of this album. After spending the bulk of 2020 quarantined back home in the UK, Rex made the trek to Amsterdam that fall to record with Benny Sings, with whom he crafted the 2017 platinum-selling breakout single "Loving Is Easy." 

In addition to the single, Rex released the video where he is seen dancing his way through Amsterdam's busy city center as he performs the track alongside musician Benny Sings, with whom he created Who Cares? over the course of a few sessions in Sings' Amsterdam studio.

24 year-old Alexander James O'Connor is known by his stage name Rex Orange County. His interest in music began at a young age. At age 5, O'Connor joined the choir at the school where his mother worked. He became a drummer and later taught himself piano. The name Rex Orange County is based on a teacher-given nickname, "The OC", after his surname O'Connor. O’Connor attended Frensham Heights School in Farnham, Surrey. His early influences come from Growing up listening to Queen, ABBA, Stevie Wonder, Weezer, and Green Day. He cites these artists and others as core inspiration for his own music.

He rose to prominence in 2017 following multiple features on Tyler, the Creator’s Grammy-nominated album Flower Boy. Rex Orange County has released one mixtape, Bcos U Will Never B Free (2015), and two studio albums, Apricot Princess (2017) and Pony (2019), as well as a live album titled Live At Radio City Music Hall (2020). 

Rex Orange County kicks off his North American Tour in Miami on May 4th.  

Rex Orange County (Photo Credit: Alexandra Waespi)

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