Who is Rex Orange County?

Rex Orange County may ask Who Cares? on his new album, but it's clear that - after an already varied and impressive career - the answer to that is: quite a lot of people, actually

From humble beginnings as an unsigned indie artist posting clips to Soundcloud at the start of the last decade, to now releasing his second major-label backed record in 2022 and on his way to scoring his first UK Number 1 album in the process.

But exactly who is Rex Orange County?

Rex Orange County is the stage name of 23 year-old Alex James O'Connor

The moniker apparently originated as a school nickname from teachers - The OC - taken from his surname. 

O'Connor was originally born in Hampshire, but as a student he attended the prestigious BRIT School (with alums like Adele and Amy Winehouse), where he studied drumming.

MORE: Rex Orange County's Official Charts history in full

He started releasing music when he was just a teenager 

Don't start reading up on Rex Orange County if you don't want to feel like a massive underachiever. O'Connor released his first record as an unsigned artist, Bcos U Will Never B Free, on Soundcloud and BandCamp when he was just 17 years old.

Despite not being attached to a major label, O'Connor's music caught the attention of celebrated American rapper Tyler, The Creator, who invited the musician to join the sessions for this then-upcoming album, Flower Boy. Released in 2017, Flower Boy was an acclaimed release from Tyler and O'Connor's inclusion on two of the album's most celebrated tracks - Boredom and Foreword - broke him through on the international stage.

O'Connor released his second album, Apricot Boy, in 2017 still un-signed. He came second in the BBC's Sound Of...2018 poll, ultimately losing to Sigrid.

What kind of music does Rex Orange County make?

While throughout his career he's often been categorised as a 'sad boy' (indeed Bcos U Will Never B Free has become a modern-classic break-up album) his sonic influences are complex and numerous. Perhaps initially categorised as a softcore hip-hop artist, Rex Orange County's music riffs off jazz as much as it does indie-pop and soul music too.

2019 was the year O'Connor released his third album and first under a major label. Pony, issued via RCA, was Rex Orange County's first project to chart in the UK - hitting Number 5 on the Official Albums Chart.

And now, three years later, he's coming out fighting with Who Cares? which is currently on course to become his first Number 1 - keep your eyes on the Official Albums Chart this Friday from 5.45pm to find out if he can hold on.