Rex Orange County

Rex Orange County is the stage name for singer-songwriter Alex O'Connor, who comes from a small town in Hampshire England, and *not* from some Orange County (the moniker is actually an inside joke having to do with his last name). His music is persistently upbeat and hopeful, with plenty of uplift even when his lyrics do not particularly suggest hope or joy. There are some clear bedroom pop dynamics in the feel and flow of his sound, as well as plenty of R&B threads. He occasionally taps into classically inspired string arrangements or elements of jazz, the latter making a more frequent appearance in his earlier work. His songs are highly melodic, and he sings them in a loose and laid-back manner that adds to that charm.