By Liz Hammond, Digital media editor
We all remember Tyler, the Creator’s most recent album, “Flower Boy.” But do you know who was behind the most heavy and soulful moments on the album?
Alex O’Connor, or, Rex Orange County. This 19-year old London-born singer-songwriter is one of the up-and coming artists in the world of anti-pop. There isn’t a sound that he can’t master.
He will switch from something synth-heavy to R&B and then come full circle with some electric guitar. It reminds you of a hybrid between Mac DeMarco and Frank Ocean, which is something that you have to love.
“Apricot Princess” is his debut album, which was released in 2017.
In an interview, he reflected on the album and said: “I love nature, I love being outside. But ‘Apricot’ is quite introverted. It’s an inside album.” Rex said the album, to him, is about “a huge party, but you feel the ups and downs of the night in one go – in 50 minutes.”
I’ll give you some of the major takeaways from this album. The first is “Television/So Far So Good,” which is a two-part rollercoaster of emotions. Rex sings about liking a girl but being too afraid to really put forth all his love to get hurt.
He sings, “But if I could just be happy by the end of this song/ But if by the time you hear it you are already gone/And it didn’t go to plan/Then why should I continue in this life.”
The second song is “Sycamore Girl.” This song came from one his biggest inspirations, his girlfriend Thea.
This song is about being so blindly in love with someone. They link up on the vocals and trust me when I say that this song makes you want to be in love. Thea’s vocals could give Rex a run for his money in the last verse. Overall this is the love song that I want to dance to on my wedding day.
The third song, that makes me cry every time, is “Happiness.” First, I’d just like to note that I do not love anyone easily and I do not like the ideas of being in love and long-term relationships but this song makes me want to forget all of those things.
It’s about wanting to be there till the end with someone. He talks about proposing in a garden of roses: “And truly loves you long after our curtain closes.” Like, come on Rex, you are killing all of my feelings right now.
The best thing to note about this song is the sheer honesty of what love is.
He admits to his mistakes in this song and he doesn’t try to just make it seem like they are always on cloud nine.
The last song is the title track, “Apricot Princess.” It opens up with a very smooth instrumental that puts you in the right mind space to listen to this album.
There is a common theme in this album where I just want to be in love.
Again, this song leaves me in a place where I’m thinking of everyone my parents have met and who they actually liked. Either way, this is the perfect song to listen to when you are in love with your best friend. Which, as we all know, happens more than we would like to admit.
Out of the singles that Rex has come out with in 2017, the two most notable are “Loving Is Easy” and “Best Friend.”
They are both masterpieces in their own right. But, “Loving Is Easy” is helping Rex rise on the charts.
He recently made his TV debut on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and that was the boost he needed to get his name out as one of the better rising artists out there.
Rex was dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans: there was no reason that he needed to dress fancy.
That’s not his style, he is relaxed and will prove himself through his music not what big brands he can afford. That’s what I love about him, he doesn’t need to put on a front for anyone.
On that note, goodnight to everyone except Kanye West.