Under the Rex Orange County moniker, O'Connor has released one mixtape, bcos u will never b free, and three studio albums: Apricot Princess, Pony, and Who Cares?. Both Pony and Who Cares? made the top 5 in the UK and US, and the latter topped the UK Albums Chart. O'Connor also released a live album, entitled Live at Radio City Music Hall, in 2020.
Alexander James O'Connor was born on 4 May 1998, to Nina and Phil O'Connor, a professional sports photographer. He grew up in the village of Grayshott, Hampshire near Haslemere. O'Connor's 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.
At age 16, O'Connor began playing the guitar and started to produce his own music using Apple's Logic software. At this age, he also began attending the BRIT School where he studied drumming and was one of four percussionists in his year; the relative rareness of his primary instrument provided him with wide exposure to various projects of others in his school which he credits with exposing him to new music.
On 4 September 2015, O'Connor self-released his debut album bcos u will never b free on SoundCloud and Bandcamp. Upon listening to the album, fellow English musician and producer Two Inch Punch got in touch with him, providing him with a management team. The two have continued to collaborate throughout O'Connor's career in the form of the tracks "UNO", "Best Friend", and "Untitled". The album also caught the attention of American rapper Tyler, the Creator, who sent him an email describing his enjoyment of the project. This led to him flying O'Connor out the following year to Los Angeles to collaborate on his album Flower Boy, with him co-writing and contributing vocals to the songs "Boredom" and "Foreword". On 17 November 2016, O'Connor released the single "UNO", a song Clash magazine described by writing, "The buoyant keyboard riff underpins a hypnotic half-spoken vocal, one that veers from topic to topic in a hazy burst of creative mania." On 25 January 2017, he released the single “Best Friend” (premiering on Apple Music's Beats 1 station), followed later in the year by the release of his second album Apricot Princess. His work was compared by Aimee Cliff of The Fader in 2017 to "other artsy, post-genre teen artists, such as Kevin Abstract or Steve Lacy".
O'Connor's first release following the success of Apricot Princess and Flower Boy was on 11 October 2017 with the single "Loving Is Easy", created in collaboration with the Dutch artist Benny Sings. On 16 April 2018, he performed the song in his television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. On 31 May 2018, he released a cover of "You've Got a Friend in Me" in collaboration with Randy Newman, the creator of the song. He was also featured in Spotify's Rise Program.
On 9 October 2018, O'Connor was scheduled to appear on the French television program Quotidien, but refused to perform because it featured a sketch by comedian Alison Wheeler parodying the Ku Klux Klan, which he called "tasteless".
On 14 February 2019, O'Connor released the single "New House". Later that year on 12 September, he released "10/10"; the lead single from his third album Pony. Released on 25 October 2019, Pony was his first major-label album released through RCA Records.
On 30 September 2020, O'Connor released an EP with recordings from his performance at Radio City Music Hall in New York City during his Pony tour titled Live at Radio City Music Hall alongside a documentary released on YouTube. This documentary showed the events leading up to this performance as well as the early conclusion of the Pony tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In October 2020, O'Connor confirmed that he was in the process of recording a fourth studio album titled Who Cares? In January 2021, he liked a Tweet seemingly confirming that it would be released at some point later that year. However, this did not materialize. On 13 January 2022, he began officially teasing the album, sending out postcards containing a phone number that when called, a snippet of the song would play. The album was released on 11 March 2022, and was his first to top the UK Albums Chart, entering ahead of Impera by Ghost.
Growing up, O'Connor listened to Queen, ABBA, Stevie Wonder, and American alternative artists like Weezer and Green Day. He cites these artists and others as core inspirations for his own music.
New House
Rex Orange County Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every time I try it never feels the way it did at the start
This one for my dogs
That see where I'm coming from
And know why it's hard
I do it for you
No one can save me this evening
She does her all but I've never been the easiest ride
So I said, "Picture it"
I can see us in a house next year
You'll be making your mind up
You can figure out what goes where
And stay keeping it real with me all the time
All the while, they can't touch me anyway
So I'll be holding it down with you every day
(Ah, ah, yeah)
Holding it down
(Oh, oh, I'll be holding it down)
(Holding it down, ah)
(Oh, oh)
I'm so good at falling asleep
Grateful for you waking me
If it weren't for you I would've stayed here for weeks
And the bed is just upstairs, the only place I feel peace
There's nothing I forgot to do
Nowhere that I'ma need to be
There's no one left for me to impress
How am I meant to know what's good when nothing good on the screen?
It's been the same way for a while now and I'ma come clean
You know that I haven't been inspired since, like, I was eighteen
And the extra stress isn't necessary anyway
So the only thing that's worrying is right in front of me in a line
And life is too short to be staying inside
But I didn't realize, I ran from the light
And no one can save me, I'm bleeding
I do my best, but I really am a regular guy
At least I've got three-six-four more days to get it right
Take a seat, picture this (oh)
I can see us in a house next year
You'll be making your mind up
You can figure out what goes where
You'll be keeping it real with me all the time
No distraction, no one's even tryna reach me
Well, not until they need something, honestly
And the trouble is
Everybody needs something all the fuckin' time
(Time)
Everybody needs something all the fuckin' time
Oh yeah
It doesn't happen like this every day
Every time I look at her, I feel the way I did at the start
She's holding me up, I'll never depart
All the emotions straight from the heart
She got me all in my feelings
I wouldn't know how to live life if it wasn't with her
I know what it's worth
The song "New House" by Rex Orange County is a heartfelt ballad that explores the difficulty of maintaining relationships and finding inspiration. The first verse addresses the struggle to keep things fresh in a relationship, admitting that it's hard to maintain the initial spark. However, the singer dedicates the song to his closest friends who see where he's coming from and know why it's hard. The chorus is an optimistic turn, imagining a future where the singer and his partner have a new house together and have figured out how to keep things real with each other. The second verse delves into the singer's mental state, revealing that he's been feeling uninspired and stagnant for some time. He acknowledges that life is too short to stay inside and run from the light, but he doesn't know how to find inspiration anymore. He finds comfort in his partner, who holds him up and keeps him going.
Line by Line Meaning
It doesn't come that easy anyway
Nothing worth having comes without effort
Every time I try it never feels the way it did at the start
The initial excitement of something new fades over time
This one for my dogs
This song is dedicated to my close friends
That see where I'm coming from
My friends understand my struggles
And know why it's hard
They understand that life can be difficult
I do it for you
I make music for the people I care about
No one can save me this evening
I am going through a rough time and there is no easy solution
She does her all but I've never been the easiest ride
My partner tries her best to support me, but I can be difficult to deal with
She says, "It's okay, we know it's alright"
My partner reassures me that everything will be okay
So I said, "Picture it"
I imagine a better future for us
I can see us in a house next year
I envision a happy future with my partner
You'll be making your mind up
We will make decisions together
You can figure out what goes where
We will work together to make our new house a home
And stay keeping it real with me all the time
We will always be honest with each other
All the while, they can't touch me anyway
Nothing can stop our love and happiness together
So I'll be holding it down with you every day
I will always stay committed to our relationship
I'm so good at falling asleep
I have trouble staying awake and being productive
Grateful for you waking me
I am thankful for my partner's influence in my life
If it weren't for you I would've stayed here for weeks
My partner motivates me to get out of bed and be active
And the bed is just upstairs, the only place I feel peace
I feel most comfortable and relaxed in my bed
There's nothing I forgot to do
I am caught up on my responsibilities
Nowhere that I'ma need to be
I have nowhere important to be at the moment
There's no one left for me to impress
I am happy with who I am and don't feel the need to prove myself to others
How am I meant to know what's good when nothing good on the screen?
I feel uninspired and uninterested by the entertainment around me
It's been the same way for a while now and I'ma come clean
I have been feeling this way for a long time and it's time to be honest about it
You know that I haven't been inspired since, like, I was eighteen
I haven't felt truly motivated or inspired since I was younger
And the extra stress isn't necessary anyway
Additional stress does not benefit me in any way
So the only thing that's worrying is right in front of me in a line
All I need to focus on is the present moment
And life is too short to be staying inside
I need to make the most of my time and be active
But I didn't realize, I ran from the light
I didn't see the opportunities in front of me and avoided them
And no one can save me, I'm bleeding
I am struggling and need to find my own way out
I do my best, but I really am a regular guy
I try my hardest, but I am just an average person
At least I've got three-six-four more days to get it right
I have more time to improve and make progress
Take a seat, picture this (oh)
Imagine a better future with me
No distraction, no one's even tryna reach me
I am fully invested in this moment and not distracted by anything else
Well, not until they need something, honestly
Only when others need something do they reach out to me
And the trouble is
The problem is
Everybody needs something all the fuckin' time
People constantly rely on others for help and support
It doesn't happen like this every day
These special moments are rare and should be cherished
Every time I look at her, I feel the way I did at the start
My love for my partner is strong and continues to grow
She's holding me up, I'll never depart
My partner is my support system and I never want to lose her
All the emotions straight from the heart
I am honest and genuine with my feelings
She got me all in my feelings
My partner makes me feel emotional
I wouldn't know how to live life if it wasn't with her
My partner is an integral part of my life
I know what it's worth
I am aware of the value and importance of my relationship
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Alexander James O'Connor, Ben Baptie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lg385
LYRICS:
It doesn't come that easy anyway
Every time I try it never feels the way it did at the start
This one for my dogs
That see where I'm coming from
And know why it's hard
I do it for you
No one can save me this evening
She does her all but I've never been the easiest ride
She says, "It's okay, we know it's alright"
So I said, "Picture it"
I can see us in a house next year
You'll be making your mind up
You can figure out what goes where
And stay keeping it real with me all the time
All the while, they can't touch me anyway
So I'll be holding it down with you every day
Holding it down
(Oh, oh, I'll be holding it down)
(Holding it down, ah)
(Oh, oh)
I'm so good at falling asleep
Grateful for you waking me
If it weren't for you I would've stayed here for weeks
And the bed is just upstairs, the only place I feel peace
There's nothing I forgot to do
Nowhere that I'ma need to be
There’s no one left for me to impress
How am I meant to know what's good when nothing good on the screen?
It's been the same way for a while now and I'ma come clean
You know that I haven’t been inspired since, like, I was eighteen
And the extra stress isn't necessary anyway
So the only thing that's worrying is right in front of me in a line
And life is too short to be staying inside
But I didn't realize, I ran from the light
And no one can save me, I'm bleeding
I do my best, but I really am a regular guy
At least I've got three-six-four more days to get it right
Take a seat, picture this (oh)
I can see us in a house next year
You'll be making your mind up
You can figure out what goes where
You'll be keeping it real with me all the time
No distraction, no one's even tryna reach me
Well, not until they need something, honestly
And the trouble is
Everybody needs something all the fuckin' time
(Time)
Everybody needs something all the fuckin' time
Oh yeah
It doesn't happen like this every day
Every time I look at her, I feel the way I did at the start
She's holding me up, I'll never depart
All the emotions straight from the heart
She got me all in my feelings
I wouldn't know how to live life if it wasn't with her
I know what it's worth
@luishernandez2962
[Verse 1]
It doesn't come that easy anyway
Every time I try, it never feels the way it did at the start
This one for my dawgs
That see where I’m coming from and know why it's hard
I do it for you
No one can save me this evening
She does her all but I've never been the easiest ride
She says, "It’s okay, we know it's alright"
(So I said picture it)
[Chorus]
I can see us in a house next year
(You'll be) making your mind up
You can figure out what goes where
(And stay) keeping it real with me all the time
All the while, they can't touch me anyway
So I'll be holding it down with you every day
[Post-Chorus]
(Oh, yeah)
Holding it down (Oh)
Oh, oh, I'll be holding it down
Holding it down (Yeah)
Oh, oh
[Verse 2]
I'm so good at falling asleep
Grateful for you waking me
If it weren't for you, I would’ve stayed here for weeks
And the bed is just upstairs, the only place I feel peace
There’s nothing I forgot to do
Nowhere that I'ma need to be
There’s no one left for me to impress
How am I meant to know what's good
When nothing good on the screen?
It's been the same way for a while now and I'ma come clean
You know that I haven’t been inspired since like I was 18
And the extra stress isn't necessary anyway
So the only thing that's worrying is right in front of me in a line
And life is too short to be staying inside
But I didn't realize I ran from the light
And no one can save me, I'm bleeding
I do my best, but I really am a regular guy
At least I've got 3-6-4 more days to get it right
(Take a seat, picture this)
[Chorus]
I can see us in a house next year
You'll be making your mind up
You can figure out what goes where
You'll be keeping it real with me all the time
[Verse 3]
No distraction, no one's even tryna reach me
Well, not until they need something, honestly
And the trouble is
Everybody needs something all the fuckin' time (Time)
Everybody needs something all the fuckin' time
Oh yeah
[Outro]
It doesn't happen like this every day
Every time I look at her, I feel the way I did at the start
She's holding me up, I'll never depart
All the emotions straight from the heart
She got me all in my feelings
I wouldn't know how to live life if it wasn't with her
I know what it's worth
@earfun1539
REX VIBES HITTING ME LIKE A THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE ON COCAINE
@jungwooim6432
Oh my this my boy irfan
@earfun1539
@@jungwooim6432 REX ON THE DAILY WITH HIS DEPRESSED ASS SONGS YEET
@JeffelishaK
“Life is too short to be staying inside”
acTUALLY-
@britneybabwah6616
Then he was like "I can see us in a house next year" XD
@JeffelishaK
@@britneybabwah6616 ohmygo
@adindaarianti9434
"Life is too short if you stay outside"
@StrawbxrryPancake
"Life is too short to be staying inside"
Corona: Lemme introduce myself
@dogay5586
Corona:r u sure?
@amilliev.6131
"No distraction, no one's even tryna reach me
Well not until they need something honestly"
THAT HIT. HARD.