Who is Rex Orange County and what has he been accused of? British singer sexual assault charges, explained

Content warning: this article discusses allegations of sexual assault

Best Friend and Pluto Projector singer Rex Orange County has been making headlines after being charged with numerous counts of sexually assaulting a woman multiple times over a two-day period back in June. One month after the alleged incident, the artist canceled all of his upcoming international tour dates.

Who is Rex Orange County?

Alexander O’Connor, better known by his stage name Rex Orange County is a 24-year-old English singer/songwriter who rose to the spotlight in 2017 after US rapper Tyler the Creator took him under his wing and featured O’Connor on multiple tracks on his Flower Boy album. Tyler the Creator discovered the artist following O’Connor’s first mixtape under the Rex Orange County name, Bcos U Will Never B Free, released in 2015. Since then, O’Connor has released three more studio albums – Apricot Princess, Pony, and Who Cares? 

Back in early July, O’Connor announced he would be canceling his upcoming tour dates across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand due to unforeseen personal circumstances. No further detail was given by the artist at the time. 

What are the allegations against him?

According to The Sun, O’Connor has been charged with six counts of sexually assaulting a woman over a two-day period, the woman was over the age of consent in England. Two of the assaults allegedly took place in the West End of London on June 1, while an additional four occurred the following day, once in a taxi and three more times in the artist’s home in Notting Hill.

Has Rex Orange Country responded? 

O’Connor himself has not responded directly to the allegations, but the artist has pled not guilty to all of the charges. A representative for the singer/songwriter has been issuing the following statement to publications reaching out about the allegations:

“Alex is shocked by the allegations, which he denies, and looks forward to clearing his name in court,” a representative for the musician said in a statement.

“He is unable to make any further comment because of the ongoing proceedings.”