I first heard of Rex Orange County when my friends Mara and Sophia sent me the song “Happiness” and said “you are going to cry this guy is so good”. I did in fact cry when I heard the song, and with that, I had fallen in love with Rex’s voice. Rex, also known as Alexander O’Connor, is a 21 year old musician from the United Kingdom. His voice is like butter and his lyrics are on another level. These two aspects paired with his style of music have quickly made him one of my favorite artists. His most recent album that came out last October, titled Pony, perfectly encapsulates my transition from high school to college and will always hold a special place in my heart. Upon my first listen of the album, I found myself saying that each song was better than the last and months later, I still find myself coming back to it when I don’t know what to listen to. It’s full of upbeat song, but still has those ballads that hit different. Pony‘s cohesive nature is really what sets the album apart from others, there is not a weak song present. The whole album tells a story of a teenager trying to find his way through life while trying to understand himself. I will break down three of my favorite songs from Pony, “Stressed Out”, “It Gets Better”, and “It’s Not the Same Anymore”.

“Stressed Out” is a very short, slower song about how Rex has been mistreated by those around him, and when he needs them to be there for him like he was there for them, he finds himself alone. He sadly sings, “They wanna see me stressed out every day, I know it (Yeah)/They wanna lie and still be friends/But when you’re at your worst, they’re not there/And you discovered that they don’t care”. He is tired of these people taking advantage of him, which is apparent with the song starting off with him yawning. He repeats how this is so unfair to him and how he is no longer going to stand for it. These people only come back to see how he is now that he is successful, but he doesn’t stand for it and moves on from them. He utilizes vocal layering thoughout the song which adds a feeling that I cannot even describe. I believe that a vast majority of teenagers can think of a shitty friend who treated them in a similar manner to what they lyrics say, which makes this song super relatable.

On “It Gets Better”, Rex sings over a happy synth-beat about how his girlfriend, Thea, has helped him in ways that he will never be able to repay. The lyrics celebrate their relationship and how much Rex has grown with his girlfriend right there beside him every step of the way. He sings, “I finally know I’m here for a reason/Thank you for waiting on me/I’m dying to see her, she’s my favorite ever season/Thank you for everything”. It’s a song full of reflection and serves as a musical love letter that shows his true feelings for Thea. During the bridge, he gets a little more emotional and slows it down, singing ‘Cause even when my worst traits get in the way/You’re here to help me feel safe/I don’t need to be with anyone else/I don’t need to explain” while violins chime into the background. This song stuck out to me because when I heard it the first time last October, it was after I went two months without seeing the boy I love who has helped me through so much even though he wasn’t there in person a majority of the time. I love this song and the beat is super fun, and it makes me want to dance so that’s a dub.

This last song hit me like a ton of bricks the first time I heard it. “It’s Not the Same Anymore” is the last track on the album and is a slow ballad about growing up and thinks not having things be the same as they were in a happier past. It shows a progression of being sad, upset, moving on, and then things eventually getting better than they were. The mostly sad song hits the turning point after a brief interlude from a saxophone and Rex says that “It’s up to me, no one else/I’m doing this for myself/It’s not the same anymore/It’s better/It got better/It’s not the same anymore/It’s better”. The song also features an outro with strings which is amazing.

Overall, this album encompasses every emotion I felt with coming to college. I feel like a majority of college-aged students would be able to relate to Rex’s music and I suggest that you all look him up if you have never heard of him. I sincerely hope that one day I will be able to see Rex Orange County live because I have seen videos of his shows and he seems even better than the recorded tracks. Pony is Rex’s strongest album and I am excited to see what he will follow it up with next.