Rex Orange County NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

This performance was recorded on February 19 2020 We will continue releasing Tiny Desk videos of shows that had already been taped In light of current events NPR is postponing new live tapings of Tiny Desk Concerts In the meantime check out Tiny Desk home concerts They re recorded by the artists in their home It s the same spirit stripped-down sets an intimate setting just a different space Watch Rex Orange County play Loving Is Easy Pluto Projector Always and Sunflower at the Tiny Desk Did you know you can watch new Tiny Desk concerts on npr org ONE WEEK before they go up on YouTube Click here a https 3A 2F 2Fwww npr org 2Ftinydesk a Follow NPR Music Twitter a https 3A 2F 2Ftwitter com 2Fnprmusic a Instagram a https 3A 2F 2Fwww instagram com 2Fnprmusic a March 18 2020 Bobby Carter -- Rex Orange County the low-key British pop star born Alex O'Connor frames his emotions and struggles in a way that appears simple and linear at first It's only after a few listens that you realize that most of us are incapable of the courage he demonstrates behind the microphone The crowd of millennial and Gen Z staffers that gathered early for Rex's soundcheck at the Tiny Desk certainly appreciated that fact There was a palpable connection between the 21-year-old singer and his fans that I don't see often at this stage in a musician's career My guess is that they see themselves in him introverted and shy with the audacity to write and sing about his innermost thoughts The first time I saw Rex Orange County perform live was at the very small U Street Music Hall in Washington D C in 2018 while he was supporting his second album 2017s Apricot Princess Luckily I was familiar with the music otherwise I wouldn't have made out a word of what he was saying over the onslaught of screams by 500 fans Astonishingly less than two years later he was playing the 6 000-seat Anthem where the screams were no match for that soundsystem We're in an age where young people are uninhibited and unafraid to address emotions simple or complex In that sense his latest LP Pony is timely He spoke with NPR and shared that he was incredibly unhealthy mentally throughout the making of the album But there's an arch to Pony and by the time we get to the final song It's Not The Same Anymore he seems at peace with his new reality The entire band was eager yet nervous during that soundcheck that is until they felt the reaction of the onlookers They quickly broke to the green room to steam their fresh white button-down shirts which they purchased at the train station before they arrived Rex pinned on a Tiny Desk button and was ready to perform a four-song set that included two highlights from Pony and two personal favorites of mine SET LIST Loving Is Easy Pluto Projector Always Sunflower MUSICIANS Rex Orange County vocals keys Johnny Woodham trumpet Michael Underwood flute piano saxophone Jim Reed drums Joe Arksey guitar Darryl Dodoo bass CREDITS Producers Bobby Carter Morgan Noelle Smith Creative director Bob Boilen Audio engineers Josh Rogosin Patrick Boyd Videographers Morgan Noelle Smith CJ Riculan Jack Corbett Melany Rochester Associate Producer Bobby Carter Production Assistant Shanti Hands Executive producer Lauren Onkey VP programming Anya Grundmann Photo Kisha Ravi NPR

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