With 6 charges of sexual assault being dropped, Alex O’Connor, also known as Rex Orange County, is grateful to clear his name. Allegedly, on June 1, 2021, O’Connor inappropriately touched a woman (who prefers to stay anonymous) six times in London’s West End, in a taxi, and at his London home.

As a young boy, O’Connor had a passion for music. According to  ALL MUSIC, an online music database, he grew up singing in his school’s choir and taught himself how to play the drums which sparked his interest in the pop genre. Later in life, he set off to make music and quickly gained popularity after being featured in  Flower Boy, an album by singer-songwriter Tyler the Creator. Now, the 24-year-old musician continues to create music for over 15 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone.

 In October of 2022, Rex Orange County was charged with sexual assault. This had allegedly occurred on June 1st, 2021 in London. Alex, shocked by these allegations, immediately refuted the charges. Us Magazine reported that his representative clearly stated Alex “looks forward to clearing his name.” 

Evidence was taken to court, and the trial was set for January 3rd, 2023. However, the charges were dropped before a trial ever occurred. The BBC concluded the evidence showed it no longer met its standards for prosecution. Allegedly, the woman’s partner concluded that she had made the charges up, essentially refuting all claims made against O’Connor. Security footage also showed that Alex never came near her the night she claimed to have been sexually harassed by him, although the footage has yet to be shown to the public.

O’Connor has now stated in an Instagram post “I have never assaulted anyone and I do not condone violence or abusive behavior of any kind.” He has had to deal with mass amounts of upsetting comments from former fans, which have taken a toll on his mental health. These allegations caused him to begrudgingly cancel his tour, despite his love for his fans. With all this said he publicly announced, “It’s been a difficult time for everyone involved and I’d like to thank the people who have helped me through it, as well as my family and loved ones for their continued support.”

Although O’Connor has been proven not guilty, what now? One fan stated, “I love Rex but it’s hard for me to causally listen to his music after the charges.” Some fans continue to defend him, claiming “he would never do something like that.” Others have said that they need more time before they can call themselves a fan of his music once again.