Content warning: This story includes discussion of sexual assault. Musician Rex Orange County, real name Alexander O’Connell, has been a subject of controversy following sexual assault allegations made against him earlier this year. O’Connell was a popular musician amongst Gen Z, creating viral songs like “Pluto Projector,” “Loving Is Easy” and “Sunflower,” along with three critically-acclaimed studio albums.
On Oct. 10, The Sun reported that O’Connell was charged with six counts of sexual assault following his appearance in UK court. According to the court documents, O’Connell was being charged with allegedly sexually assaulting a woman six times within the span of two days. The woman alleged that O’Connell first assaulted her in a taxi before attacking her again in his home. The identity of this woman has not been disclosed to the public.
Following the charges, O’Connell’s team released a statement to Variety saying, “Alex is shocked by the allegations, which he denies, and looks forward to clearing his name in court.” His trial was set to begin on Jan. 3, 2023.
However, on Dec. 22, O’Connell took to Instagram to announce that the charges against him were dropped. In his statement, O’Connell says that the court had “reviewed the evidence and decided that there is no merit in this case going to trial” and that he is “grateful that the independent evidence has cleared me of any wrongdoing.”
In O’Connell’s statement, he addressed the “inaccuracies” that circulated after the charges went public. He stated that he was “wrongly accused” of inappropriately touching the woman, and the CCTV footage obtained by authorities “contradicted their version of events.” Furthermore, O’Connell claimed that the accuser’s partner was present at the aforementioned assault, and gave a statement that disproved the previous accusations. Her Campus reached out to O’Connell’s team for additional comment but did not hear back by the time of publication.
Following O’Connell’s statement, fans have been showing support of the musician in the comments section. One user commented, “Does this mean i can listen to his music again? i have MISSED this music so much,” while another wrote, “THATS [expletive] RIGHT. It’s innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around. I’m proud of you man. You handled this perfectly.”
However, O’Connell’s image may remain tainted for many fans and internet users. On Twitter, users have been quick to call out inaccuracies in the legal system, and remind others that cases like these slip through the cracks more often than many think. Others just simply don’t know how to feel, and are wondering if they’re able to go back to listening to the artist.