MANILA, Philippines — Rex Orange County, whose real name is Alexander James O’Connor, gave all the feels during his back-to-back concert at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Aug. 20.
The British singer-songwriter started his set with the song Television that left fans excited and hyped up.
“Manila, what’s going on? My name is Rex Orange County. Are you ready to have a fantastic evening with me? Good to see you, again!” he greeted his Filipino fans.
The audience couldn’t contain themselves but to dance and sing along when he performed Amazing, the song that became famous after he first previewed it on a TikTok livestream in 2022.
The arena sparkled with orange flashlights as fans felt the moment when he performed hit songs, Best Friend, Happiness, Pluto Projector and Sunflower.
For the first time since its release last week, Rex Orange County performed the newest single, Indecision, a love ballad collaboration with Canadian singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar. He also treated his listeners with unreleased songs, teasing what’s next in his musical career.
Rex Orange County did not miss to support Original Pilipino Music (OPM) as Maki and Over October served as the opening act for his second concert in the country.
During his set, Maki expressed gratitude and disbelief for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, “Para sa akin talaga, one spark can spark another. So, keep on doing what you love. Totoo pala ‘no, dreams do come true. Parang dati lang, nag-co-cover ako ng mga Rex Orange (County) songs. Tapos now I’m sharing the same stage with him. We’ve come a long way, OPM!”
Maki even revealed that Rex Orange County inspired him to write his hit song Saan.
While singing, he added a playful spin during his performance, replacing the song’s “sa kalsada ng BGC” line to “sa Rex Orange County” and encouraged the audience to sing along with the new lyrics.
The “Exclusive Asia Show” was presented by LaLaLa and Wilbros Live. This was Rex Orange County’s second Manila visit after his sold-out concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in October 2023.
Rex Orange County rose to fame nine years ago after he was featured in Tyler, the Creator’s Grammy-nominated album Flower Boy. The musical milestone led him to a self-released bedroom pop debut on SoundCloud, resulting in the success of his first few songs, Best Friend and Loving Is Easy.