Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: Sure! Music has been a part of my life ever since I can remember. At the age of six, I started playing the cello after a demonstration from my school’s music department piqued my interest. Throughout school, I continued with my cello lessons – finally achieving my ABRSM Grade 8 before leaving for university. This aligned with my music taste growing up, as I mainly listened to contemporary instrumental music – often film scores. My appreciation of storytelling through music grew as a result, and some of my favourite records to this day are film scores (Howard Shore’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ and Vangelis’ ‘Blade Runner’ scores come to mind). Though I didn’t listen to much popular music growing up, titans like Michael Jackson and Bob Marley found their way onto my playlist – the latter being a result of my dad’s Marley CDs spinning in the car. Similarly, my mum’s appreciation of new-wave began to inform the soundscapes that would capture my interest as I grew older.
When I was 16, I started listening more to classic rock, folk and new-wave. Some of this interest was sparked by the needle drops I had heard in films that I adored. However, again, my parents’ music taste began to inform more of what I would listen to. The sounds of guitars and drums, which I had once found harsh, now felt filled with emotionality and energy. However, given that I went to the same university that ‘Queen’ had originated, they were the first rock band whose discography and biography I dived into. As I continued through university, 70s and 80s rock and new-wave were the predominant genres that defined that era.
Aside from the soundscapes, the songwriting and poetry found within this genre captivated me. From Elvis Costello to Yusuf/Cat Stevens to Joni Mitchell, I found myself often moved by the stories these songs told and the feelings that they evoked had stuck with me. As a result, I was inspired to start writing songs myself, simply as a creative outlet. Though I had only officially been taught the cello, I had dabbled in playing other instruments for years- namely the piano. I started writing my first songs in 2020 and, in 2023, I produced my first ever single ‘Great Again’ (which was released in 2024). Since then, outside of my full-time job, I write and produce songs as a creative outlet to explore my thoughts and feelings on the world around me. They can be based on personal experiences, current affairs or historic tales that, for whatever reason, piqued my interest. Although my first single is not currently available on streaming services, I have since produced two more singles and, most recently, an EP – ‘The Angel Sessions’.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Rex on Demand”?
A: I don’t have a strict plan as it pertains to my music distribution. Ultimately, it all depends on my desire to tell the stories I want to tell through the medium of music. I plan to continue releasing original music on major streaming services, and I hope to gain some traction there. Naturally, as a musician, I would like my music to be enjoyed by listeners across the world. However, whether it be 10 listeners or 1,000,000 listeners, the key thing for me is that it leaves a positive impact on those who do listen. However, the music I make ultimately comes from a place of authenticity – whether it be my feelings on a current political issue or my personal experiences. Furthermore, the soundscapes are reflections of my own personal music taste. As a result, I know my music won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. That is ok. I am not making music for the masses – I believe my audience will have similar sensibilities to me as it relates to music.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: That is a difficult one. Naturally, a lot of my inspiration comes from artists who are either no longer with us or whose seminal albums were released decades ago. There are still quite a few titans still making interesting music today, from David Byrne to Elvis Costello. However, Jesse Welles is a contemporary artist who has really caught my attention. His ability to write pertinent songs that reflect the feelings of many in the current political landscape, particularly in America, is utterly inspiring. His songs feel truly authentic and the emotion behind his poetry is palpable. Furthermore, the folk/country instrumentation fits like a glove. There are many other contemporary artists whose music I enjoy, from RAYE to Chappell Roan. However, as they occupy very different musical genres, their music acts less as direct inspiration when compared to artists like Welles or Costello.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the new EP, “The Angel Sessions.”?
A: ‘The Angel Sessions’ came about as I wanted to stretch myself as an artist, moving from individual singles to an EP with some sort of thematic through-line. Both ‘White Rose Bleeds’ and ‘Benjy’ had their lyrics written long before I was composing the instrumentation. ‘White Rose Bleeds’ was inspired by a documentary I had watched about Peter Sutcliffe (known as ‘The Yorkshire Ripper’) and the institutional shortcomings that had plagued the police investigation. The instrumentation lends itself to staples of classic rock. ‘Benjy’ practically wrote itself. It was written at the beginning of 2024, in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the complicity of Western governments. I was angry when writing this song, and the situation still fills me with anger and sadness. The instrumentation I composed reflects the cold industrial heart of the ongoing war machine. ‘Queen of White’ was an interesting case in that I had composed all of the instrumentation first before writing. It was inspired by more doo-wop, bluesy tunes of the past, with a 6/8 time signature as compared to the usual 4/4 we find in rock. I had lost my childhood cat in the winter of 2023; she was 18 years old at the time. I wanted to write an ode to her, and that started with the music rather than the lyrics. Once the instrumentation had been completed, I found it both challenging and rewarding to find the right melody and structure for the lead vocals (as well as the occasional harmonies). Given I had recorded these songs in Angel, London, the title of the EP became obvious to me. However, as I alluded to at the beginning, these songs were chosen due to their thematic through-line. All the songs explore loss and death in different contexts, across different musical styles. As a result, ‘The Angel Sessions’ has a double meaning.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Authentic.
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording EP?
A: Naturally, given my low production budget, ensuring the instruments and vocals were clear came with its challenges. Furthermore, as this EP is self-produced, mixing and mastering were difficult. It is a skill I am still familiarising myself with. Though I produced this track myself, receiving feedback on the demo mixes from friends/family helped steer me in the right direction for the final mix and masters.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: That is not for me to prescribe. Naturally, I have an idea of the themes I want to explore and the messages I want to communicate when I write my music. However, the wonderful thing about art is that it is open to interpretation. The only song where I believe the message is undeniable and ultimately intrinsic to the song is ‘Benjy’; it is critical of Netanyahu’s government and genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people. As for my goals as an artist, I would like to continue developing my craft and improve my skills as a songwriter, musician and producer. Through developing these skills, I would like to be able to communicate what I feel and think more effectively and, through distributing my music, I would like to have a platform to be heard. Ultimately, no matter how many people end up listening, I hope I can bring some level of enjoyment and positivity to my listeners – whether they find meaning in my lyrics or simply enjoy the melodies within my songs.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: There are a lot of artists I revere, so this is incredibly difficult to answer. I will cheat and give two answers. Given the soulful nature of his songwriting, I would love to collaborate with Yusuf/Cat Stevens. I identify with a lot of the themes he explores in his music – often moved by the tenderness he is able to draw out of them. It’d be an honour to gauge his perspective on songwriting, as well as general life musings I’m sure. On a different note, Queen is my favourite band. Mercury, May, Taylor and Deacon are all musical masters in their own right. Assuming Freddie Mercury was still alive and John Deacon was still the band’s bassist, it’d be mind-boggling to be a fly on the wall during their creative process as a band – let alone collaborate with them.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: I am in no position to be giving any advice, given that I am just starting on my journey as a musician. All I can say is, if you are passionate about making music (or doing anything creative for that matter), don’t wait. Do. Get better as you do. No one starts off perfect, and I am far from perfect despite doing this for a few years now. However, whether it is your full-time job or a part-time gig, it is better to create something authentic and imperfect than not to start at all.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: Given I am still rather young, it is hard to answer this without sounding pretentious. I’ve still a long way to go, and I wouldn’t exactly define myself as wise – especially as it pertains to music or the music industry. However, when I started becoming more comfortable in my singing voice at university, I would tell myself to get more involved in live performing and to collaborate/learn from the other talented musicians there. I’ve only started to perform live more recently, and I am certainly still developing my skills in that arena. However, at university, I was surrounded by talent and resources that I could have better leveraged if I weren’t so anxious/avoidant to perform at the time.
