English pop singer Rex Orange County, whose real name is Alexander O’Connor, has been charged with sexually assaulting a woman on six separate occasions in London, The Sun reports.
The 24-year-old artist appeared at Southwark Crown Court in London on Monday to deny the allegations. After pleading not guilty to all six charges, O’Connor was released on unconditional bail. A provisional trial date has been set for Jan. 3, 2023.
O’Connor allegedly assaulted the woman twice in the West End on June 1 and four additional times the next day, once in a taxi and three times at his home in Notting Hill.
“Alex is shocked by the allegations, which he denies, and looks forward to clearing his name in court,” a representative for Rex Orange County said in a statement to Variety. “He is unable to make any further comment because of the ongoing proceedings.”
As Rex Orange County, the artist reached indie fame with his 2017 hits “Best Friend” and “Loving Is Easy.” That same year, he featured on two songs on Tyler, the Creator’s seminal 2017 album “Flower Boy.” O’Connor has released one mixtape and three studio albums, the latest of which, “Who Cares?,” came out in March.
Last week — as Harvey Weinstein, Paul Haggis, Danny Masterson and Kevin Spacey face trials — Variety issued a detailed report on the #MeToo movement, five years after the it ignited a global reckoning. “That upheaval turned things around for the better, and culture has been forever changed,” wrote Variety chief correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister. “And yet, the entertainment industry still has a long way to go to untangle a complex web of decades of bad behavior.”
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