Rexen – The Chauffeur

In einer Zeit, in der Männer im öffentlichen Diskurs zunehmend als Problem dargestellt werden, untersucht REXEN auf dem Album THE CHAUFFEUR Männlichkeit, Verantwortung und Liebe. Als erklärter Feminist und langjähriger Kritiker toxischer Männlichkeit richtet er seine Kritik zugleich auch gegen das, was er als toxischen Feminismus und einen vereinfachten, polarisierten Geschlechterkampf empfindet.

Das Album konzentriert sich auf die Rolle des Beschützers und auf den Preis, den es hat, einzuspringen und Verantwortung zu übernehmen. Aufgenommen in einer organischen, intimen Klangumgebung in Peter Gabriels Real World Studios, gemeinsam mit Kollaborateuren wie John Parish, markiert das Album einen bewussten Bruch mit dem, was REXEN in der heutigen Musikindustrie als „McDonald’s-Musik“ wahrnimmt — eine schnelle, oberflächliche und Wegwerf-Form des Ausdrucks.

Der Titel THE CHAUFFEUR entspringt etwas ganz Konkretem: REXEN liebt es, hinter dem Steuer zu sitzen. Für ihn ist der Chauffeur eine einfache, aber essenzielle Figur — jemand, der sagt: „Ich hab das im Griff. Ich bringe dich sicher von A nach B.“

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In artistic terms, REXEN understands songwriting and performance as precisely that role. Being of service. Carrying others through a journey without asking for anything in return.

“I love taking care of people and being generous, and the chauffeur plays an important role. There’s a relationship of trust in it. You get in, and I make sure you arrive at your destination.”

The album is conceived as just such a journey. From the initial intro to the closing coda, the listener is placed in the care of the chauffeur — a role REXEN assumes in his encounter with the audience, while the album itself is created in trust with a broader collective of collaborators.

Thematically, THE CHAUFFEUR revolves around the collapse of love, but also around masculinity — not as power or dominance, but as the space where strength and vulnerability intersect. REXEN describes himself as a feminist and has for many years been engaged in the fight against toxic masculinity. At the same time, he insists on the right to also be a masculine man.

“I sing with the deep tremor. Yes, I am dangerous, like a rare animal emerging from its hiding place. But I am yours. And that means you are under my protection.”

The album explores the archetype he calls the romantic martyr: the protector who carries others and sacrifices himself, yet also risks breaking under the weight.

REXEN also points to a consequence of the necessary struggle against the patriarchal world order — one that he feels increasingly dominates public debate: a growing tendency to demonize men. Something he strongly rejects.

“I hate it. Because I love men and boys, and everyone deserves to be loved. It’s devastating for young men’s self-esteem and creates bubbles like the ‘manosphere,’ where boys are radicalized into hating women and society.”

On THE CHAUFFEUR, the role of the protector therefore emerges as both a strength and a burden. A figure that encompasses care, devotion, and responsibility, but also serves as a warning of how it can become toxic when the weight is carried alone. The album does not point to simple solutions, but to the necessity of carrying things together.

THE CHAUFFEUR was created with time, patience, and deep respect for craftsmanship, and conceived as a cohesive whole in which sound, space, and presence are as vital as the songs themselves. An album for audiophile listeners, where the organic and intuitive take center stage, drawing lines to artists such as Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave.

At a time when REXEN experiences the music environment as increasingly drifting toward what he calls “McDonald’s music,” he has consciously chosen a slow and immersive working process. The album stands as a nourishing counterpoint — one that demands attention and leaves room for resonance.

“Just like eating fast food every day would make you sick, listening to ‘McDonald’s music’ every day will do the same,” says REXEN.

Mini bio

REXEN (Michael Rexen, b. 1985) is a Danish singer, composer, and performer with roots in the United Arab Emirates. His musical expression brings together Western and Middle Eastern philosophical traditions, and his vocal and lyrical universe has established him as one of the most distinctive voices on the Danish scene.

He holds a Master of Composition from the Rhythmic Music Conservatory and has performed at festivals including Roskilde Festival, SPOT Festival, and Copenhagen Jazz Festival.

I’VE FOUND / HOLLYWOOD / THE CHAUFFEUR / M. ROMANCE / HOIK UP! / MY HEART /

I CAN SEE YOU / TO LEARN PATIENCE / WATER / YOU’VE GOT IT ALL WRONG / KISS ME.

Michael Rexen (vocal, guitar, keys), Silas Tinglef (guitar, drums, perc), Anders (AC) Christensen (bass, piano), Sasha Agranov (cello), Henry Arthur Gibbs (backing vocals), Maria Jagd (violin), Mette Lindberg (vocal).

LP: STULP 25101 / CD: STUCD 25102 REXEN, THE CHAUFFEUR, STUNT RECORDS, SUNDANCE MUSIC APS 2026.