Xander Rawlins

Alexander Rawlins
Born	London
Nationality	British
Education	Bedford School Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, Musician, Record Producer, British Army Officer
Military career
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	2006–2011
Rank	Captain
Unit	Grenadier Guards

Alexander Rawlins is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is the lead vocalist and one half of the Indie Electronic duo LAIKIPIA, who in March 2017 released their first single "Hello Dreamer". His career started while he was a British army officer serving in Afghanistan. He was a 2014 BBC Introducing Artist and is well known for his songs "We See You" and "1000 Miles Apart".

Career

Xander Rawlins, also known as Alex Rawlins (full first name Alexander), attended Bedford School,^[1] Bedford, England and Oxford Brookes University. After graduation from University, he attended The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst commissioning into the Grenadier Guards in 2007. In 2009, he deployed to Afghanistan as an Infantry platoon commander with 30 men under his command.

BBC Three television broadcast a documentary series entitled Our War: 10 years in Afghanistan. The second episode of the 3-episode series contained coverage of Captain Alex Rawlins filming and interviewing his men from 1st Battalion, the Grenadier Guards about their experiences, and captures events surrounding the loss of Guardsman Jamie Janes, a soldier from his platoon, who had died on 5 October 2009 stepping on a IED .^[2] Janes' death became a turning point in the British public's awareness of the human cost of Improvised explosive devices (IEDs).^[3] The documentary Our War won "Best Documentary Series" and "Best Multichannel Programme" at the Broadcast Awards 2012, and a BAFTA for "Best Factual Series" .^[4]

Rawlins began writing and recording music as a teenager. He co-created music with lifelong friend and fellow Devon inhabitant, Sam Phillips, under the name "The RawLips". In 2005, whilst at University in Oxford, Rawlins formed the band "Pulling Claudia" (later changed to "The Rawlins") with Phillips on lead, brother Digby on keys, Henry Latham on drums and Ben Dimond on bass. In 2009, Rawlins, while still in Afghanistan started singing in his platoon made band "The Renegade Irritations", also lovingly nicknamed "The Helmand Philharmonic"^[5] as lead vocalist and guitarist to entertain the soldiers. He played songs on his guitar, ukulele and a cornet to a "captured audience" of soldiers. "Helmand Philharmonic" was reference to Helmand Province in Afghanistan, where he was serving. Although he sang some cover versions of known songs requested, he would include in his repertoire original self-authored songs like "The City", "Oh Staff Sergeant", "1000 Miles Apart" and others he would pen during free hours during military service. He has played all over Europe and the US and is currently based in Los Angeles preparing for the release of a new EP.

Discography

References

External links

• Xander Rawlins Facebook