Rex Vijayan

He is the son of Albert Vijayan, a music director in Malayalam films. He self-learnt to play various instruments at a very young age and began his musical career by mastering cover versions.{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/oh-brother/article4119814.ece |title=Oh brother! |work=The Hindu |date=21 November 2012 |access-date=10 October 2015}} He married Chintu Ramesh on 14 March 2008 at Kollam.{{cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/Two-Becomes-One/2015/01/19/article2625216.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122192252/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/Two-Becomes-One/2015/01/19/article2625216.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 November 2015 |title=Two Becomes One |work=The New Indian Express |date=13 January 2015 |access-date=10 October 2015}} His brother Jackson Vijayan is also a musician.

Vijayan was part of the popular Kochi based rock band Motherjane, as the rhythm guitarist from 2000 to 2003.{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/the-king-of-six-strings/article5272297.ece |title=The King of six strings |work=The Hindu |date=25 October 2013 |access-date=12 October 2015}} Even though he left the band in 2003, He continued to associate with Motherjane as a consultant. He was the producer of the band's singles Jihad(2010), Clayplay(2015) and Namaste(2018).{{cite news| url = https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/motherjane-set-to-play/article6769182.ece| title = Motherjane set to 'play' - Thiruvananthapuram - The Hindu| newspaper = The Hindu| date = 9 January 2015| last1 = Anand| first1 = Shilpa Nair}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.indulgexpress.com/culture/music/2018/may/09/listen-to-motherjanes-new-single-namaste-7246.html|title = Listen to Motherjane's new single Namaste| date=9 May 2018 }}{{Cite web|last=Kolkata|first=Retro|date=2018-12-16|title=Interview with Motherjane | India | Guest Band | World Music|url=https://www.retrokolkata.com/post/motherjane|access-date=2022-02-08|website=Retro Kolkata|language=en}}

He is the music composer, lead guitarist and synthesizer of the Trivandrum-based Malayalam alternative rock band "Avial" since 2003.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}}

He was part of an amateur German hip-hop band "Intensive Erfrischung" (Intensive Refreshment), which was based in Munich. He is also actively involved with Daksha Seth's Dance Company, which is concerned with performing on stage contemporary dance. Gibson Guitar Corporation, USA offered him to be their endorsee for their latest high end series guitar "Gibson Les Paul Classic".{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}}. He has also produced and composed music for some ad-films with Papaya Media, Kerala Tourism Dept. etc.

Rex debuted into film music direction with Anwar Rasheed's 'Bridge', a segment of the portmanteau film Kerala Cafe. He then did the composing of Chaappa Kurishu directed by Sameer Thahir, 22 Female Kottayam, by Aashiq Abu, helped with the background score of films Second Show and Friday and did music for Shyamaprasad's movie English in which he collaborated with American clarinet player and music composer Shankar Tucker in the song Aakashame featuring Rohan Kymal on vocals. He then did the title track for Anil Radhakrishnan Menon's debut movie North 24 Kaatham starring Fahadh Faasil. Rex Vijayan become a playback singer with ‘Enthanu Bhai' in Aashiq Abu's film Da Thadiya. His work for Sameer Thahir's second movie Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi (after his directorial debut 'Chaappa Kurishu') has set a path breaking trend in Malayalam film music.{{cite news| url = https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/neelakasham-pachakadal-chuvanna-bhoomi-a-riveting-ride/article5010530.ece| title = Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi: A riveting ride - The Hindu| newspaper = The Hindu| date = 11 August 2013| last1 = C| first1 = Sharika}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicaloud.com/2013/08/08/neelakasham-pacha-kadal-chuvanna-bhoomi-music-review-malayalam-soundtrack/|title = Neelakasham Pacha Kadal Chuvanna Bhoomi – Music Review (Malayalam Soundtrack)|date = 8 August 2013}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.sify.com/movies/neelakasham-pachakkadal-chuvanna-bhoomi-review-malayalam-pcmaWeefaeiib.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150614013153/http://www.sify.com/movies/neelakasham-pachakkadal-chuvanna-bhoomi-review-malayalam-pcmaWeefaeiib.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 June 2015|title = Neelakasham Pachakkadal Chuvanna Bhoomi|website=Sify }} Rex has also sung the title track 'Neelakasham' for the movie.{{Cite web|url=https://milliblog.com/2013/08/03/neelakasham-pacha-kadal-chuvanna-bhoomi-music-review-malayalam-rex-vijayan/|title=Neelakasham Pacha Kadal Chuvanna Bhoomi (Music review), Malayalam – Rex Vijayan by Milliblog!|date=3 August 2013}}

Sapthamashree Thaskaraha was Rex's next film, in which he composed songs such as Thaane Pookum and Nam Onnaayi.{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/rex-vijayan-for-sapthamasree-malayalam-news-112346.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180728035649/https://www.indiaglitz.com/rex-vijayan-for-sapthamasree-malayalam-news-112346.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 July 2018 |title=Rex Vijayan for Sapthamasree |publisher=The IndiaGlitz |date=2014-08-20 |access-date=2015-10-12}} After that Rex went on to do the background score for Picket 43. He returned after a break with Parava in 2017. Later in the year he composed music for Aashiq Abu's Mayaanadhi. Rex's composition for the film was well appreciated. The song Mizhiyil Ninnum was a sensational hit{{Cite web|url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/interview/rex-vijayan-avial-band-mayanadi-shahabz-aman-malayalam-music-band-1.3683286|title='എനിക്കങ്ങനെ ഒരു പാട്ട് ഉണ്ടാക്കാനാകുമെന്ന് കരുതുന്നില്ല. ആഷിഖ് ഇക്കാര്യം പറഞ്ഞപ്പോള്‍ ഞെട്ടി'|date=28 March 2019 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/music/shahabaz-aman-wishes-aashiq-abu-happy-birthday-with-song-fb-post-1.4685566|title = 'നിത്യകാമുകാ ആഷിക് അബൂ, ജന്മദിനാശംസകള്‍' -ഷഹബാസ് അമന്‍| date=12 April 2020 }} and singer Shahabaz Aman won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Singer for the rendition.{{Cite web|title=Shahabaz Aman and I composed Mayaanadhi tunes like band members: Rex Vijayan - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/music/shahabaz-aman-and-i-composed-mayaanadhi-tunes-like-band-members-rex-vijayan/articleshow/62297278.cms|access-date=2022-02-08|website=The Times of India|date=30 December 2017 |language=en}}{{cite web| url = https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2018/jan/02/rex-vijayans-soulful-and-nostalgic-music-3866.html| title = Rex Vijayan's soulful and nostalgic music- Cinema express| website = Cinema Express| date = 2 January 2018}} His latest releases as music composer are Sudani from Nigeria(2018), Thamaasha(2019) and Valiyaperunnal(2019), all were widely acclaimed.{{Cite web|title='Sudani from Nigeria' review: a magical delight laced with football|url=https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2018/03/23/sudani-from-nigeria-review.html|access-date=2022-02-08|website=OnManorama}}{{cite news| url = https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/warmth-and-sensitivity-in-equal-measure/article27699203.ece| title = Warmth and sensitivity in equal measure - The Hindu| newspaper = The Hindu| date = 8 June 2019}}{{cite web| url = https://medium.com/film-music/rex-vijayan-crafts-a-colorfully-experimental-pop-soundtrack-in-valiya-perunnal-b52e9db81d9d| title = Rex Vijayan crafts a colorfully experimental pop soundtrack in 'Valiya Perunnal' {{!}} by Dhinoj Dings {{!}} Film+Music {{!}} Medium| date = 29 December 2019}} He also served as music producer for the 2020 movie Halal Love Story.{{Cite web|url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/movie-news/2020/10/05/halal-love-story-motion-poster.html|title = ഹലാല്‍ ലൗ സ്റ്റോറി മോഷന്‍ പോസ്റ്റര്‍ പുറത്തിറങ്ങി}}

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• [https://m.imdb.com/name/nm4642769/ Rex Vijayan] on IMDb

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Category:Living people

Category:1983 births

Category:21st-century Indian guitarists