Daniel Pitout (born January 6, 1988), known professionally as Orville Peck, is a South African country musician based in the United States and Canada, widely known for often wearing a mask and not showing his face publicly.
He released his debut album Pony in 2019 followed by the EP Show Pony the next year. His second studio album Bronco was released in 2022. After a self-imposed hiatus in 2023, Peck released his third studio album Stampede in 2024. W Magazine said that his voice is a "deep, calm bass-baritone that recalls the bygone era of Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison; [his] haunting guitar riffs drift between rockabilly, blues, and dreamy shoegazing distortions."...and the rest of New Country. W Magazine 2019, 48 (6), 126-127.
Early life Peck was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and lived there until he was 15. He grew up in a mixed-race family, and is "part-white, part-Indian". As a child, he taught himself music by playing an acoustic guitar and an old Casio keyboard. His father is a sound engineer and Orville did voice-over work for cartoons and other media as a child. Growing up, he took ballet classes for 12 years and performed in musical theater productions. Peck immigrated to Canada in 2003. By his early 20s, he had been on national tours of musicals.
Orville Peck moved to London for a foundation degree in acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 2014. He played Jonathan Harris/Peter Pan in the Mischief Theatre production of Peter Pan Goes Wrong at the Apollo Theatre in 2016.
Career
Orville Peck developed his signature mask in 2018. Peck self-produced his debut album Pony at The Noise Floor recording studio on Gabriola Island, and released it in 2019 through a collaboration with Sub Pop. He has noted that he "wrote, produced and played every instrument he could" on the album while working in a coffee shop and living with his parents. In June of that year, he performed his songs "Dead of Night" and "Take You Back" live on CBC Radio One's Q. Pony was named to the initial longlist for the 2019 Polaris Music Prize in June 2019. The album received a Juno Award nomination for Alternative Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2020.
Also in 2019, Peck started an annual Orville Peck's Rodeo, which takes place in different cities across the US and brings in up-and-comers in the country music genre.Orville Peck's Rodeo He performed "Dead of Night" on Jimmy Kimmel Live on January 29, 2020. Peck announced a tour of selected cities in the United States including performances at the Coachella and Stagecoach festivals. In May 2020, he announced the follow-up to his debut album, an EP titled Show Pony, with a release date of June 12, 2020. In June 2020, he announced the delayed release of Show Pony until August 14, 2020, in recognition of the Black Lives Matter movement and the George Floyd protests. Peck recorded a cover of "Smalltown Boy" for the 2020 pride edition of the Spotify Singles series. The song was released exclusively on Spotify on June 29, 2020, and everywhere else on July 31, 2020.
In April 2021, Peck was featured on American drag queen and singer Trixie Mattel's EP, Full Coverage, Vol. 1. Peck appeared on a duet cover of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash's "Jackson". Although not credited in the liner notes for the EP, Trixie Mattel has confirmed that the whistle part in "Video Games" is Peck's whistle. In June, Peck was revealed to be the sixth artist on Lady Gaga's Born This Way The Tenth Anniversary, with Peck reimagining the song "Born This Way" in a country style.Allie Gregory, "Orville Peck Turns Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" into a Country Anthem". Exclaim!, June 4, 2021.
On March 16, 2023, Peck made an appearance as a guest on the judge's panel on MTV's RuPaul's Drag Race, alongside RuPaul Charles, Michelle Visage, and Ross Mathews. In 2023, Peck was a coach and judge on My Kind of Country. On April 5, 2024, he released a cover of Ned Sublette's "Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other" with country singer Willie Nelson as the lead single from Stampede, Peck's third studio album and first duets album. The single marked his first release on Warner Records. He announced a headlining North American tour, The Stampede Tour which began on May 28, 2024, in Asheville, North Carolina. In May 2024, Peck released the duet "How Far Will We Take It?" with singer Noah Cyrus, the sister of Miley Cyrus. On June 7, 2024, Peck released the single "Midnight Ride" alongside Kylie Minogue and Diplo.
On March 31, 2025, Peck made his Broadway debut as the Emcee in the revival of Cabaret at the August Wilson Theatre opposite Eva Noblezada as Sally Bowles.Orville Peck and Eva Noblezada to Join Cast of Broadway's Cabaret In 2026, he will make his film debut as Vega in the upcoming Street Fighter reboot. He made his Grand Ole Opry debut on July 21, 2026, where he performed "Dead of Night" and a cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You".
Artistry Identity It has been speculated that Orville Peck is a persona of Daniel Pitout, drummer of the Canadian punk band Nü Sensae, based on the similarity of their tattoos and Peck's mentioning that he was in a punk band. Pitout was born in Johannesburg as was Peck. Pitout is also listed by ASCAP as the songwriter for Peck's song "Old River" and other songs which match the titles of the songs released by Peck, such as "Roses Are Falling".
Influences In an interview with National Public Radio on June 18, 2019, Orville said: "I've never raised cattle or anything like that, but I think I've been a cowboy my whole life."Meet Orville Peck, A Man With A Fringed Mask Who Sings Like Elvis. NPR: Washington, D.C., 2019 Jun 18. Peck strongly identifies with 1970s era country music and lists classic stars Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Bobbie Gentry, Reba McEntire, and Dolly Parton as his influences. Outside of country music, Peck has mentioned Roy Orbison, Oasis, Whitney Houston, and Lana Del Rey in addition to film directors David Lynch and John Waters as being influences.
Personal life Peck is gay. A shirtless selfie of Peck appeared in Out in April 2024, and an interview in the July 2024 issue of Paper was accompanied by semi-nude photos.
In 2008, Pitout posed unmasked for Gayletter. He has given various accounts of how he came to adopt a mask: In a 2019 interview with Vogue: "I just woke up one day and it was on my face, and it has always been there." In 2020: "The only reason I don't talk about it in depth is not because I want to dodge any questions, but because I want people to have their own take on it. I don't want to lay it out and pin it down. I just don't think that's important." In 2023: "fringed mask? I grew up loving country where there was an intersection between theatricality and very honest songwriting. Dolly's a perfect example—the big wigs, the crazy outfits, but it's her. For me, I was obsessed with the Lone Ranger, cowboys hiding their face, so that's what I wanted to do."
, Peck lives in Los Angeles. His home was featured in Architectural Digest in 2023.
Awards and honors +Accolades for Orville Peck Year Award Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Category Result 2019 Polaris Music Prize Pony Album of the Year 2020 Libera Awards Himself Best Breakthrough Artist Pony Album of the Year Best Country Album "Dead of Night" Video of the Year Juno Awards Pony Alternative Album of the Year2021GLAAD Media Awards Show Pony Outstanding Breakthrough ArtistQueerty Awards "Summertime" Indie Music Vid 2022 "Born This Way" Anthem Tom of Finland Foundation Himself Cultural Icon Award Polaris Music PrizeAllie Gregory, "Here's the 2022 Polaris Music Prize Long List". Exclaim!, June 14, 2022.Bronco Album of the Year 2023 GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Music Artist Juno Awards"Here are all the 2023 Juno nominees". CBC Music, January 31, 2023. Country Album of the Year Canadian Country Music Awards Himself Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year 2024GLAAD Media AwardsGLAAD Vito Russo Award
In June 2020, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the first LGBTQ pride parade, Queerty listed him among the 50 heroes "leading the nation toward equality, acceptance, and dignity for all people".
In June 2022, Peck was given the Cultural Icon Award by the Tom of Finland Foundation, "for artistic achievement and immeasurable contributions to the art and culture of our community"; the award was previously presented to Rob Halford, Henry Rollins, Clive Barker, and John Waters. The USPTO registered "Orville Peck" trademark (serial number 88665699) on June 2, 2020.USPTO ISSUES TRADEMARK: ORVILLE PECK. US Fed News Service, Including US State News (Washington, D.C.), March 6, 2020.
Discography
Studio albums +Overview of full-length studio albums by Orville Peck Title Details Peak chart positions AUS SCO UK UKAmer. UKCou. US USCou. USFolk USIndie USRock Pony Released: March 22, 2019 Label: Sub Pop Format: CD, LP, cassette, digital download, streaming — — — 8 12 — — — 27 — Bronco Released: April 8, 2022 Label: Columbia Format: LP, digital download, streaming — 22 — 18 2 80 11 4 — 13 Stampede Released: August 2, 2024 Label: Warner Format: CD, LP, cassette, digital download, streaming — 19 — 8 1 159 33 18 — — Mule Released: September 18, 2026 Label: Warner Format: CD, LP, digital download, streaming 49 11 90 — 1 134 19 9 — —
Extended plays
+Overview of extended plays by Orville Peck Title Details Peak chart positions UKAmer. UKDL USCou. USFolk USRock USSales Show Pony Released: August 14, 2020 Label: Columbia Format: vinyl, digital download, streaming 8 17 46 8 50 20 Bronco: Chapter 1 Released: February 11, 2022 Label: Columbia Format: Streaming — — — — — — Bronco: Chapters 1 & 2 Released: March 11, 2022 Label: Columbia Format: Streaming— — — — — — Stampede: Vol. 1 Released: May 10, 2024 Label: Warner 27 38 — — — — Appaloosa Released: November 14, 2025 Label: Warner Format: Vinyl, CD — — — — — —
Singles As lead artist +Overview of singles by Orville Peck TitleYearAlbum "Big Sky" 2018 Pony "Dead of Night"2019 "Turn to Hate" "Summertime" 2020 Show Pony "No Glory in the West" "Smalltown Boy"rowspan="2" "Unchained Melody"/"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" "Born This Way"2021Born This Way The Tenth Anniversary "Miss Chatelaine" rowspan="2" "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" 2022 "This Masquerade" 2023 A Song for Leon: A Tribute to Leon Russell "Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other"2024Stampede: Vol. 1 "Midnight Ride"Stampede "Death Valley High" "Permanently Lonely" Skincare "Happy Trails" "Drift Away"2025 Appaloosa "Prologue (Eulogy of a Man Turned Mule)" 2026 Mule "Too Little, Too Late"
As featured artist +Overview of singles featuring Orville Peck TitleYearAlbum "Jackson" 2021 Full Coverage, Vol. 1 "Tennessee" 2025 All Things Go: 10 Years "Love Is a Canyon" 2025 I Want My Loved Ones to Go with Me (expanded)
Guest appearances Title Year Other artist(s) Album "Intro" 2020 Diplo Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, Chapter 1: Snake Oil "I'm Making Believe"2023 King Princess A Small Light (Songs from the Limited Series) "This Is Nowhere" (Long Version) rowspan="2" Hilda: Season 2 (Original Series Soundtrack) "Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other" (Live at The Hollywood Bowl) Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90 (Live at The Hollywood Bowl) "Friends of Dorothy" 2025 The Wiggles Wiggle Up, Giddy Up!
Music videos