Orville Peck
Orville Peck is a country musician based in Canada.[2] He has been widely remarked upon for his tendency to wear a fringed mask and has never shown his face.[2][3][4] He released his debut album Pony in 2019.[2]
Orville Peck | |||||
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Born | 1987/1988 (age 31–32) | ||||
Origin | Canada | ||||
Genres | |||||
Instruments | Guitar | ||||
Years active | 2017–present | ||||
Labels | |||||
Website | https://www.orvillepeck.com | ||||
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Early life
Peck was born somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere and lived there most of his life.[4] He is the son of a sound engineer, and as a child he did voice-over work for cartoons and other media.[5] Growing up, he trained in ballet for 12 years, and performed in musical theatre. By the time he was in his early 20s, Peck had been on national tours of musicals.[5]
In his mid-20s, he moved to London to study acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and later starred in a play on the West End.[5]
Career
"Orville Peck" is a pseudonym;[6] he has been described as "presumably older than 20 and younger than 40".[6]
Peck self-produced his debut album, Pony, and released it in 2019 through a collaboration with Sub Pop.[7] 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.[8] In June, he performed his songs "Dead of Night" and "Take You Back" live on CBC Radio One's Q.[9] Pony was named to the initial longlist for the 2019 Polaris Music Prize in June 2019.[10] The album also received a Juno Award nomination for Alternative Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2020.[11]
Peck performed "Dead of Night" on Jimmy Kimmel Live on January 29, 2020.[12] He also announced a tour of selected cities in the United States, including performances at the Coachella and Stagecoach festivals.[12]
In May 2020, Peck announced the follow-up to his debut album, an EP titled Show Pony, with a release date of June 12, 2020. As of July 2020, Peck has delayed the release of Show Pony until August 14, 2020 in recognition of the Black Lives Matter movement and the ongoing protests against police brutality in the United States.[13][14]
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.[15][16]
Identity speculations
Sources have postulated that Peck is a persona of Daniel Pitout, drummer of the Canadian punk band Nü Sensae, based on the similarity of Peck's tattoos,[1][17] as well as Peck mentioning that he was in a punk band. Pitout was born in Johannesburg, South Africa,[18] and Peck has said he grew up in a well-known part of the Southern Hemisphere.[5] Pitout also starred as a replacement in Peter Pan Goes Wrong on the West End in 2016,[19] which lines up with Peck mentioning he was in a West End play while he lived in London.[5] Peck has not confirmed his identity on the record.[20]
Personal life
Peck identifies as gay.[21][1]
Regarding his reasons for wearing a mask to perform, Peck has stated that "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."[22]
Awards and honors
Award | Year | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Polaris Music Prize | 2019 | Pony | Album of the Year (Longlist) | Nominated | [10] |
A2IM Libera Awards | 2020 | Orville Peck | Breakthrough Artist | Won | [23] |
Pony | Album of the Year | Nominated | |||
Best Country Album | Won | ||||
"Dead of Night" | Video of the Year | Nominated | |||
Juno Awards | Pony | Alternative Album of the Year | Nominated | [11] |
In June 2020, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the first LGBTQ Pride parade, Queerty named him among the fifty heroes “leading the nation toward equality, acceptance, and dignity for all people”.[24][25]
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Details | Peak chart positions | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
US Heat. [26] |
US Indie [27] |
US Sales [28] | ||
Pony |
|
5 | 27 | 94 |
Extended plays
Title | Details |
---|---|
Show Pony |
|
Singles
Title | Year | Album |
---|---|---|
"Dead of Night" | 2017 | Pony |
"Big Sky" | 2018 | |
"Turn to Hate" | 2019 | |
"Hope to Die" | ||
"Nothing Fades Like the Light" | ||
"Queen of the Rodeo" | 2020 | |
"Summertime" | Show Pony | |
"No Glory in the West" | ||
"Smalltown Boy" (cover) | Spotify Singles |
Music videos
Title | Year | Director | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
"Dead of Night" | 2017 | Michael Maxxis | [29] |
"Big Sky" | 2018 | Deni Cheng | [30] |
"Turn to Hate" | 2019 | Orville Peck Carlos Santolalla |
[31] |
"Hope to Die" | Blake Mawson | [32] | |
"Nothing Fades Like the Light" | Deni Cheng | [33] | |
"Queen of the Rodeo" | 2020 | Austin Peters | [34] |
"Summertime" | Drew Kirsch Taylor Fauntleroy |
[35] | |
"No Glory in the West" | Isaiah Seret | [14] | |
"Legends Never Die" (featuring Shania Twain) | Cameron Duddy | [36] | |
References
- Hagwood, Alex (October 12, 2019). "Orville Peck, a Masked Gay Country Star, Rides Into Brooklyn". The New York Times. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
- Lebar, Erin (May 25, 2019). "Canadian country crooner a man of mystery". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
- Moyer, Matthew. "Lonesome drifter Orville Peck rides into Orlando this September". Orlando Weekly. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- "Get to Know Orville Peck, Country's Resident Mystery Music Man". L'Officiel. March 21, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
- "Bamboozlement (w/ Orville Peck)" (Podcast). Sloppy Seconds with Big Dipper & Meatball. May 1, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020 – via foreverdogpodcasts.com.
- Suarez, Gary; Joyce, Colin (March 20, 2019). "Orville Peck Is a Lone Stranger Singing Country Songs From Behind a Mask". Vice. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
- Satenstein, Liana. "Meet Orville Peck, Country Music's Anonymous Masked Musician". Vogue. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
- Peck, Orville [@orvillepeck] (June 15, 2020). "Speechless... thank you" (Tweet). Retrieved June 19, 2020 – via Twitter.
- "Meet Orville Peck, the masked country music star". CBC Music. Radio Canada. June 14, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Gordon, Holly (June 20, 2019). "Find out who made the 2019 Polaris Music Prize long list". CBC Music. Radio Canada. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Lau, Melody (January 28, 2019). "Alessia Cara and Tory Lanez lead the 2020 Juno nominations". CBC Music. Radio Canada. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Freeman, Jon (January 30, 2020). "Orville Peck Performs 'Dead of Night' on 'Kimmel'"]". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Daly, Rhian (June 11, 2020). "Orville Peck delays 'Show Pony' EP to keep focus on Black Lives Matter movement". NME. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
- Freeman, Jon (May 29, 2020). "Orville Peck Announces New EP 'Show Pony,' Teases Shania Twain Duet". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Marotta, Michael (June 29, 2020). "Listen to Orville Peck cover Bronski Beat's '80s anthem 'Smalltown Boy'". Vanyaland. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- Peck, Orville [@orvillepeck] (July 31, 2020). "Put on your disco dancing boots cowfolx, cuz my cover of 'Smalltown Boy' is now out on all streaming!" (Tweet). Retrieved July 31, 2020 – via Twitter.
- Saxberg, Lynn (April 10, 2019). "Meet Orville Peck, the mysterious new country artist who plays in Ottawa Thursday". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Torres, Eric. "Eating Out with Daniel Pitout". Gayletter. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- "Daniel Pitout Theatre Credits". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- Cooper, Leonie (November 19, 2019). "Orville Peck: 'I grew up feeling alienated – so I became a cowboy'". The Guardian. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- "Masked country king Orville Peck would like his own version of The Bachelor". The Fader. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
- Amy Campbell, "Queer Cowboy Orville Peck Is Redefining Country Music For A New Generation Of Fans". GQ Australia, January 16, 2020.
- "2020 Nominees". Libera Awards. A2IM. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- "Queerty Pride50 2020 Honorees". Queerty. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
- Tracer, Daniel (July 15, 2020). "These musicians became queer role models young fans need, and they're changing the world for good". Queerty. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
- "Orville Peck Chart History (Heatseeker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
- "Orville Peck Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- "Orville Peck Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- Holdsworth, Bryony (January 16, 2019). "Masked country crooner Orville Peck releases yearning Western ballad "Dead of Night"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Swash, Olivia (December 4, 2018). "Orville Peck announces signing to Sub Pop with debut cowboy heartbreak ballad "Big Sky"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Holdsworth, Bryony (February 26, 2019). "Indie cowboy Orville Peck wrestles with resentment on new country classic "Turn To Hate"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Maicki, Salvatore (June 13, 2019). "Orville Peck brings the drama in his new video for "Hope To Die"". The Fader. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Slingerland, Calum (December 10, 2019). "Orville Peck Reflects on a Big 2019 in His "Nothing Fades Like the Light" Video". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Freeman, Jon (February 24, 2020). "Orville Peck Sings for Drag Performers in Colorful 'Queen of the Rodeo' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Freeman, Jon (April 1, 2020). "Orville Peck Is Here to Offer Flowers, Hope in New 'Summertime' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Gallagher, Alex. "Watch Orville Peck and Shania Twain join forces in 'Legends Never Die' video". NME. BandLab Technologies. Retrieved August 14, 2020.