Who is Orville Peck? Meet the masked country singer

On December 20, 2024By Littum

“Little Big Town’s Christmas at the Opry,” brought holiday cheer to Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry with established names in the country music scene and some making their mark.

The country music supergroup, known for hits “Girl Crush” and “Boondocks,” brought together singers such as Dan + Shay, Sheryl Crown, Kate Hudson and Orville Peck for the holiday spectacular, which aired on NBC Monday night. And it made many wonder who the masked singer was.

Peck donned his signature mask for a version of “Christmas All Over Again” on Monday night, leaving people curious about the South African country singer and why he’s singing with a mask on.

Who is Orville Peck?

Peck is a country singer from Johannesburg, South Africa and always attracts attention by being the always masked singer. Peck is a persona of Daniel Pitout, drummer for the Canadian punk band Now Sensaeaccording to several media outlets. His punk days usually come as a surprise to even his friends.

The 36-year-old, who is openly gay, has been a strong advocate for the LGBTQ+ community in the country music scene and has worked with Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker, Noah Cyrus and Beck. But it has not always been easy, he revealed in one 2023 interview with People.

“There were a lot of people who almost laughed in my face and told me that being an openly gay man in the country would never work. I’ve had very discouraging moments in my career. But I just kept my chin up and I refused to let anyone tell me I couldn’t do what I wanted,” he said.

In addition to advocacy, he has also worked to bring new artists into the scene with his annual Rodeo that takes place in various cities and brings newer artists to a bigger platform. And he has inspired some of the biggest names in the music business right now.

Chappell Roan, who counts himself among Peck’s friends, was surprised to learn about Peck’s background during an interview on Nardwuar the Human Napkin. Although perhaps a surprise, his influence as an artist struck her before Roan himself reached the big stage.

“I went to see him and his show changed my whole life. It changed how I do shows. He was performing at the Troubadour in West Hollywood and he had local drag queens open for him. Meatball was one of them . I told myself from that show, ‘If I ever headline my own, I’ll have local drag queens open for me, too.’ So he changed my life and now we’re friends.”

Who is the masked country singer?

While the mask has changed and gotten smaller over the years, Peck has kept his face hidden from the public. And while that may seem like an obstacle, it hasn’t stopped him from being his true self on stage.

“The misconception is that it’s a character or I’m cultivating some persona or whatever. But I grew up loving country, where there was a cross between theatricality and very honest songwriting. DollyIt’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 said in the People interview.

Who performed on the ‘Little Big Town’s Christmas at the Opry’ special?

“We’ve invited some of our dearest friends to join us on stage, and we can’t wait for everyone to experience the magic of the holidays in such an incredible venue,” the band said in a statement ahead of the show.

Small big city
Dan + Shay
Kelsea Ballerini
Sheryl Crow
Kirk Franklin
Josh Groban
Kate Hudson
Orville Peck