unmasked

As Orville Peck teases face reveal, online sleuths may have already uncovered the truth in this long-lost NSFW photoshoot

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Orville Peck stands on the red carpet, wearing a black mask covering his eyes with long gold fringe that hands past his face. He wears a sleeve black collared shirt and tan cowboy hat. His blue eyes are visible.

Who is Orville Peck?

Besides his reputation as the sultry-voiced, queer country singer of our dreams (and Trixie Mattel’s BFF), the “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond Of Each Other” singer has maintained an aura of mystery.

It’s helped make his each and every move all the more intriguing. But as he prepares to release upcoming duets album Stampede, embark on tour, and ditch his trademark fringed mask for good, some internet sleuths may have already cracked the code.

According to Maclean’s, while Peck is yet to professionally identify himself, it’s widely believed his real name is Daniel Pitout.

Pitout was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, where the cowboy crooner found comfort in spaghetti westerns and Clint Eastwood movie. When he was 15-years-old, his family relocated to Vancouver, Canada.

In the land of Carly Rae Jepsen and maple syrup, Pitout began capitalizing on his musical prowess, performing in moderately popular punk bands like Nü Sensae and Eating Out.

In fact, his thin frame can be spotted sporting bleached blonde hair and pounding away alongside screeching guitars in one of the band’s live performances at Heathers Bar for The Fader.

Watch.

During that time, Pitout also posed for beloved queer magazine BUTT, known for their trailblazing LGBTQ+ lifestyle coverage, and erm, nudity.

In his 2014 interview, he opened about his upbringing and musical roots, hinting at feelings of solitude that very well could have inspired his desire to adopt a character later into his career.

“I just felt out of place at school,” he told BUTT.

“South Africans are really into sports, so. think if you’re a gay kid and you have to play rugby with like thirty straight guys… i was teased. But I think, moreso than being gay, I was different in other ways too. Like, I liked different kinds of music and I liked to dress differently. I still do.”

And as for the spread, Pitout showed much more than his eyes, nose, and teeth in the, uh, certifiably NSFW photoshoot.

If you want to see more of Pitout, er, Peck’s face, you can check out the detective skills of the gays on Reddit here. And here.

Butt But as the “C’mon, Baby Cry” singer prepares for his next era, he’s been teasing an official face reveal –– or at least a skimpier mask.

In a yet-to-be-released interview with Man About Town, he even told the outlet: “There’s something coming soon and it’s something that I don’t think anyone is really expecting.”

Furthermore, he’s posted a handful of picks showing off his chiseled jawline, strawberry blonde beard, and lips. And that recognizable torso.

It begs the question: If Peck is packing so much has such a handsome face, why did he hide it in the first place? And why is he peeling the mask back now?

Well, in a 2022 interview with DIY, he intimated that the mask was “a look,” part of his onstage persona.

“I’m someone who grew up with the idea that any type of performance went hand in hand with an aesthetic and a production value and kind of being extra,” he explained. “I don’t really subscribe to the notion that something has to be boring or toned down for it to be sincere.”

Furthermore, Peck recently told Out that after taking a break for his mental health last year, he’s experienced “a lot of personal growing and evolving.” And teasing more of his facade is, perhaps, a reflection of that.

“Everything in my life, I really try to channel towards the pursuit of authenticity and vulnerability,” he said.

“I’ve actually changed my mask for every album, revealed a little bit more each time, and I just wanted to do something that was going to push me a little bit further to feel a bit more vulnerable and a bit more exposed and reveal a little bit more of the man under the mask.”

You can catch a glimpse of Peck’s face for yourself on his Stampede Tour, which kicks off in Asheville, North Carolina this May.

Related:

Omar Apollo’s long-distance dilemma, JoJo Siwa’s raunchy rebrand & Orville Peck’s semi face reveal

Queer artists continue to raise the bar this week with new music from @omarapollo, @itsjojosiwa, @ChappellRoan, @orvillepeck, @chrissychlapp & @JORDYMUSIC

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