cowboy cutie

Orville Peck dares to bare by teasing face reveal ahead of queer-coded Willie Nelson collab & tour

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Orville Peck takes a selfie in a bathroom mirror on his iPhone. He wears a yellow cowboy hat, a black mask obscuring the top half of his hat, and a crocheted orange and white collared shirt, unbuttoned to show off the top of his muscular chest.

Orville Peck is ready to peel back the mask. Or at least lose the fringe.

The queer country crooner is known for his trademark aura of mystery, having built a career off a deep voice, undeniable cowboy sex appeal, and an obscured face.

However, the “C’mon Baby, Cry” singer seems to be teasing a big reveal for his next era.

Starting with the bottom half of his face.

In a recent Instagram post –– captioned, “What did you think all them saddles and boots was about?” –– Peck looked especially handsome, posed against a pickup truck in an unbuttoned denim jumpsuit.

But the most intriguing part wasn’t his longhorn chest tattoo.

It was a strawberry blonde beard and pursed lips –– no longer hidden behind strands –– and a tan domino mask. (Think Zorro!)

As one commenter wrote: “This is like seeing a Victorian ankle.” LOL.

The singer hinted towards the dramatic reveal days before, sharing a snap of discarded fringe laying next to his beat-up cowboy boots.

Furthermore, the change is well-timed, coinciding with new Willie Nelson collab “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other,” dropping Friday (April 5).

The queer-coded Ned Sublette track –– which Nelson previously covered in 2006 –– features lyrics like “Inside every cowboy, there’s a lady that’d love to slip out.”

And as Peck recently told Rolling Stone, the duet was Willie’s idea.

“As an artist who has sometimes felt excluded from the country music industry, once Willie Nelson wants to work with you, there’s really nothing the country world can say after that,” he said.

The track marks the “Dead of Night” singer’s first new music since 2022 album Bronco. It’s also his premier release after recently signing to Warner Records.

“I spent most of last year making several huge changes to all aspects of my life –– my career being just one of them,” Peck told Billboard of the move. “I was ready for a clean start.”

Related:

7 songs to help you live out your gay cowboy fantasy

Giddy up.

Part of that new chapter means returning to the road.

Back in June 2023, Peck had made the “incredibly difficult decision” to postpone a slate of shows to focus on his mental health.

His freshly announced Stampede Tour kicks off in North Carolina this May, running through October. Special guests like Durand Jones, The War and Treat, and Nikki Lane will join.

“I feel healthier and happier than I’ve ever felt in my life and I cannot wait to get back on the road,” he told Rolling Stone.

His comments echo sentiments he shared at the end of 2023, which he called “the hardest year of my life” on social media.

Understandably, a face reveal could be a signifier of the changes this “Show Pony” went through.

Moreover, Peck is gracing the next cover of Man About Town (available for pre-order online). In a preview of his interview with Trixie Mattel, he explained “friendships and my family are far more important to me [now] and require a lot more of my attention than I used to give them.”

Nevertheless, the singer revealed “work has been crazy,” adding “something coming soon and it’s something that I don’t think anyone is really expecting.” 👀 👀 👀

It’s safe to say this cowboy has got us lassoed! We’ll be first in line to see the lower half of his face when Stampede Tour tickets go on sale this Friday.

Related:

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Decked out in high-glam drag, the visuals for ‘Miss Chatelaine’ help make it one of k.d. lang’s most iconic songs.

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