Orville Peck

Daniel Pitout, known professionally as Orville Peck, was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1988. He lived there until the age of 15, teaching himself music on an acoustic guitar and a Casio keyboard. His early years included voice-over work for cartoons and 12 years of ballet training, leading to performances in musical theater across national tours. Peck pursued a foundation degree in acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 2014 and later performed in the Mischief Theatre production of ‘Peter Pan Goes Wrong’ at the Apollo Theatre in 2016.

Peck’s music career began to formalize with the self-production of his debut album, “Pony,” released in 2019 through Sub Pop. He wrote, produced, and played all instruments on the album. “Pony” earned him a nomination for Alternative Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2020 and was longlisted for the Polaris Music Prize. Following this, he released the EP “Show Pony” in 2020 and his second studio album, “Bronco,” in 2022. In 2023, he took a self-imposed hiatus before releasing “Stampede,” his third studio album and first duets album, in 2024. Throughout his career, Peck has been recognized for his contributions, receiving the Libera Award for Best Breakthrough Artist in 2020 and the Cultural Icon Award from the Tom of Finland Foundation in 2022.

Beyond his musical releases, Peck has engaged in various projects that highlight his artistic versatility and advocacy. In 2021, he reimagined Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” in a country style for its tenth-anniversary album. He also served as a guest judge on MTV’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in 2023 and became a winning coach and judge on “My Kind of Country.” Notably, Peck made his Broadway debut as the Emcee in “Cabaret” in 2025 and is set to make his film debut as Vega in the upcoming “Street Fighter” reboot in 2026. He actively champions LGBTQ+ representation in country music and has initiated Orville Peck’s Rodeo, an annual event promoting emerging country artists across the U.S.