Music Stars
Orville Peck Bio: Family, Ancestry, Education, Boyfriend, Net Worth
Orville Peck, a Millennial South African country artist from Johannesburg, has one brother, is openly gay, has a boyfriend: catch up with his full biography
Who is Orville Peck?
Orville Peck, whose real name is Daniel Pitout, is a Millennial country music singer from Johannesburg, South Africa. He’s famous for wearing a fringed Lone Ranger mask that covers his face during performances and public appearances. Orville released his debut album Pony in March 2019 and quickly became one of country music’s most unique artists.
Right now, Orville has released three studio albums and has worked with huge names like Willie Nelson, Kylie Minogue, and Lady Gaga. He has 850K followers on Instagram and 170K subscribers on YouTube with over 56 million views. His music mixes traditional country with rockabilly and dreamy guitar sounds.
Orville is openly gay and has become an important figure for LGBTQ+ representation in country music. In 2022, he won the Cultural Icon Award from the Tom of Finland Foundation. In March 2025, he made his Broadway debut playing the Emcee in Cabaret at the August Wilson Theatre.
Profile Summary
- Real Name: Daniel Pitout
- Date of Birth: January 6, 1988
- Age: 37 years old
- Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
- Place of Birth: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Nationality: South African, Canadian, American (based in US and Canada)
- Sexuality: Openly gay
- Current Residence: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Years Active: 2017 to present
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Family Life
Daniel Pitout was born on January 6, 1988, in Johannesburg, South Africa. He lived there until he was 15 years old before moving. His father worked as a sound engineer, which gave Daniel early exposure to the music industry.
Daniel has a brother, and the two were raised together in South Africa. As a kid, Daniel did voice-over work for cartoons and other media, which his father’s connections in sound engineering probably helped with. He taught himself music by playing an acoustic guitar and an old Casio keyboard.
Cue into this: Growing up, Orville Peck took ballet classes for 12 years and performed in musical theater productions. By his early 20s, he was already going on national tours of musicals. This theatrical background explains a lot about his dramatic stage presence as Orville Peck.
Daniel’s mom was very accepting of his sexuality from early on. When he came out, she loved and supported him completely. This acceptance helped Daniel love and accept himself, which he’s talked about as being really important to who he became.
In 2014, Daniel moved to London to study acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He got a foundation degree in acting there. In 2016, he played Jonathan Harris/Peter Pan in the Mischief Theatre production of Peter Pan Goes Wrong at the Apollo Theatre in London.
His last name Pitout has French roots, traced back to Western Europe. The surname, however, is found among White nationals of South Africa. Orville has a diverse ethnic background, French inclusive. But he is White (European), no question asked.
Boyfriend
Yes, Orville Peck has a boyfriend. In 2024, he went public with his relationship with William Mikelson (Billy) at the GLAAD Media Awards. Jennifer Lawrence actually introduced the couple to the world before presenting Orville with the Vito Russo Award at the ceremony.
Jennifer shared some details about their relationship during the introduction. Billy grew up in a religious household and struggled with accepting his sexuality for a long time. When he met Orville, he described falling in love as healing. Orville had a different experience because his mom loved and accepted him from the start.
During his acceptance speech, Orville thanked Billy publicly. “In closing, I would like to thank my beautifully encouraging family, friends, and my incredible partner Billy,” he said. “Thank you for encouraging me to be myself, which is a skill I hope I can pass on to others.”
Orville has become an important voice for LGBTQ+ people in country music, a genre that hasn’t always been welcoming. “I am just one of many of us that at one time or another felt excluded or held back because of who we are,” he said at the GLAAD awards.
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Height, Weight & Physical Appearance
- Height: 6 feet 2 inches tall (157 cm appears to be an error in the source; correct height is around 188 cm)
- Weight: 68 kg (150 lbs)
- Eye Color: Blue eyes
- Hair Color: Brown hair
- Ethnicity: White European with French ancestry
- Signature Look: Always wears a fringed mask covering his face
Why Does Orville Peck Wear a Mask?
Orville’s mask is probably the first thing anyone notices about him. He’s given different answers over the years about why he wears it.
In 2019, he told Vogue: “I just woke up one day and it was on my face, and it has always been there.”
In 2020, he told GQ: “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.”
In 2023, he gave a more direct answer: “I grew up loving country where there was an intersection between theatricality and very honest songwriting. Dolly’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.”
In 2024, he told Rolling Stone: “I’m revealing a little more and more each time. Not to get too deep about it, but it’s sort of a parallel with my songwriting and with just who I want to be as an artist and a person, which is to always be more vulnerable and reveal a bit more of myself through my music.”
Orville has also said he might one day get “bored” of the mask and stop wearing it. When he started his Broadway role in Cabaret in March 2025, he didn’t wear his mask because he wanted to respect the role and not make it about himself.
Career Timeline
2017 Timeline: First Single
Orville Peck (aka Daniel Pitout) released his debut single “Dead of Night” in 2017. This was his first release under the Orville Peck name and the beginning of his masked country persona.
2019 Timeline: Debut Album and Breakthrough
Orville self-produced and released his debut album Pony in March 2019 through Sub Pop. He wrote, produced, and played almost every instrument on the album while working in a coffee shop and living with his parents. The album was named to the 2019 Polaris Music Prize longlist in June.
That same year, Orville started an annual event called Orville Peck’s Rodeo, which takes place in different US cities and features up-and-coming country artists. He also performed on CBC Radio One’s Q and got profiled by Vice Magazine.
2020 Timeline: Growing Fame
Orville performed “Dead of Night” on Jimmy Kimmel Live on January 29, 2020. His debut album Pony got nominated for Alternative Album of the Year at the 2020 Juno Awards.
In August 2020, he released the EP Show Pony. The release was delayed from June to August in recognition of the Black Lives Matter movement and George Floyd protests. He also recorded a cover of “Smalltown Boy” for Spotify’s 2020 Pride Singles series.
2021 Timeline: Major Collaborations
In April 2021, Orville Peck appeared on drag queen Trixie Mattel’s EP Full Coverage, Vol. 1, doing a duet cover of “Jackson.” In June, he was featured on Lady Gaga’s Born This Way The Tenth Anniversary, reimagining “Born This Way” in a country style.
2022 Timeline: Second Album
Orville released his second studio album Bronco in 2022. That same year, he won the Cultural Icon Award from the Tom of Finland Foundation, recognizing his impact on LGBTQ+ representation.
2023 Timeline: TV Appearances and Hiatus
In March 2023, Daniel Pitout appeared as a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race on MTV. He was also a coach and judge on My Kind of Country. After this, he took a self-imposed hiatus from releasing new music.
2024 Timeline: Third Album and Major Duets
On April 5, 2024, Orville released a cover of “Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other” with Willie Nelson. This was the lead single from Stampede, his third studio album and first duets album. It was also his first release on Warner Records.
In May, he released “How Far Will We Take It?” with Noah Cyrus. In June, he released “Midnight Ride” with Kylie Minogue and Diplo. He launched The Stampede Tour starting in Asheville, North Carolina on May 28, 2024.
Orville also went public with his boyfriend Billy at the GLAAD Media Awards, where he received the Vito Russo Award.
2025 Timeline: Broadway Debut
On March 31, 2025, Orville Peck made his Broadway debut as the Emcee in the revival of Cabaret at the August Wilson Theatre, starring opposite Eva Noblezada as Sally Bowles. This marked his first major theater role without wearing his signature mask.
2026 Timeline: Film Debut
Orville will make his film debut playing Vega in the upcoming Street Fighter reboot scheduled for 2026.
Net Worth
Orville Peck has an estimated net worth of $4.7 million. His money comes from album sales and streaming, touring and live performances, merchandise sales, Broadway salary from Cabaret, and collaborations with major artists.
After years of building his unique brand in country music, Orville has created a successful career that spans music, theater, and soon film.
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Follower Count: Here’s Orville’s social media numbers:
- Instagram: @orvillepeck, 850K followers
- TikTok: @orvillepeck, 270K followers, 3.6 million likes
- YouTube: @OrvillePeck, 170K subscribers, 56 million views
FAQ
What is Orville Peck’s real name? His real name is Daniel Pitout.
How old is Orville Peck? He’s 37 years old, born January 6, 1988.
Where is Orville Peck from? He’s from Johannesburg, South Africa, and currently lives in Los Angeles, California.
Why does Orville Peck wear a mask?He’s given different reasons over the years, but mainly says it’s inspired by the Lone Ranger and the theatricality of classic country stars like Dolly Parton.
Is Orville Peck gay? Yes, Orville is openly gay.
Does Orville Peck have a boyfriend?Yes, he went public with his boyfriend William Mikelson (Billy) in 2024 at the GLAAD Media Awards.
What is Orville Peck’s net worth? His net worth is estimated at $4.7 million.
How tall is Orville Peck? He’s 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 68 kg (150 lbs).
What is Orville Peck known for? He’s known for his unique masked country music persona, his deep voice, collaborations with artists like Willie Nelson and Kylie Minogue, and being an openly gay country artist.
Is Orville Peck on Broadway? Yes, he made his Broadway debut in March 2025 playing the Emcee in Cabaret.
