Orville Peck is a gay country music artist from South Africa who has been making waves in the industry. He is featured in Apple TV+’s new series, My Kind of Country, where he serves as a mentor to a group of up-and-coming country artists. However, his journey to stardom has not been easy due to discrimination he has faced as an openly gay musician.
Despite the success of LGBTQ+ icons in country music such as Dolly Parton, Lil Nas X, Patrick Haggerty, and Cameron Hawthorn, the genre is still notoriously conservative. Peck shared with People that many people laughed in his face and told him that being an openly gay man in country music would never work. He also mentioned that he has had many discouraging moments in his career.
Peck refused to let anyone tell him he couldn’t do what he wanted and kept his chin up. He wanted to incorporate elements of theatricality into his music and performances, which is why he wears signature fringed masks during his shows. He drew inspiration from cowboys hiding their faces, such as The Lone Ranger.
My Kind of Country was a perfect fit for Peck because he wanted to mentor those who felt held back or did not fit in, a sentiment he shares with fellow country singers Jimmie Allen and Mickey Guyton. They could all see a piece of themselves in each of the up-and-coming artists on the show and wanted it to be easier for them than it was for them when they were starting out.
Peck found solace in listening to Shania Twain as a young teenager in South Africa. He described her as a gay icon, a fashion icon, and always an ally. He also worked with her on his 2020 single, “Legends Never Die,” and praised her down-to-earth personality and her defiant trailblazing as a strong woman who refused to be subservient to men.
In recent news, country music has been making strides in LGBTQ+ acceptance. Kelsea Ballerini took to the CMT country music awards stage with Drag Race stars to show support for the LGBTQ+ community, while Maren Morris slammed anti-LGBTQ+ lawmakers at the Love Rising LGBTQ+ benefit concert. As more and more country stars come out as vocal LGBTQ+ advocates, it is clear that the genre is evolving and becoming more inclusive.