Since throttling into the American music lexicon with his revolutionary and mysterious album Pony, swoon worthy crooner Orville Peck has always been just slightly ahead of the curve. Being openly gay and a country performer might seem a bit controversial to some, but Peck has quickly quieted any naysayers with good old fashioned talent and a consistent air of mystery surrounding his identity, consistently garbed in a fringe mask (talk about being “on trend”)!
Peck delayed the release of his long awaited follow-up EP in recognition of the Black Lives Matter movement and the ongoing protests throughout our country. The appropriately titled EP Show Pony dropped on August 14, 2020 and includes two tracks already released (“Summertime” & “No Glory In The West”) as well as a gender bending cover of Reba McEntire’s iconic drag queen anthem “Fancy”. Peck also got to work with one of his favorite country/pop crossover icons, as Shania Twain joined him on the rip roaring duet “Legends Never Die”, which was also the final recording Peck completed before quarantine. Peck told Billboard saying “I’ve been the biggest Shania fan my whole life, and she was literally the last person I got to hang out with before [self-isolating],”
hey everybody! Just got word that the official release date for ‘Show Pony’ will be Aug 14th. I wrote a duet for it and somehow wrangled one of my all time country music icons for it. Genuinely this is a dream come true🥺. More soon! #letsgogirls pic.twitter.com/qPDb8E26bV
— Orville Peck (@orvillepeck) July 14, 2020
Including narration by author and provocateur John Waters, the video for “Legends Never Die” features Peck and Shania performing smack dab in the middle of what we have started considering our “new normal”-at a drive in, with attendees like RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12 winner Jaida Essence Hall & singer Evil watching from an acceptable social distance. In a nod to one of her classic anthems “That Don’t Impress Me Much”, Twain dons what looks to be a recreation of a famed leopard costume she wore in that video. In a statement, Peck said “I cannot thank Shania enough for being part of this,” Peck said. “She has always been a hero of mine and her music made me feel so empowered growing up. As cliché as it sounds, recording with her and getting to get up on stage and sing with her in Nashville is a dream come true. No words really.”
Orville Peck’s “Show Pony” is available now;
Follow Orville Peck on his website