Orville Peck opens up about addiction struggles and 2023 suicide attempt
If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. Contact the Samaritans free, 24 hours a day, on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org
By Aaron Sugg
Orville Peck has candidly shared the darkest period of his life, revealing that he attempted to take his own life in 2023 after struggling with alcohol addiction.
Speaking with Rolling Stone Australia, the country singer said his upcoming album Mule encapsulates the story of his addiction and, later, his recovery.
“I was in one of the worst places in my life, for sure,” said Peck. Recalling the events of the night before he performed to a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden on 20 June 2023, he revealed that he tried to take his own life.
“I went back to my hotel and tried to take my life” – Orville Peck on his struggles with alcohol addiction
“I was a bad addict, a coping alcoholic. And I had this spiral moment, where I went back to my hotel and tried to take my life. It was a big turning point for me, with a lot of realisations to come. It was something that needed to happen,” said Peck.
He entered rehab following the near-fatal overdose, postponing the remaining dates of his summer 2023 Bronco tour.
His upcoming album Mule, arriving on 18 September 2026, tells the story of his addiction and his journey to recovery.
Peck’s new album Mule does not “sugarcoat” his struggles with mental health
“What I was really trying to capture in terms of the concept, there was no way to gloss over or sugarcoat it,” said Peck.
Mule is available to pre-save now across all major streaming services — but that’s not all. Peck has also given fans a taste of his upcoming sound with the album’s lead single, ‘Too Little, Too Late’, which is available to stream now.
Released alongside its official music video, directed by Austin Peters, Peck sports his signature fringe mask in an American car garage inhabited by cowboy-hat-wearing hotties.
The meaning behind the mask
The mask has become an iconic part of Peck’s image, debuting shortly before the arrival of his debut album Pony in 2019. However, it is only recently that Peck has reflected on its meaning.
“We all wear masks, and we all present how we talk, how we act, how we come across… And when you get home, no matter who you are, you have to go sit with yourself.”
Coinciding with the release of his fourth studio album, Peck has announced the first leg of the Man Turned Mule Tour, beginning on 18 September at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California.
2026 is set to be a monumental year for the country singer, as his latest acting role as Vega in the live-action Street Fighter film is set to debut later this year.
The movie is scheduled for release in UK cinemas on 16 October 2026.
If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. Contact the Samaritans free, 24 hours a day, on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org.