Orville Peck reveals he nearly died from overdose in 2023: “A big turning point for me”
Orville Peck has opened up about an overdose he suffered in 2023, which has shaped his new album Mule.
The new album, which the masked country star officially confirmed on July 24th, is set to arrive on September 18th through Warner Records and kicks off with Peck at his lowest moment.
Per press materials, Mule is “a chronological timeline of the year that reshaped his life, tracing the collapse of addiction, the difficult pursuit of sobriety, and the slow, often uncertain process of rebuilding”.
It was in 2023 when the story that became Mule unfolded, and Peck had no option but to dramatically change his life. He explained to Rolling Stone in a new interview, “I was in one of the worst places in my life, for sure.”
Peck added, “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 realizations to come. It was something that needed to happen.”
The overdose that Peck referred to occurred the night before he performed at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York in June 2023.
While the show, somehow, went on, the following day Peck confirmed that all of his tour dates were cancelled.
At the time, rather than say it was due to unforeseen circumstances, he honestly acknowledged, “This was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make, but I’ve come to realize that my current mental and physical health won’t allow me to bring you my best.”
On Mule, Peck reflects on the time that he spent in a rehabilitation clinic after cancelling the tour on the track ‘Rehab Blues’.
He admitted, “The reality is, I didn’t want to be there. I thought it was a waste of time, that I’m unique and didn’t have a problem.”
Peck then set himself the aim to “write the funniest song about this experience, because at the time I was just like, ‘Fuck this. I want to leave.’”
The singer-songwriter, who performed at State Fayre and at London’s Roundhouse in England last month, will also be taking Mule on the road across North America later this year, with $1 from every ticket going to The Trevor Project, which provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ young people.
For help, advice or more information regarding mental health issues in the UK, visit Mind, CALM or Samaritans. In the US, visit Samaritans USA.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.