The country musician is canceling all upcoming gigs to “protect mental and physical health.”
Country singer Orville Peck, who always appears masked, has announced on Instagram that he has had to cancel his upcoming concert dates for the rest of 2023. “Hey y’all,” the 35-year-old began a message to his fans on the social media platform on Wednesday (June 22): “It breaks my heart to share this news but I’m having the incredibly difficult one Made the decision to reschedule all of my upcoming shows effective immediately.”
And further: “It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make, but I have realized that my current mental and physical health does not allow me to give you my best.” He added: “My fans mean to me the whole world and I’m so incredibly thankful for every single one who bought a ticket to see us play, I don’t take that for granted. Being on stage is the most beautiful thing I can do in the world.” But he must use the coming time to regenerate his mind and body, “so that I can come back stronger and healthier than before, to see many more years of doing what I love.”
The queer musician gets encouragement online for his openness as well as for his decision to stop the tour itself. Commenting on the post, one person on Instagram said, “As a queer man, sometimes our search for validation for how hard we work and how much we help the world and those around us can overshadow our needs. The desire to please covers that up. But how to properly take care of yourself: by being enough, even without doing anything for others. I love it. Proud of you.”
Orville Peck’s second album, BRONCO, was released in April 2022. The singer also recently performed at Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday party at the Hollywood Bowl alongside Neil Young, Snoop Dogg and Beck.