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Orville Peck

With Casa Lagarto and Ommie Jane

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8 p.m. April 11, Dominion Tavern, 33 York St.

Tickets: $10 advance at ticketfly.com

Orville Peck is a mysterious new artist on the alt-country scene with an incredible, multi-octave voice and heart-tugging songs about the men he’s loved. A little match-the-tattoo sleuthing by fans indicates Peck is likely the alter ego of Daniel Pitout, drummer for the Vancouver grunge-punk trio Nü Sensae, but there was no breaking out of character in this interview (edited for length). Whoever he is, the cowboy crooner spoke of his background in theatre, his love of classic country music and the power of the mask to connect with audiences. His debut album, Pony, came out earlier this year; a North American tour starts in Ottawa on Thursday.

Q: Who is Orville Peck?

A: As far as I know, I’m Orville Peck and I’m a country star. If anybody knows anything other than that, I’m not aware of it. That’s just how I see it.

Q: The mask is an intriguing aspect of your persona. When did that start?

A: I just woke up one day and it was on my face, and I can’t get it off right now.

Q: Do you have a theatre background?

A: Yeah, I worked in theatre, as an actor professionally for a long time on the West End in London. Before that, I worked as a professional dancer. I pretty much only ever worked in the creative sphere. But I don’t think of those things as separate to what I do now. For a long time I used to compartmentalize myself as a musician and actor and dancer and singer. I would do them all professionally but separately and so I think this project is me combining all of those things that make me an artist, and this is the expression it comes out in.