Orville Peck has revealed he received explicit permission before name-dropping a Las Vegas Raiders player in a new song about their romantic encounter.
The masked country singer, 38, said on Thursday that the mystery footballer was “very, very honored” to be featured in the lyrics of “Ring the Bell,” a track from his album “Mule” released Friday. Peck, who has concealed his face behind a Western fringe mask throughout his career, recalled approaching the athlete with a deliberate plan for discretion.
“Look, I’m gonna keep it sort of ambiguous and mysterious, but I would like to include this in this song,” Peck said he told the individual.
The singer drew a firm line about his own ethics in the situation. “I would never have done it if it were somebody who was hiding or fearful of it coming out,” he clarified in the interview.
Peck offered a crucial detail about how much he could have revealed. “This person would have probably allowed me to say their name if I wanted, but I didn’t think it was necessary,” he explained. “People can use their own common sense and discovery to try to figure out who it may be, but that’s all I’ll say.”
Variety directly asked Peck whether he was referring to Carl Nassib, the retired defensive end who came out as gay while playing for the Raiders in 2021. Peck refused to confirm or deny the identity of his makeout partner.
The lyric in question appears in “Ring the Bell” with Peck singing, “I love the Lakers, the Mets and the Longhorns, made out with a guy on the [Las Vegas] Raiders.”
The album “Mule” carries far heavier emotional weight than its playful NFL reference suggests. Peck described the record as bearing “deep wound[s]” and functioning as “a thank-you to many people and an apology to some people and an explanation to other people.” The project follows his 2023 suicide attempt and subsequent rehab stay, after which he is now sober.
“What better therapy is there than getting up and being able to express these songs?” Peck asked. “Then there are people listening and relating, and they’re sharing their pain. It’s a spiritual experience.”
The singer admitted the material still overwhelms him in rehearsal, noting he can “barely make it through some of the songs.”
Peck has been publicly out as a gay man since his career launch with “Pony” in 2019. His discography includes “Bronco” in 2022 and “Stampede” in 2024, preceding this week’s “Mule” release.
When announcing the album in July, Peck told his Instagram followers, “This record is a chronological account of the year I lost my way.”
Peck’s next album “Stampede: Vol. 2” is scheduled for release later this year.