If you know one thing about Orville Peck, it?s probably that he wears a mask. The country musician has long kept himself shrouded in mystery, shielding his face from the public and revealing few details about his past. His music, however, is full of emotional honesty and vulnerability ? he told the Modern Love podcast that most of his lyrics are about his life ? and his songs are imbued with a deep sense of longing.

In this episode, Peck talks about why country music uniquely captures our complicated feelings about love, and why love and pain are so often intertwined. He reads a Modern Love essay, ?Strung Out on Love and Checked In for Treatment? by Rachel Yoder, about love addiction, and discusses what it takes to pull yourself from its distressing grip.

Here?s how to submit a Modern Love essay to The New York Times

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Explore the trials and tribulations of love in these deeply personal essays. A collaboration of The New York Times and WBUR in Boston, Modern Love: The Podcast features the popular New York Times column, with readings by notable personalities and updates from the essayists themselves. Join host Meghna Chakrabarti (WBUR) and Modern Love editor Daniel Jones (NYT) -- and fall in love at first listen.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.