Dasha at the Hard Rock Hotel New York

  • last week
Dasha joins Mike Adam to talk about what an "Austin" remix would look like, songwriting, and what she might be considering for her Halloween costume.
Transcript
00:00And we are here at the Soundspace at the Hard Rock Hotel, New York with Dasha.
00:07Hey, I'm so glad you're here.
00:11Congrats on all the success.
00:12You've been killing it.
00:13When you're writing these songs, I heard that you journal a little bit too.
00:20How often does that stuff like make its way into songs?
00:23Honestly, like stream of consciousness journaling is a game changer.
00:27I wrote my entire album when I was like really being adamant about my morning pages.
00:33Since then, I got really busy and I just have not been journaling and then I lost my journal,
00:37but I got a new one.
00:38So we're good.
00:39But I haven't been journaling.
00:40And honestly, I feel like my creative flow has been blocked.
00:43So journal.
00:44Did you like lose a journal with stuff in there?
00:48No, it's at home.
00:49I moved houses and girl, it's lost.
00:51I don't know where it is.
00:52It's in the house somewhere.
00:53But like, I don't have time for that right now.
00:55I was about to say there's about to be some artists that pops up with and you're like,
00:58hey, hold on.
00:59I had that title written down.
01:01Yeah.
01:02Yeah.
01:03So you're a phenomenal songwriter.
01:04Have you ever challenged yourself and written something while tipsy?
01:08Yes.
01:09Oh, how did that turn out?
01:10It's really fun.
01:11Actually.
01:12Okay.
01:13I'm tipsy or also really high.
01:14Okay.
01:15California in me is unfortunately showing.
01:17Sure.
01:18I actually wrote a lot of the album off the J. Wow.
01:21Yeah.
01:22This is your process.
01:23Yeah.
01:25Yeah.
01:26Well, not fully finishing the songs.
01:27I have a hard time focusing in sessions when I'm like super high because, you know, yeah,
01:31sure.
01:32Just not the best.
01:33Let's go eat.
01:34We're going out.
01:35I might let's go eat.
01:36It's time to time to munch.
01:37But the original that like the the root of the ideas, the titles, the melodies, the kind
01:43of the feeling of the song that flows through me really well when I'm off, right, right
01:48instances sometimes.
01:49So you get a little something and circle back.
01:52Yeah.
01:53I get super creative and it's really fun just like totally lean into it.
01:55Like I have no plans.
01:56Yeah.
01:57I have my guitar and I have my journal and like, let's see like where my brain takes
02:00me.
02:01I love that.
02:02I love that.
02:03So now I imagine you're probably doing more writing sessions and stuff.
02:08Is that weird writing with other people?
02:11No, I've been writing with other people since I was a kid.
02:13Oh, okay.
02:14Okay.
02:15Yeah.
02:16Yeah.
02:17I actually love starting songs by myself and then taking into sessions with people I love
02:19writing with.
02:20I trust and like, hey, this is the concept.
02:23I don't know how to get it there.
02:24Yeah.
02:25But here's the idea.
02:26And like having that initial part of me being so true and then bring it to people makes
02:30the song so like authentic to like the artist, in my opinion, at least.
02:35Cool.
02:36Cool.
02:37And safe space like somebody could critique your stuff and you can be like, oh, that's
02:39garbage.
02:40Oh, really?
02:41Yeah.
02:42Okay.
02:43I went to Belmont as a songwriting major and like part of our like criteria was like bringing
02:46songs in and like the class would have to rip you apart.
02:50And it was like really fun getting ripped apart of like, I know, I see why this would
02:53be a better hook or like this payoff makes more sense.
02:55Yeah.
02:56Yeah.
02:57Yeah.
02:58So outside of songwriting, is there another maybe more hidden talent that you have that
03:03people don't know about?
03:04What, like cowbell or something?
03:05Yeah.
03:06A dabble, you know, like volleyball, I'm really good at pickleball.
03:11I'm a pretty mean pickleballer.
03:13Really?
03:14Yeah.
03:15I heard it like jacks up your knee.
03:16Well, you're young.
03:17You probably don't have to worry about a knee replacement right now.
03:20Not yet.
03:21Yeah.
03:22Hips though.
03:23Okay.
03:24Hips are getting tight.
03:25I will say I do my hip flexor stretches at night.
03:26Okay.
03:27But pickleball, volleyball.
03:28I play rec volleyball.
03:29Yeah.
03:30I dance.
03:31Okay.
03:3215 years of ballet.
03:33Yes.
03:34Yes.
03:35We talked about this.
03:36Crazy.
03:37We talked about the cankles that I got unfortunately left with.
03:38Yep.
03:39Yep.
03:40Been there.
03:41I wasn't going to bring it up, but I mean, here we are now.
03:42Hey, I'm an open book.
03:43Okay.
03:44Here we are now with the high boots and the, yeah, it's all good.
03:45And we can't.
03:46They're hidden.
03:47They're locked down.
03:48You'll never see them.
03:50So outside of, outside of that stuff, do you have like certain hobbies, especially now
03:54that things have like really popped off?
03:56Do you have hobbies that kind of keep you in a good mental space and, and put you at
04:04ease when you're touring and doing these promo runs?
04:07Yeah.
04:08I've like had to learn how to balance it.
04:10And like, it's just as important to do those activities as it is to like go write a song,
04:14for example, because like, if you're not here, like this is not a sustainable career if you're
04:18not okay mentally, you know, so like horseback riding, you know, but I'm in Nashville, I
04:23have time to go ride the horses, pickleball, like I'm saying.
04:26I like being outside.
04:27Yeah.
04:28I leave my phone in the car and go on like hikes and whatnot.
04:30I love it.
04:31Yeah.
04:32You know, I feel like for a new artist, I don't know if you've heard this before.
04:36I know you've been working at it for a while, but you have so much confidence in everything
04:42I watched.
04:43I mean, you seem so sure of yourself so well poised.
04:50Is that because of like where you are mentally?
04:54Like how I mean, where did that come from?
04:57First off, thank you.
04:58That's really sweet.
04:59Um, honestly, I think it comes from a place of like, I've never had a plan B. Yeah.
05:05And so I some way I was like, this better work out like there's no other way.
05:10And so I think my whole life, like I released my first song when I was 13 years old.
05:14I've just kind of been planning of like one day this is going to work and like it's going
05:17to be really chaotic and in a way I've been kind of conditioning myself to be okay with
05:23this lifestyle.
05:24Gotcha.
05:25Um, I don't know.
05:26I have really amazing parents who instill a lot of confidence in me and a wonderful
05:30community that just like told me to keep going.
05:32Keep going.
05:33I don't know.
05:34I trust myself.
05:35And it's, it's not always, it's not always as much confidence.
05:38There's days where I'm just like, what am I doing?
05:40Do I suck?
05:41And no one's telling me, of course.
05:44But overall, I'm like, okay, girl, let's go.
05:46Good for you.
05:47Good.
05:48Um, so Austin is about like a real life boy, you never, when you wrote it, you never had
05:55been to Austin.
05:56No, I never have.
05:57Yeah.
05:58So does this real life boy know the song is about him?
06:00Yes.
06:01Really?
06:02Okay.
06:03I spilled the tea at ACL last weekend.
06:04Um, it's actually not about Austin.
06:06It's about Nashville.
06:08Okay.
06:09But there was no good rhymes for Nashville.
06:10Gotcha.
06:11And Austin fit the bill, had the vibe and I'm like, perfect.
06:13Now this is going to be an Austin.
06:15Um, the guy does live in Nashville.
06:17It was, it's a very true story, honestly.
06:19Okay.
06:20Okay.
06:21Yeah.
06:22Did he try to circle back after things popped off?
06:23You know what?
06:24He actually went full silent mode before we were like chatting a little bit.
06:28I sent him the demo of Austin.
06:30He was like, damn, this song is really good.
06:31I'm like, thank you.
06:32And he like was eating it up.
06:33That was about him.
06:34He loved it.
06:36And then hit the billboard charts.
06:38Silence.
06:39Didn't love it anymore.
06:40Silence.
06:41Yeah, yeah, yeah.
06:42Yeah.
06:43I mean, I won, so.
06:44Yeah, sure.
06:45Won that breakup.
06:46Who's the craziest, um, celebrity that you've seen do the, the dance to the song?
06:52Ooh.
06:53Um.
06:54Oh gosh.
06:55You know when Tish Cyrus kind of made me really excited.
06:59Yeah.
07:00I love her.
07:01Um, I don't know.
07:02Jake Shane did it, which cracked me up.
07:03He's funny.
07:04Yeah.
07:05The guy from, uh, oh my God.
07:08What's his name?
07:09From Grey's Anatomy.
07:10Oh yeah.
07:11Yeah.
07:12Mr. McCormack.
07:13Oh, okay.
07:14Okay.
07:15Yeah.
07:16Cool.
07:17Yeah.
07:18Yeah.
07:19I love that.
07:20I don't remember his name.
07:21It's okay.
07:22But love.
07:23We'll edit it.
07:24Right.
07:25We'll just dub in his name.
07:26But love.
07:27Yeah.
07:28Um, was there anything crazy you bought yourself when it popped off?
07:29I bought myself a Louis bag.
07:30I got myself a designer bag because it was really cute and I deserved it, you know?
07:34I love little flashy things like that.
07:36I love sunglasses.
07:37Yeah.
07:38I love rings.
07:39I love purses.
07:40Yeah.
07:41I'm such a girl in that way.
07:42I love shoes.
07:43I love boots.
07:44Yeah.
07:45So listen, you hinted at a remix to this song.
07:49Mm-hmm.
07:50Here we are with no remix, but I think there's a remix.
07:53Oh, you mean like a feature?
07:54Yes.
07:55Oh no, there's not.
07:56So why?
07:57Well, okay.
07:58The honest truth was that there was a couple of contenders that I was so excited about,
08:02like big country artists that were going to hop on the song.
08:05The timing of all of them...
08:06You're not dropping all the names?
08:07Well, do you want me...
08:08Am I allowed to?
08:09Yeah.
08:10Yes.
08:11Yep.
08:12Don't look it up.
08:13Miranda was an option.
08:14Oh.
08:15Um, I think Keith was kind of up in the air for a second.
08:16Thomas Rhett almost hopped on it.
08:17What?
08:18Um, he and I actually were...
08:19He were...
08:20We were FaceTiming about it because he was so down to be on it.
08:21And I was...
08:22I love Thomas Rhett.
08:23And I was like, perfect.
08:24But he's like, listen, I don't want to be like the bad guy boyfriend because that's
08:30just not really the guy I am.
08:31I'm a family guy, but I'd be happy to like lend the perspective of like an older brother
08:36or a dad.
08:37And I'm like, love you.
08:38But that's not what the song needs.
08:39He needs to be the boyfriend.
08:40Yeah.
08:41And so it's just stuff like that.
08:42Didn't quite work out.
08:43Um, but it's okay.
08:44I think it's better to have the song be just the song.
08:45Totally.
08:46I mean...
08:47And then maybe down the road.
08:48You're on fire.
08:49You don't need anything.
08:50You never know.
08:51You know what I wanted in my head?
08:52I made up this scenario.
08:53I wanted Posty because he's on the country wave.
08:54I want Posty too.
08:55And his real name is Austin.
08:56I know.
08:57I know.
08:58I know.
08:59I know.
09:00I know.
09:01I know.
09:02When he introduced himself to me, he goes, my name is Austin.
09:04I go, I have a song called Austin.
09:06He goes, I know.
09:07And I go, that's really cool.
09:09And that was the end.
09:10Because I love Posty.
09:11He's really amazing.
09:12I know.
09:13He is.
09:14Let's talk about where we are.
09:15We're at the Hard Rock Hotel in New York.
09:16We sure are.
09:17Um, they are very well known for all the memorabilia they have collected from amazing people.
09:23Oh yeah.
09:24I have it outside my room.
09:25Yeah.
09:26So if you were going to donate something, what do you think your fans would love to
09:30see?
09:31IRL.
09:32Ooh.
09:33I think definitely boots.
09:36There's these pair of knee high camo bedazzled Daniel Diamond boots that were gifted to me
09:42at the CMT performance at the award show.
09:45Maybe those or the boots I wore in the Austin music video.
09:48There's these red vintage, really, really beautiful boots.
09:52Cool.
09:53Cool.
09:54Yeah.
09:55That'd be kind of fun.
09:56I love that.
09:57And before we wrap, um, Halloween right around the corner.
09:58Do you, a Halloween girl?
09:59I'm glad you brought it up.
10:00I've been stressing about my costume.
10:01I don't know what to wear.
10:02You don't?
10:03No.
10:04Have you ever been, I know you're like scarily obsessed with Taylor Swift.
10:08Have you ever dressed as, yeah.
10:10What was that video where you were in the hospital?
10:13Like, Oh my God.
10:15I mean, everyone knows about that at this point.
10:18Like it's just, you know, drooling out the mouth a little bit saying Taylor Swift's name.
10:23Like me high off my ass was like, I need to sing White Horse right now.
10:27So it's, you know, I am scarily obsessed with her.
10:29I love Taylor so much.
10:30Yeah.
10:31Yeah.
10:32Do that.
10:33Be her.
10:34No?
10:35No.
10:36I've done it so many times before.
10:37Oh, you have.
10:38Yeah, of course.
10:39I do it like every year, honestly.
10:40Duh.
10:41We kind of look alike too.
10:42So it's like a pretty easy costume.
10:43Throw some red lip on.
10:44Done.
10:45Um, I was thinking like Christina Aguilera dirty, kind of a little, a little sexy.
10:50I don't know.
10:51I feel like I want to be the girl who takes like the really hot Halloween costume pictures
10:55this year.
10:56Cool.
10:57Cause usually I'm the one that throws it together last minute and it's like, well, it works.
11:00It's not great.
11:01It's fine.
11:02It's fine.
11:03It's not worth a picture on Instagram though.
11:05Christina Aguilera.
11:06I love that.
11:07Good.
11:08Good.
11:09Good.
11:10Cool.
11:11Anything else you want to talk about?
11:12What are you going to be?
11:13Are we done here?
11:14Um, so, all right.
11:15I knew you had an answer.
11:16My son loves princess dresses.
11:17I am.
11:18I will be a princess with him.
11:19So yeah.
11:20Perfect.
11:21My brother used to wear Tinkerbell outfits.
11:22Cool.
11:23Until he was like eight.
11:24So I'm not shaving my beard though.
11:25So you know, you get what you get.
11:26Hey, princesses come in all shapes and forms.
11:29There you go.
11:30Don't you change a thing about yourself princess.
11:32Dasha, you're killing it.
11:34Thank you so much for giving us this time.