Dasha at the Hard Rock Hotel New York
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.
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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.