Dasha Makes Awards Show Debut With Electrifying Performance Of Fan-favorite Song, ‘Austin’
The breakout star made a splash at the 2024 CMT Music Awards
Dasha; Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images for CMT
Amid her breakout success with her viral hit, “Austin,” Dasha made her awards show debut performing the Billboard Hot 100 charting tune on the 2024 CMT Music Awards.
The newly signed Warner Records artist exuded confidence as she worked the stage alongside a group of dancers. Sporting an all-denim look and cowboy boots, Dahsa never missed a beat, confidently parading around the stage in Austin, Texas, the city at the heart of the song’s storyline.
Dasha has been on a whirlwind journey after “Austin” made waves on TikTok and beyond, prompting over 600,00 unique videos created with the song.
It may come as a surprise to many, however, Dasha had not previously visited Austin, Texas until this week when she arrived to begin rehearsing for the show.
“People are probably caught off guard by that a little bit,” she explained ahead of the show. “It’s funny because when I wrote the song, it was so from a real place of anger and disappointment and I wanted to make, I’d written about the same situation so many times I’m like, I have to make something fun, like a story out of this. And obviously, I’ve heard so much about Austin, Texas and I was like, let’s just make it leaving Austin. And we made the whole storyline around it and now we’re playing the CMTs, so worked out perfectly.”
She admitted that the stars truly aligned for her in every aspect.
“I mean, it’s just the fact that usually they’re not in Austin, but this year they are in Austin. My song’s called ‘Austin.’ I’m finally on the map. It’s just like everything aligns so perfectly. It’s like’s kind of hilarious if you think about it.”
Making her red carpet debut, Dasha sported a leopard print ensemble and gold jewelry.
In addition to Dasha, the lineup of performers includes Bailey Zimmerman, Parker McCollum, Jason Aldean, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town + Sugarland, Megan Moroney, NEEDTOBREATHE + Jordan Davis, Old Dominion ft. Megan Moroney, Sam Hunt and Trisha Yearwood.
Plus, during the show, Brooks & Dunn, Lainey Wilson, and Sammy Hagar will join forces with Toby Keith’s longtime band to honor the late country music icon with a musical tribute. Lukas Nelson and Roger Clemens will also be on hand to honor Toby.
The all-star presenter lineup includes: Amber Riley, Billy Bob Thornton (Landman), Carly Pearce, Cody Alan, Cody Johnson, Emily Osment (Young Sheldon), Emma Roberts, Gayle King (CBS Mornings), James Van Der Beek, Jane Seymour, Jelly Roll, Max Theriot (Fire Country), Megan Moroney, Melissa Etheridge, Mickey Guyton, Minnie Driver, Montana Jordan (Young Sheldon), Parmalee and Paul Walter Hauser.
Hosted by Kelsea Ballerini, the 2024 CMT Music Awards will air LIVE from Austin, Texas’ Moody Center on Sunday, April 7th (8:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The show will be available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.*
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
