Dasha Talks Embracing Imperfections In The Spotlight: ‘I Think It’s Cool To Have That Level Of Realness’

Dasha lived out the wildest year of her life in 2024 when her song, “Austin (Boots Stop Workin’)” became an international smash, securing RIAA platinum certification in the U.S. and platinum/gold in seventeen countries around the globe. 

The song took her rising career to new heights, earning the People’s Choice Country Award for Female Song of 2024 and securing Dasha performances on major stages like the 2024 CMT Music Awards, Stagecoach, Lollapalooza, and more. With over 1 billion global streams and 10 billion TikTok views, the success of “Austin (Boots Stop Workin’)” catapulted Dasha into the spotlight, exposing her to both widespread praise and criticism on an unprecedented level.

During a panel at Country Radio Seminar (CRS) in Nashville on Friday (Feb. 21), Dasha opened up about the success of the song and learning to simply be herself amid the chaos. 

“I want to start off by saying that being an artist is the weirdest job in the world. You’re so picked apart and you’re so celebrated at the same time,” she shared. “And so this past year being thrown into the weeds, I learned a lot and I developed myself a lot as a person, as an artist. And I realized that the best way to do it is just to really be yourself, because there’s no other f***ing way around it.”

Reflecting on the past year, Dasha points to a defining moment: her performance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Amid the pouring rain in New York City, her red lipstick ended up covering her entire face on national television, forcing her to fully embrace the unexpected and roll with whatever life throws her way.

“It was pouring down rain, guys. I had been outside in the rain for two and a half hours, waving my little hand around, and I decided to wear red lipstick because tis the season. And why wasn’t it stain proof? I don’t know,” she laughed. But I’m just a girl and there was lipstick all over my face on national television.” 

She explained that at the time, she had no idea the extent of the makeup snafu. 

“I didn’t realize at the time how much lipstick was on my face on national television. I saw it in the monitors kind of, and I was like, ‘Ooh, oops….a little smear,” she recalled. 

It wasn’t until she was flying home across the country for Thanksgiving dinner that she realized she quite literally had lipstick all over her face. 

Rather than have a breakdown over the embarrassment, Dasha chose to just be real and address the situation right away. So, she took to TikTok to react. 

“Today I learned a lesson about performing in the rain,” she wrote on TikTok alongside a video set to No Doubt’s “Just A Girl.” 

Looking back on that moment, Dasha shared, “I think it could have gone two ways. I could have freaked out, gotten super insecure, been like, ‘oh my God, God forbid I’m not a cookie cutter perfect artist right now.’” 

Luckily, she rolled with the punches and came out the other side stronger. 

“Thank God that’s my personality, because I mean, I lost a hair extension the other day on stage and clipped it back in front of the whole audience,” she quipped. “I’m just a girl, guys. I’m just being real with you. And so I made this TikTok video making fun of myself…I think it’s cool to have that level of realness. I think it’s just being a woman is hard.” 

Later that evening, Dasha was honored as one of the New Faces of Country Music, delivering a five-song set in front of music industry insiders and country radio executives. 

“I just can’t even believe I’m at the Olympics of Country Radio right now. That’s what it feels like and I’m just so honored,” she said from the stage. 

This year, fans can catch Dasha on tour with artists like Kane Brown and Thomas Rhett.