WATCH: Dasha Unveils Cinematic Music Video For Breakout Hit ‘Austin’
“There’s such a visual story in the song that it made it really easy to have this vision come to life,” she tells us.
Dasha in the “Austin” music video
Breakout star Dasha brings her hit single, “Austin,” to life in a cinematic music video that perfectly depicts the song’s dramatic storyline about a breakup and the feeling of betrayal that accompanies it.
The Hunter Moreno-directed clip stars Dasha in the lead role alongside guest star jxdn, who portrays the boyfriend in the toxic on-screen relationship. Filmed at Rebel Ranch, about 35 minutes from Nashville, the video takes viewers on an intense ride through the demise of the relationship and includes flashbacks to a time when they were happily in love.
“Did your boots stop workin’? Did your truck break down? Did you burn through money? Did your ex find out?,” Dasha questions as she sits on the porch and realizes that her lover essentially disappeared without a trace. “Where there’s a will, then there’s a way/ And I’m damn sure you lost it/ Didn’t even say goodbye/ Just wish I knew what caused it…”
“There’s such a visual story in the song that it made it really easy to have this vision come to life. When we were casting the lead role, I knew I wanted someone that I already knew but that it needed to be someone who could play that drunk, messed up asshole boyfriend and jxdn was so excited to play that role,” Dasha tells Country Now.
The filming experience was quite surreal for the singer/songwriter, who made her acting debut in the clip.
“When we were filming the bathroom scenes, jxdn and I were screaming at each other and it all felt so real – like my heart was beating so fast during that because it just felt like we were in that moment,” she recalls.
Amid the intense narrative, Dasha gave s subtle nod to the “Austin” line dance, which exploded on TikTok and has raked in nearly 9 billion views to date.
“Austin” maintains its status as a streaming powerhouse, boasting over 157 million global streams and counting. The track, which appears on Dasha’s 2024 album, What Happens Now?, officially ships to country radio on April 29. Destined to be the country song of summer, the success of “Austin” is showing no signs of slowing down.
The release of the music video follows Dasha’s appearance at the 2024 CMT Music Awards, where she performed “Austin” in Austin, Texas, marking her awards show debut. The performance was one of the most talked about performances of the night and was complete with a team of dancers joining the rising star for the “Austin” line dance.
This marked Dasha’s first time in the ATX, which may have come a surprise to many.
“People are probably caught off guard by that a little bit,” she explained ahead of her CMT Music Awards performance. “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.”
Fans can catch Dasha on the road throughout the spring and summer. She’s set to appear at a number of notable festivals, including CMA Fest, Stagecoach, Bonnaroo, Calgary Stampede, Country Calling, and more.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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