December 15, 2025 • 34 mins
On a new In Service Of rising country star Dasha sits down with Steve Baltin and Sage Bava to talk about her rapid rise to fame, and the good and bad with that; her love of intimate shows; being compared to Taylor Swift and her friendships with Lainey Wilson and Riley Green and more.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hey, the Steve Balton.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Welcome to the Best of twenty twenty five on in
service of starting today with country superstar Nasha. This is
a really fun interview where she talks about fame, about
mental health, about playing in intimate venues, about stagecoach, about
so much more, and really appreciate the way that she
(00:27):
shares and the way that.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
She just has fun with this conversation. So hope you
enjoyed this one as much as we did. Tell me
about this show you're doing tomorrow night, how you got
(00:50):
involved in it, and you know, it's funny because and
I talked to so many artists they love doing these
types of shows because they're both intimate and also so
it's a lot of fun for artists like you found
the stage coach when they're not playing to their audience.
It's like a good challenge.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Mm hmm. Yeah. I mean, I'm excited for this because one,
Riley Green is awesome and he has been very supportive.
But two, playing a smaller venue for fans who really
want to be there is like the optimal experience for
me personally. I mean, I play size rooms this size
(01:28):
on my tour, maybe a little smaller, but people will
be freaking out that Riley Green is playing the smaller
venue and then having me opening. I think it's just
going to be a very magical and rare experience, and
so I think the crowd is just going to be
so ready for it. And I think when the crowd
is excited to be there, it makes me like have
a ten times better performance. And I'm always like bantering
(01:49):
with the crowd, and you know, my talking between songs
chang changes a lot depending on the vibe in the room.
So I'm excited to see what happens tomorrow. It's kind
of a toss.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Up, you know. It's funny. I was looking at other
artists who played this, and it's like Mumford and Sons.
I'm fucking obsessed with on Richie's one of the greatest
songwriters of all time, David for years.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
So killers like, what so for.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
You as a fan? If when you the younger version
of you and Sam Luis Obispel, if there's a Wells
Fargo Signature series show, who would have been the dream
artist to the dream big artists to see in her
a smaller venue?
Speaker 3 (02:28):
I mean, okay, I have to answer to that question.
If I had to go to an autograph card exclusive series,
I would go either Casey Musk Graves or I'd go
Taylor Swift.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Obviously, Well, you say obviously, why obviously I'm curious.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Well, I just get compared to her so much. I
think we look very similar, and I think, I don't know,
I think it's in my own head. I get compared
to her a lot. And she was like the person
that kind of shaped the way I saw my youth
in a way because I was like, she she's a
songwriter and she's an art and she's doing what she
wants and I was like, I can do that too,
(03:03):
because she can do it. And I think having someone
doing it that kind of looks like me made it
kind of seem like possible in a way.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
No, I've met her a few times. Jerry Clapp, you
met her yet or no? You know? All right, Well,
I'm gonna asking you two more questions on this and
then let's say shake over for say it. But it's
interesting because you know, you talk about Taylor and I
just did an interview two weeks ago for the La
Times with Atlantis, who is my favorite interview of all time,
and one of the things we were talking about is
(03:32):
fame and how if you're not prepared for it, it
is a hell of a lot. So for you, I
know you talked about that with Rolling Stone, like you know,
sort of haters and stuff, and you know just how
quickly it all about. So are there people that you've
really learned a lot from and how to deal with this?
Speaker 3 (03:52):
No, You're right, fame is can be a bitch when
when you're not ready for it. It was I feel
like I had been in a way kind of paring
my whole life for when that moment happened. But when
it happened, it happened so much faster and crazier than
I ever imagined. So it was also just like you
get rocks no matter how you cut it. But I
don't know, I feel like because it happened in the
(04:13):
country space, I was around so many more country artists
when it happened, so like for me, the first name
that comes to mind would be like Landy Wilson. She
was so so kind and supportive right off the bat.
She like found me backstage at the first award show,
the CMT Awards, and she like introduced herself, and obviously
I know who she is and like I'm a fan
(04:33):
of her music, and she just like had such a
big heart on her sleeve and was so welcoming and kind,
and so I feel like right off the bat, I
was like, Okay, that that's a cool kind of intro
to the space. But I mean, I think for me,
I'm inspired by famous people who just really stay themselves
(04:56):
throughout the whole process, because I mean, obviously it's really
hard to do because there's so many a pinion and
swelling around. You have to like impress your label and
your management and your and your team and all your fans.
You're trying to make so many people happy with the
art you make and how you show up in the world.
But at the end of the day, it's you can't
make everyone happy. That's just it's impossible. You can either
be authentic and real to who you are or you
(05:18):
can make people happy. You can't do both. And so
I think there's like a handful of artists that I
can name that have kind of shown that as a
characteristic of themselves, and I really appreciate that and feel
inspired by that.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
It's funny, I always talked with artist I mean, I've
talked to everybody who ever lived and literally from James
Brown and the wreath that the like Dolly Parton and
Willie and it's like you're trying to do something that
everybody likes, you are doing it wrong. So but now
one more question on this and then I'm gonna let's
say shake over. But I'm curious because you mentioned Riley
and how he supported I know you did the songs
(05:53):
with him for the first time in Montreal. Correct you
filled in for Ella?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Do you know how should we met a couple of times? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Well, the reason I asked specifically, I think it's very
cool because I know that she was taking a break
for mental health, and you know, as an artist, that's
so important. And I mean the road, you know, similar
to fame if you're just burnt out, if you're tired,
will kick your ass. So for how important was it
to you to be able to do this and support
(06:22):
a fellow artists, not just Riley, but also give her
that break, you know, understanding how tough it can be.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Yeah, I mean I went through the same thing that
she did. When she posted on Instagram, I was like, girl,
I feel you. I had to take a little break too,
you know, I had to cancel some shit. I had
to get my head back on my shoulders because it
rocks you, you know, and you're so you want it
so bad your whole life, and all of a sudden
you haven't, and then it's just crazier than you ever
could imagine it. So playing that show, and Riley asked
(06:52):
me like two hours before the show if I wanted
to sing the songs, and obviously I know the songs,
but I didn't like know the songs, so I was like,
oh god. So I was like backstage like learning the
lyrics and stuff. But the fact that he didn't even
give me the opportunity on like main stage headlining at
that Lasso festival was so cool, especially because Canada is
such a big market for me and people were so
(07:13):
excited about that. And I know he does that with
a bunch of different female artists. When Ella's not around,
whether she's on a mental health break or she's just
like on a different tour or whatever, he always will
grab like another female in the lineup and have him
singing those two songs. So I think that's so cool
that he does that and like gives these women kind
of like a step up, like hey, let me expose
you to my audience.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
It's pretty cool, very cool.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Well, congratulations on the music and the success. It's really
remarkable to see love how you're paying homage to all
these incredible women. I'm curious for you as you are
now this powerhouse redefining country. What does it mean to
be a part of this genre's evolution at this time
(07:57):
right now?
Speaker 3 (07:58):
I mean, it's it's pretty wild. It's wild that my
song Austin kind of shaped so much of that first
movement because it was just so big outside of the US.
It was the first country song to really get big,
way bigger outside of the US, So that was pretty remarkable.
And I feel like being a woman a part of
(08:20):
this kind of journey is it's scary, I feel, I
don't know, it's been It's been tough on the mental because, like,
I still want to fit into the country world and
I want to I want to be likable. Everyone wants
to be likable, you know. I want people to like me.
But also I think I'm doing stuff and stretching the
(08:41):
genre in a bit that I've gained a lot of
haters in the way, and so it's been a weird
journey of like making peace with the fact that a
lot of people are not gonna like me, and I'm
kind of loving that now that I'm like a year
and a half deep into it, I'm like perfect hate
on me. Feed the algorithm, baby, like let's go, because
it just makes like it builds my army up bigger,
(09:02):
you know, like the fans that like get my music
and love me will defend me in the comments and
defend me in person and ride at dawn. You know.
It like makes I think the best way to former
community is almost to have like a common enemy. So
it's kind of crazy how it's like formed. My fan
groups just be so much tighter and the community is amazing.
But yeah, it's pretty wild. But also I feel like
(09:25):
in country music, specifically with females and country music, there's
always been this sense of like evolution. Like the first
evolution I saw as a kid was like Dolly Parton
doing her thing, you know, and she was just bigger
than life, big tits, big lips, big hair, and like
that didn't fit in with the box that they wanted
women to be in, you know, that was crazy. But
(09:48):
she was so kind and so herself and funny and
witty and somehow so agreeable, and everyone just fell in
love with Dolly, and it made the fact that she
was outside this box that they wanted women to be
in and made it okay. And therefore the box crew
and therefore women were able to be more themselves. And
(10:08):
so I feel like this generation of females in country
music is just evolving from that. You know, we're just
trying to make the box bigger and bigger and do
our own thing. But for me, like it started with
Dolly when I was a kid.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
That's so fascinating. How the arc of your I don't
want to say acceptance, but your your dancing with this
fame has really informed your artistry and how you put
yourself forward. I'm curious. It feels like the music that's
coming now is really personal and your The song oh
(10:45):
Anna gives me goosebumps. I mean, it's it's taken over
for the reasons of people, you know, really looking back
on their their younger self and falling in love with
that that person. And again, I'm curious, as you've kind
of grown into accepting this level of fame, has it
(11:06):
really informed the kind of music, the kind of message
that you want to put out.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Yeah, I mean for sure, I feel like the first
year of being famous with my song doing what it did,
I was I felt like I was just going for it.
I mean, that's all you can do. Things change so
fast in your life that all you can really do
is kind of hold on. I described it as drinking
(11:34):
out of a fire hose, you know, and you want
to drink every drop of water you can, but at
a certain point you're just like mouth blasting yourself. That's
a crazy quote, but don't say that, but you know
what I mean. Like, it's just it's so intense and
so fun and just you feel so alive because like
those are my fucking dreams. Like I've never wanted anything
else in my entire life. I've been doing this since
(11:55):
I was eight years old. Like for this to actually
happened for me was in in and so I was
just trying to soak it all up. And then about
a year in, I was just like I've used every
single I've squeezed every part of my battery out. I
have no marvels left to give, I have nothing left
to give anyone. And it was so scary, feelings so
drained from something I wanted so bad and so that's
(12:18):
when I had to take a look at, like, how
how can I actually do this and maintain this life?
Because no one teaches you that. You know, they teach
you how to play guitar and how to write songs
and how to be presentable to the media, but they
don't teach you how to like be okay, And so
that's something you have to learn yourself. And for me,
I was a shell of a human and then I
wrote oh Anna, and then I realized, oh my god,
(12:40):
I just need to tap back into that little girl,
the little girl who was so herself, didn't give a
fuck with people thought about her, and like, I need
that back. I almost forgot that girl existed at a
certain point because I was so wrapped up and everything
that was happening in my life. And so it's been
so cool to see how that song kind of unintentionally
started shaping this holy p and like my whole kind
(13:02):
of message as an artist, because it extends outside of artists.
I think everyone in their life gets wrapped up in
their lives and the craziness and falling in love and
having kids and whatever it is. But I think the
most pure form of happiness you can ever find is
like the little kid in you, and so at my shows,
it's been really cool to like talk about that, like
(13:23):
it's not just about me, guys, it's about you guys too.
You can tap back into that and it's like the
most beautiful feeling in the entire world.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
That's really interesting. I mean, it's funny. Wait now I
have a question for you. I'm talking with the fame
and how no one teaches you that because Atlantis and
I were talking about this in the La Times piece.
If she were to write a celebrity handbook on how
to deal with fame, would you read it?
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Yeah? Fuck yeah, I'd read that because.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
We were talking. You know, people forget how big she was,
you know, in that first album sold thirty three million copies,
you know, six Grammys.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
So we've been through it. So interesting. I was listening
to a Madonna podcast the other day and the way
she was describing like her artistic process, and I was
just like fascinated. I would so read that.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Yeah all right, So for you, though, how did you
like Because it's funny. She will joke, but she's not
joking because I've known her for twenty years. She'll talk
about the fact that like, how'd you get through it?
How'd you get through that success? She's like a lot
of therapists, so you seem to have gotten through it
pretty quick. What was your secret besides stepping to that
air child?
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Honestly, I think that I was just born to do this,
That would be my answer. Like I just since I
was a little kid, there's just been this feeling of like,
I know I'm gonna be famous one day, and I
feel like I've kind of I feel so stupid saying
this out loud, but like I feel like, in a
way growing up, I almost like prepared myself for it
and studied people and studied how to make other people
(14:52):
feel ways, and my public speaking skills and how to
present myself and how to do my makeup really well
and my hair really well, and like all those little
things that add up to being someone in public light.
I've just always known it was gonna happen for me,
and so I was just kind of been ready and
excited for it, and so but it was a lot
(15:15):
different than I thought I was gonna be. That's why
I got rock so hard. But then I kind of like, okay,
it's all good, girl, you got this because I as
a little kid, as that little girl that I wanted
to be again, I was in this mindset of like, no,
it's gonna happen, so just keep pushing. You want this
so bad. Also, as an artist, it's the weirdest job
ever because it's the only job that you're a walking product.
(15:38):
And also the CEO. You're selling yourself as the CEO,
And it's like, when you think of it like that,
you can really do whatever the fuck you want. You
can hire whoever you want, you can do whatever you want,
you can wear whatever you want, but as long as
it stays true to who you are. You know, and
of course people do crazy shit all the time. But
(15:59):
knowing that, I'm like, oh, there's actually no rules. I
can write my own rule for this. That's been something
I've been thinking about and like going to therapy about
a lot. I do go to therapy. She's amazing, and
she has a daughter who's also an artist, so she's
like been through it as a parent, which has been
super interesting to have her perspective. But I don't know,
I just feel like my brain was kind of morph
(16:22):
from a young age to like handle this lifestyle in
a weird way.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
No, that's not crazy at all. It's interesting stage. And
I have talked to so many songwriters about the fact
that like songwriting will be like a form of channeling,
like basically your antenna. And even I was talking with
Mike Stoller ninety years old co stand by me co
wrote jail House Rock, and he's like, nobody knows where
songs come from? You know, yeah? What in doing this though,
(17:01):
we started to find and talking with other songwriters that
from a very young age, they felt that sort of
connection with the universe, Like calf Iyer was saying she
felt it from like the age of three. So it's interesting,
doesn't sound crazy at all. Did you feel that, like
that's sort of like I don't know that that message
(17:22):
that just that like sort of like you say you
knew from a young age you'd be famous. Did you
sort of feel that message coming at a very young age?
Speaker 3 (17:32):
For me, it started with actually like just the concept
of entertaining people. I started doing like dance shows and
musical theater when I was like five years old, and
I remember every time the lights had hit my face
and like the thrill being backstage like that was like
taking cocaine at five I was like so happy and
excited and amped up to be there, and then you
(17:55):
step onto the stage and I was in the fucking course,
you know. I was in the background, but god damn
was I pop my pussy up there? I was fucking
jazz handed. I was just like I felt it. And
then I started writing songs when I was about eight
years old. So I started playing guitar and piano and songs,
these melodies, these lyrics would just drop into my brain
(18:15):
out of thin air. And I remember my dad coming
up to me I was eight. He was like, oh, like,
what song is that? Like what are you doing? And
I was like, I just wrote it, and he was
like what. And it was like the most dramatic, like
how could you leave me here in the pouring rain?
Like all this shit I'd obviously never been through, but
I've I felt it through movies and through seeing my
parents get divorced from a young age and seeing just
(18:37):
like all this life around me from books. I just
I remember writing songs in my notebook in math class,
and I'd have the melody in my head. I'd write
down the lyrics, and i'd write down the chords and stuff,
but I'd have no instrument in front of me. I
just have always channeled songs, and it's just it just happened,
and I didn't try to make it happen.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
Beautiful how in writing oh Anna and channeling that flow,
that kind of connection that you now have to your
younger self that you brought forward in your own consciousness,
it's pretty fascinating. I'm curious. So many artists talk about
their kind of rituals or their way into writing, and
(19:24):
whether that be the environment, whether that having to be
one in the morning or et cetera, et cetera.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Is there.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
Spaces that you kind of go back to that you
find really creatively stimulating, whether that be you memories that
you're pulling from, or like actually physical spaces that you
feel is has really grounded you through this whole crazy
ride that you've been on.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
I mean, I really wish that I had control over
when I've felt creative. It hits me at the most
random times. It's like that antenna thing again, Like I'll
be like I get so many random ideas, like on
the toilet, or like at other people's concerts, which is
like the most inconvenient time ever, or like I'm falling
asleep and I'll like have this melody and I'm like, fuck,
(20:15):
I have to get up and record this right now
because it's my job and it's cool, but it's also
like it's so annoying sometimes, Oh my god, But I do.
I will say, I do really find having structured sessions
to be very creative, because I read this thing once.
It's like to be to maximalize your like creative side
(20:37):
of your brain, you also have to like have the
structured side of your brain going, you know, the very
literal and so like having like, okay, guys, you have
four hours to write a song, go actually triggers my
creative side because it gives it a boundary to like
exist in front of where like if I'm just like
I'm gonna go home and write a song tonight, I'm like, well,
(20:58):
first I'm gonna cook some dinner, and then maybe I'm
watch an episode of my show, and then maybe I'll
smoke a joint and then I'll feel creative, and then
of course it just never happens. So for me, like
having some structure to it does really help. But I
will say, like up in my bedroom is like a
big just like on my bed with my guitar. A
lot of songs get started that way, where I'll just
(21:19):
have a little peak of like, oh that's cool, and
I'll just record a thirty second whatever thing. But I
call these my seeds, and I'll bring in these seeds
to sessions. I'll be like, hey, this is something I
thought of, Let's form the song around this, and then
it becomes this cool song. But it's cool that it
started with just my brain as the nucleus of it.
And that is like the entire what happens now Record
(21:41):
Austin was that way. Everything started as like a seed
that I brought in, which felt really good to me
as an artist.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
Speaking of channeling and these seeds, I love that language
that are kind of just dropped in the So many
artists talk about how having kind of this connection to
something larger than themselves is really the attunement that allows
them to kind of get these seeds. I'm curious for you,
(22:17):
what would you say that you're in service of if
you're kind of channeling something larger than yourself. Is there
a core messaging that that you go back to a lot.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
That's a very interesting question because I definitely have thought
about that a lot. Like whether it's is it God
giving it to me? Is it the universe? Like I
feel like my core messaging from that higher power is
I think I was put on this earth and like
(22:51):
born to do this to show people how incredible it
is to just be really raw and really yourself, and
it's really beautiful not to have it all together, and
not even just with my songs, like my lyrics obviously
share like the messiness of my life and relationships and
weird decisions I make because I'm like, fuck it, I'm
(23:12):
twenty five's let's run it, and I like to talk
about I feel like I talk really conversationally in my
songs where I just like it's something I would say
to like a person, you know, but also it's bigger
than that. I feel like in my how I present
to the world and in my content online and pictures
and stuff, I just I feel like my thing is
(23:34):
to kind of break this wall between fans and artists,
where like I don't feel like I'm I'm better than
you or like more important than you just because I
make music that you listen to, Like that's bullshit. And
I feel like for so long it's been like warship
these artists, but I'm like, bitch, I am just a girl,
Like there is nothing different about me. I just happen
(23:54):
to make music that you like. And so I don't know,
I don't know exactly where that leads with everything yet.
It's just something that I've thought about a lot and
think about a lot before I do interviews or like
have any type of fan interactions. But I do feel
really strongly about that, about how how beautiful it is
to have that mutual respect towards a fan, and I
(24:19):
don't know, it just feels it feels real.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
Well, it's interesting, though, do you feel like, I mean,
have you heard from people then already about how much
that means to them? Because look, the reality is is
like people, I mean, especially now in this day and
age social media, where everybody thinks everybody else has it
together and they'll work more fucked up now than it's
ever been. Yeah, you know, like that's such a service
(24:45):
to say, Nah, I don't actually have my shit together,
you know, so you don't need to either.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Yeah, exactly, That's exactly how I feel about it. Like
I love sharing my shitty spray tnds on my story
or like my extensions falling out like, yes, just because
I have the money and the resources to like have
it all together, I do not Like, it's just not
it's not human and I'm a human and I'm just
a girl. So yeah, No, people have shared like how
(25:13):
how cool it is to see something that's seemed so
much bigger than life on the media and online or whatever,
But then just it's just very normal. It's a very
normal thing. So yeah, it's I don't I'd like to
keep building off that as kind of like my core messaging,
but I don't know. It's just something I think about
a lot.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
So it's funny for you. Has there ever been that moment,
whether there's a lyric or whatever, where you're like, I
don't know about this one, but fucking I'm gonna do
it anyway. What's so funny is from talking with thousands
of artists, oftentimes, the more vulnerable you are, no, not oftentimes,
I'm going to correct that every time, the more vulnerable
you are, the more people are like, yes, I get.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
It, yep, yep, one hundred percent. And it's funny because
it's way harder to write those lyrics and it is
like the generic filler lyrics of that song you know,
like getting the ones that are just like cut little
harder because you can hear someone saying that, or you
can hear yourself saying it. It's it's weirdly difficult. But
(26:16):
I think we over complicated as songwriters because we want
it to be poetic and art and you know that
whole thing. But really, like, my favorite art is the
shit that's just so cutthroat, real, just vulnerable as fuck
and there's no there's no sugarcoating on anything like that
is my favorite stuff.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
So it's funny. Willie Nelson told me the cheap greatest
country songs ever written were George Jones. He stopped loving
her today, And there was a Ronnie Krawll song you
picked so for you since you love that raw stuff.
And I agree with you. The more honest the song is,
the better it is. And like, I love John Lennon
for the simplicity of his writing. So what are your
favorite songs in terms of simplicity.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
One of them is here we Go Again, Dolly Parton.
It's just I The melody too, is just it hits
me hard? Oh God, Okay, Casey Musgraves, God, there's so
many good ones like her first album, same trailer, different park.
(27:25):
That whole album is the way it's written inspired the
way I write songs for sure. Shane McAnally, who is
a songwriter I now work with. He wrote all of
the early Casey Musgraves stuff, all of Sam Hunt's early stuff.
I did a report on him in sixth grade. This
is kind of a weird fact, but I did report
him in sixth grade, and I was just obsessed with
(27:46):
him because I thought it was so cool that he's
this gay guy who's writing all these country hits about
like body, like a back road, and like all these
love songs and shit. But the way he writes songs
is just so fucking real in converse and good, and
I remember just clocking it as a kid. And then
when he and I finally got to write for the
(28:07):
first time, like nine months ago, I was so nervous.
He's my idol in the songwriting world. And then we
wrote like bread and Butter. It was crazy because my
brain was developed off of his songwriting. So I'm kind
of like a prodigy of his in a way that
he had no connection to because I just studied everything
he wrote. So I guess my answer to that would
(28:29):
be a lot of things that he writes are my
favorite from early country era.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
So I love your sharings about being a little one
and the light and the performing love like you've been
in this since you can probably remember. I'm curious, has
there been an aspect that has really surprised you about
this whole process that you've fallen in love with that
you didn't really know that that was going to be
(29:00):
a part of this all.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Oh, that's a fun question. Also girl Crush, Girl Crush
written by the Love Junkies. That's that's my favorite, I
think all time country song. But so falling in love with.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
You know what?
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Okay, I think something that I really have learned to love.
I mean I've always loved that I wasn't expecting is
the feeling in the community of teamwork around like what
it takes to be an artist and to have this
whole business going there takes so many people, a whole label,
(29:37):
a management team, publishers, PR fucking anything, agents like crazy stuff,
glam team, stylist, support team, friends, family, and the camaraderie
that I that has formed around Dasha has been the
most beautiful thing ever because we're all such good friends
(29:59):
and we care so much, and I feel like at
the very beginning, I cherry picked a very specific team,
like a very small nucleus of people that I'm like,
you guys are my people. You're staying with me no
matter what. Now we can slowly expand and like get
the label on and get what whoever else we need.
But I feel like the camaraderie of the whole team
has been like really special and like a family of
its own. And I you know, you growing up, you
(30:22):
hear so much shit about the business side of the
music industry. You know, like, oh, they'll take all your
money and you'll never have a dumb and you know
all this crazy shit. But it's just it's just not
that way. If you don't make it that way. You know,
at the end of the day, you as the artist,
are in charge. And so I mean, obviously I got lucky.
I kept my Master of Austin and I had a
(30:44):
hit to sell to the record label, where a lot
of people are just kind of selling the idea of themselves.
So I got lucky in that way. But the team
camaraderie is like really special, very cool.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
Well, we're gonna run out of time in a few minutes.
So is there anything that you want to add? I
don't know, since you know, Wells Fargo did kind of.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
Bring it right, I should say their name, okay?
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Or do you have like is that your bank or
if not, we'll leave it out.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
But you know it's it's not my bank personally. But
I will say I'm very much looking forward to playing
the Wells Fargos Autograph card exclusive series because playing small venues,
having opportunity for fans to come to a small venue
and hear me sing these songs, It's just gonna be
an electric night. It's very special. I don't get to
do this very often, so I'm very grateful to be
(31:31):
a part of it. And it's gonna be super.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Fun, awesome. What do you want to add? If we
didn't ask you about.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
No, you guys, those questions were incredible. I feel like
we got everything we needed to out of that. I
touched on the whole Anna product. Oh here's a fun thing.
So Anna the EP came out. Now the next next
step is Dasha, Part two of the EP. It's gonna
be a self titled album. Anna Dasha in the end,
But Dasha is gonna come out soon and so kind
(32:00):
of tell the story of like now that now that
you all kind of know where I come from and
who I am at the core, like this is what's
up now. So I'm excited to share that project for
the world soon.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Awesome. When does it come out?
Speaker 4 (32:11):
Do you know?
Speaker 3 (32:13):
No? I don't. It's next year, earlish next year.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
I'm curious asari written me yet or now.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
It's written eighty percent? I think they want me to
beat a couple of songs, but I think it's written
but not quite so. Well.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
No, the reason I asked I'm going to let you
go is because it's interesting though, because you know, the
great thing about songwriting is so much of it a
subconscious so you learn something about yourself. So who is
now Anna versus Dasha that you now realize that from
writing about it?
Speaker 3 (32:47):
Yep, precisely, That's exactly what happened. It's wild. I feel
like I kind of manifest things through my songs, and
like I'll say things and then a few months later
I'm like, oh my god, this actually happened, or it's
actually how I feel now or something. Yeah. So with
Oana and Train and all these songs on the Anna EP,
(33:07):
I was like, oh, this is who, this is why
I am Dasha Now I don't know. Kind of made
me backtrack a bit, and it was really cool to
see that'll kind of come to together in my brain.
So excited.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Very cool. We'll let you go. But what I will
say quickly is it's funny because I always quantify this
by saying, I'm not that smart, but I've been fortunate
it talk to people who are way smarter than me,
Sinshinead O'Connor, who was a genius for telling me. Then,
as a songwriter, everything you write can come true. You
have to kind of be careful what you write because
(33:41):
you do have the power to make songs come true.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
Yep, I agree with that, and I've witnessed it and
it freaked me out, and yep, I could talk about
it for hours. It's really scary, all right, but it's
also cool. It's really cool, you kidding me. It's like
the most magical manifestation power that only writers get. It's crazy,
especially when you're the artist singing it too. You're just
(34:04):
like blasting it to the universe. But then you do
have to be careful about what you write because shit
will happen.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
Yeah, and you're writing parties and stuff, and then all
of a sudden you're like, uh, huh.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
All of a sudden. Yep, all of a sudden, it
is two am, and his boots are on my bed,
and I'm like, oh boy, okay, here we go.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
Or you have to be careful not to get really
mad at somewhere because you know, it's like putting hacks
on them.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
That's very true. Oh my god, like writing those secret
murder songs. It's like, what if they actually get fucking
acts in the night, it's your fault.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
Cool. Well, it was great talking with you. This was
a lot of fun, and it's funny to me. I
feel like we got to I think we'd been talking
for hours.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
Thanks for having me, Steven Stage. Great to meet you, guys.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
Yeah, great to meet you. Thanks,
Hey, the Steve Balton.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Welcome to the Best of twenty twenty five on in
service of starting today with country superstar Nasha. This is
a really fun interview where she talks about fame, about
mental health, about playing in intimate venues, about stagecoach, about
so much more, and really appreciate the way that she
(00:27):
shares and the way that.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
She just has fun with this conversation. So hope you
enjoyed this one as much as we did. Tell me
about this show you're doing tomorrow night, how you got
(00:50):
involved in it, and you know, it's funny because and
I talked to so many artists they love doing these
types of shows because they're both intimate and also so
it's a lot of fun for artists like you found
the stage coach when they're not playing to their audience.
It's like a good challenge.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Mm hmm. Yeah. I mean, I'm excited for this because one,
Riley Green is awesome and he has been very supportive.
But two, playing a smaller venue for fans who really
want to be there is like the optimal experience for
me personally. I mean, I play size rooms this size
(01:28):
on my tour, maybe a little smaller, but people will
be freaking out that Riley Green is playing the smaller
venue and then having me opening. I think it's just
going to be a very magical and rare experience, and
so I think the crowd is just going to be
so ready for it. And I think when the crowd
is excited to be there, it makes me like have
a ten times better performance. And I'm always like bantering
(01:49):
with the crowd, and you know, my talking between songs
chang changes a lot depending on the vibe in the room.
So I'm excited to see what happens tomorrow. It's kind
of a toss.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Up, you know. It's funny. I was looking at other
artists who played this, and it's like Mumford and Sons.
I'm fucking obsessed with on Richie's one of the greatest
songwriters of all time, David for years.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
So killers like, what so for.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
You as a fan? If when you the younger version
of you and Sam Luis Obispel, if there's a Wells
Fargo Signature series show, who would have been the dream
artist to the dream big artists to see in her
a smaller venue?
Speaker 3 (02:28):
I mean, okay, I have to answer to that question.
If I had to go to an autograph card exclusive series,
I would go either Casey Musk Graves or I'd go
Taylor Swift.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Obviously, Well, you say obviously, why obviously I'm curious.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Well, I just get compared to her so much. I
think we look very similar, and I think, I don't know,
I think it's in my own head. I get compared
to her a lot. And she was like the person
that kind of shaped the way I saw my youth
in a way because I was like, she she's a
songwriter and she's an art and she's doing what she
wants and I was like, I can do that too,
(03:03):
because she can do it. And I think having someone
doing it that kind of looks like me made it
kind of seem like possible in a way.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
No, I've met her a few times. Jerry Clapp, you
met her yet or no? You know? All right, Well,
I'm gonna asking you two more questions on this and
then let's say shake over for say it. But it's
interesting because you know, you talk about Taylor and I
just did an interview two weeks ago for the La
Times with Atlantis, who is my favorite interview of all time,
and one of the things we were talking about is
(03:32):
fame and how if you're not prepared for it, it
is a hell of a lot. So for you, I
know you talked about that with Rolling Stone, like you know,
sort of haters and stuff, and you know just how
quickly it all about. So are there people that you've
really learned a lot from and how to deal with this?
Speaker 3 (03:52):
No, You're right, fame is can be a bitch when
when you're not ready for it. It was I feel
like I had been in a way kind of paring
my whole life for when that moment happened. But when
it happened, it happened so much faster and crazier than
I ever imagined. So it was also just like you
get rocks no matter how you cut it. But I
don't know, I feel like because it happened in the
(04:13):
country space, I was around so many more country artists
when it happened, so like for me, the first name
that comes to mind would be like Landy Wilson. She
was so so kind and supportive right off the bat.
She like found me backstage at the first award show,
the CMT Awards, and she like introduced herself, and obviously
I know who she is and like I'm a fan
(04:33):
of her music, and she just like had such a
big heart on her sleeve and was so welcoming and kind,
and so I feel like right off the bat, I
was like, Okay, that that's a cool kind of intro
to the space. But I mean, I think for me,
I'm inspired by famous people who just really stay themselves
(04:56):
throughout the whole process, because I mean, obviously it's really
hard to do because there's so many a pinion and
swelling around. You have to like impress your label and
your management and your and your team and all your fans.
You're trying to make so many people happy with the
art you make and how you show up in the world.
But at the end of the day, it's you can't
make everyone happy. That's just it's impossible. You can either
be authentic and real to who you are or you
(05:18):
can make people happy. You can't do both. And so
I think there's like a handful of artists that I
can name that have kind of shown that as a
characteristic of themselves, and I really appreciate that and feel
inspired by that.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
It's funny, I always talked with artist I mean, I've
talked to everybody who ever lived and literally from James
Brown and the wreath that the like Dolly Parton and
Willie and it's like you're trying to do something that
everybody likes, you are doing it wrong. So but now
one more question on this and then I'm gonna let's
say shake over. But I'm curious because you mentioned Riley
and how he supported I know you did the songs
(05:53):
with him for the first time in Montreal. Correct you
filled in for Ella?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Do you know how should we met a couple of times? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Well, the reason I asked specifically, I think it's very
cool because I know that she was taking a break
for mental health, and you know, as an artist, that's
so important. And I mean the road, you know, similar
to fame if you're just burnt out, if you're tired,
will kick your ass. So for how important was it
to you to be able to do this and support
(06:22):
a fellow artists, not just Riley, but also give her
that break, you know, understanding how tough it can be.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Yeah, I mean I went through the same thing that
she did. When she posted on Instagram, I was like, girl,
I feel you. I had to take a little break too,
you know, I had to cancel some shit. I had
to get my head back on my shoulders because it
rocks you, you know, and you're so you want it
so bad your whole life, and all of a sudden
you haven't, and then it's just crazier than you ever
could imagine it. So playing that show, and Riley asked
(06:52):
me like two hours before the show if I wanted
to sing the songs, and obviously I know the songs,
but I didn't like know the songs, so I was like,
oh god. So I was like backstage like learning the
lyrics and stuff. But the fact that he didn't even
give me the opportunity on like main stage headlining at
that Lasso festival was so cool, especially because Canada is
such a big market for me and people were so
(07:13):
excited about that. And I know he does that with
a bunch of different female artists. When Ella's not around,
whether she's on a mental health break or she's just
like on a different tour or whatever, he always will
grab like another female in the lineup and have him
singing those two songs. So I think that's so cool
that he does that and like gives these women kind
of like a step up, like hey, let me expose
you to my audience.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
It's pretty cool, very cool.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Well, congratulations on the music and the success. It's really
remarkable to see love how you're paying homage to all
these incredible women. I'm curious for you as you are
now this powerhouse redefining country. What does it mean to
be a part of this genre's evolution at this time
(07:57):
right now?
Speaker 3 (07:58):
I mean, it's it's pretty wild. It's wild that my
song Austin kind of shaped so much of that first
movement because it was just so big outside of the US.
It was the first country song to really get big,
way bigger outside of the US, So that was pretty remarkable.
And I feel like being a woman a part of
(08:20):
this kind of journey is it's scary, I feel, I
don't know, it's been It's been tough on the mental because, like,
I still want to fit into the country world and
I want to I want to be likable. Everyone wants
to be likable, you know. I want people to like me.
But also I think I'm doing stuff and stretching the
(08:41):
genre in a bit that I've gained a lot of
haters in the way, and so it's been a weird
journey of like making peace with the fact that a
lot of people are not gonna like me, and I'm
kind of loving that now that I'm like a year
and a half deep into it, I'm like perfect hate
on me. Feed the algorithm, baby, like let's go, because
it just makes like it builds my army up bigger,
(09:02):
you know, like the fans that like get my music
and love me will defend me in the comments and
defend me in person and ride at dawn. You know.
It like makes I think the best way to former
community is almost to have like a common enemy. So
it's kind of crazy how it's like formed. My fan
groups just be so much tighter and the community is amazing.
But yeah, it's pretty wild. But also I feel like
(09:25):
in country music, specifically with females and country music, there's
always been this sense of like evolution. Like the first
evolution I saw as a kid was like Dolly Parton
doing her thing, you know, and she was just bigger
than life, big tits, big lips, big hair, and like
that didn't fit in with the box that they wanted
women to be in, you know, that was crazy. But
(09:48):
she was so kind and so herself and funny and
witty and somehow so agreeable, and everyone just fell in
love with Dolly, and it made the fact that she
was outside this box that they wanted women to be
in and made it okay. And therefore the box crew
and therefore women were able to be more themselves. And
(10:08):
so I feel like this generation of females in country
music is just evolving from that. You know, we're just
trying to make the box bigger and bigger and do
our own thing. But for me, like it started with
Dolly when I was a kid.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
That's so fascinating. How the arc of your I don't
want to say acceptance, but your your dancing with this
fame has really informed your artistry and how you put
yourself forward. I'm curious. It feels like the music that's
coming now is really personal and your The song oh
(10:45):
Anna gives me goosebumps. I mean, it's it's taken over
for the reasons of people, you know, really looking back
on their their younger self and falling in love with
that that person. And again, I'm curious, as you've kind
of grown into accepting this level of fame, has it
(11:06):
really informed the kind of music, the kind of message
that you want to put out.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Yeah, I mean for sure, I feel like the first
year of being famous with my song doing what it did,
I was I felt like I was just going for it.
I mean, that's all you can do. Things change so
fast in your life that all you can really do
is kind of hold on. I described it as drinking
(11:34):
out of a fire hose, you know, and you want
to drink every drop of water you can, but at
a certain point you're just like mouth blasting yourself. That's
a crazy quote, but don't say that, but you know
what I mean. Like, it's just it's so intense and
so fun and just you feel so alive because like
those are my fucking dreams. Like I've never wanted anything
else in my entire life. I've been doing this since
(11:55):
I was eight years old. Like for this to actually
happened for me was in in and so I was
just trying to soak it all up. And then about
a year in, I was just like I've used every
single I've squeezed every part of my battery out. I
have no marvels left to give, I have nothing left
to give anyone. And it was so scary, feelings so
drained from something I wanted so bad and so that's
(12:18):
when I had to take a look at, like, how
how can I actually do this and maintain this life?
Because no one teaches you that. You know, they teach
you how to play guitar and how to write songs
and how to be presentable to the media, but they
don't teach you how to like be okay, And so
that's something you have to learn yourself. And for me,
I was a shell of a human and then I
wrote oh Anna, and then I realized, oh my god,
(12:40):
I just need to tap back into that little girl,
the little girl who was so herself, didn't give a
fuck with people thought about her, and like, I need
that back. I almost forgot that girl existed at a
certain point because I was so wrapped up and everything
that was happening in my life. And so it's been
so cool to see how that song kind of unintentionally
started shaping this holy p and like my whole kind
(13:02):
of message as an artist, because it extends outside of artists.
I think everyone in their life gets wrapped up in
their lives and the craziness and falling in love and
having kids and whatever it is. But I think the
most pure form of happiness you can ever find is
like the little kid in you, and so at my shows,
it's been really cool to like talk about that, like
(13:23):
it's not just about me, guys, it's about you guys too.
You can tap back into that and it's like the
most beautiful feeling in the entire world.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
That's really interesting. I mean, it's funny. Wait now I
have a question for you. I'm talking with the fame
and how no one teaches you that because Atlantis and
I were talking about this in the La Times piece.
If she were to write a celebrity handbook on how
to deal with fame, would you read it?
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Yeah? Fuck yeah, I'd read that because.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
We were talking. You know, people forget how big she was,
you know, in that first album sold thirty three million copies,
you know, six Grammys.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
So we've been through it. So interesting. I was listening
to a Madonna podcast the other day and the way
she was describing like her artistic process, and I was
just like fascinated. I would so read that.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Yeah all right, So for you, though, how did you
like Because it's funny. She will joke, but she's not
joking because I've known her for twenty years. She'll talk
about the fact that like, how'd you get through it?
How'd you get through that success? She's like a lot
of therapists, so you seem to have gotten through it
pretty quick. What was your secret besides stepping to that
air child?
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Honestly, I think that I was just born to do this,
That would be my answer. Like I just since I
was a little kid, there's just been this feeling of like,
I know I'm gonna be famous one day, and I
feel like I've kind of I feel so stupid saying
this out loud, but like I feel like, in a
way growing up, I almost like prepared myself for it
and studied people and studied how to make other people
(14:52):
feel ways, and my public speaking skills and how to
present myself and how to do my makeup really well
and my hair really well, and like all those little
things that add up to being someone in public light.
I've just always known it was gonna happen for me,
and so I was just kind of been ready and
excited for it, and so but it was a lot
(15:15):
different than I thought I was gonna be. That's why
I got rock so hard. But then I kind of like, okay,
it's all good, girl, you got this because I as
a little kid, as that little girl that I wanted
to be again, I was in this mindset of like, no,
it's gonna happen, so just keep pushing. You want this
so bad. Also, as an artist, it's the weirdest job
ever because it's the only job that you're a walking product.
(15:38):
And also the CEO. You're selling yourself as the CEO,
And it's like, when you think of it like that,
you can really do whatever the fuck you want. You
can hire whoever you want, you can do whatever you want,
you can wear whatever you want, but as long as
it stays true to who you are. You know, and
of course people do crazy shit all the time. But
(15:59):
knowing that, I'm like, oh, there's actually no rules. I
can write my own rule for this. That's been something
I've been thinking about and like going to therapy about
a lot. I do go to therapy. She's amazing, and
she has a daughter who's also an artist, so she's
like been through it as a parent, which has been
super interesting to have her perspective. But I don't know,
I just feel like my brain was kind of morph
(16:22):
from a young age to like handle this lifestyle in
a weird way.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
No, that's not crazy at all. It's interesting stage. And
I have talked to so many songwriters about the fact
that like songwriting will be like a form of channeling,
like basically your antenna. And even I was talking with
Mike Stoller ninety years old co stand by me co
wrote jail House Rock, and he's like, nobody knows where
songs come from? You know, yeah? What in doing this though,
(17:01):
we started to find and talking with other songwriters that
from a very young age, they felt that sort of
connection with the universe, Like calf Iyer was saying she
felt it from like the age of three. So it's interesting,
doesn't sound crazy at all. Did you feel that, like
that's sort of like I don't know that that message
(17:22):
that just that like sort of like you say you
knew from a young age you'd be famous. Did you
sort of feel that message coming at a very young age?
Speaker 3 (17:32):
For me, it started with actually like just the concept
of entertaining people. I started doing like dance shows and
musical theater when I was like five years old, and
I remember every time the lights had hit my face
and like the thrill being backstage like that was like
taking cocaine at five I was like so happy and
excited and amped up to be there, and then you
(17:55):
step onto the stage and I was in the fucking course,
you know. I was in the background, but god damn
was I pop my pussy up there? I was fucking
jazz handed. I was just like I felt it. And
then I started writing songs when I was about eight
years old. So I started playing guitar and piano and songs,
these melodies, these lyrics would just drop into my brain
(18:15):
out of thin air. And I remember my dad coming
up to me I was eight. He was like, oh, like,
what song is that? Like what are you doing? And
I was like, I just wrote it, and he was
like what. And it was like the most dramatic, like
how could you leave me here in the pouring rain?
Like all this shit I'd obviously never been through, but
I've I felt it through movies and through seeing my
parents get divorced from a young age and seeing just
(18:37):
like all this life around me from books. I just
I remember writing songs in my notebook in math class,
and I'd have the melody in my head. I'd write
down the lyrics, and i'd write down the chords and stuff,
but I'd have no instrument in front of me. I
just have always channeled songs, and it's just it just happened,
and I didn't try to make it happen.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
Beautiful how in writing oh Anna and channeling that flow,
that kind of connection that you now have to your
younger self that you brought forward in your own consciousness,
it's pretty fascinating. I'm curious. So many artists talk about
their kind of rituals or their way into writing, and
(19:24):
whether that be the environment, whether that having to be
one in the morning or et cetera, et cetera.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Is there.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
Spaces that you kind of go back to that you
find really creatively stimulating, whether that be you memories that
you're pulling from, or like actually physical spaces that you
feel is has really grounded you through this whole crazy
ride that you've been on.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
I mean, I really wish that I had control over
when I've felt creative. It hits me at the most
random times. It's like that antenna thing again, Like I'll
be like I get so many random ideas, like on
the toilet, or like at other people's concerts, which is
like the most inconvenient time ever, or like I'm falling
asleep and I'll like have this melody and I'm like, fuck,
(20:15):
I have to get up and record this right now
because it's my job and it's cool, but it's also
like it's so annoying sometimes, Oh my god, But I do.
I will say, I do really find having structured sessions
to be very creative, because I read this thing once.
It's like to be to maximalize your like creative side
(20:37):
of your brain, you also have to like have the
structured side of your brain going, you know, the very
literal and so like having like, okay, guys, you have
four hours to write a song, go actually triggers my
creative side because it gives it a boundary to like
exist in front of where like if I'm just like
I'm gonna go home and write a song tonight, I'm like, well,
(20:58):
first I'm gonna cook some dinner, and then maybe I'm
watch an episode of my show, and then maybe I'll
smoke a joint and then I'll feel creative, and then
of course it just never happens. So for me, like
having some structure to it does really help. But I
will say, like up in my bedroom is like a
big just like on my bed with my guitar. A
lot of songs get started that way, where I'll just
(21:19):
have a little peak of like, oh that's cool, and
I'll just record a thirty second whatever thing. But I
call these my seeds, and I'll bring in these seeds
to sessions. I'll be like, hey, this is something I
thought of, Let's form the song around this, and then
it becomes this cool song. But it's cool that it
started with just my brain as the nucleus of it.
And that is like the entire what happens now Record
(21:41):
Austin was that way. Everything started as like a seed
that I brought in, which felt really good to me
as an artist.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
Speaking of channeling and these seeds, I love that language
that are kind of just dropped in the So many
artists talk about how having kind of this connection to
something larger than themselves is really the attunement that allows
them to kind of get these seeds. I'm curious for you,
(22:17):
what would you say that you're in service of if
you're kind of channeling something larger than yourself. Is there
a core messaging that that you go back to a lot.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
That's a very interesting question because I definitely have thought
about that a lot. Like whether it's is it God
giving it to me? Is it the universe? Like I
feel like my core messaging from that higher power is
I think I was put on this earth and like
(22:51):
born to do this to show people how incredible it
is to just be really raw and really yourself, and
it's really beautiful not to have it all together, and
not even just with my songs, like my lyrics obviously
share like the messiness of my life and relationships and
weird decisions I make because I'm like, fuck it, I'm
(23:12):
twenty five's let's run it, and I like to talk
about I feel like I talk really conversationally in my
songs where I just like it's something I would say
to like a person, you know, but also it's bigger
than that. I feel like in my how I present
to the world and in my content online and pictures
and stuff, I just I feel like my thing is
(23:34):
to kind of break this wall between fans and artists,
where like I don't feel like I'm I'm better than
you or like more important than you just because I
make music that you listen to, Like that's bullshit. And
I feel like for so long it's been like warship
these artists, but I'm like, bitch, I am just a girl,
Like there is nothing different about me. I just happen
(23:54):
to make music that you like. And so I don't know,
I don't know exactly where that leads with everything yet.
It's just something that I've thought about a lot and
think about a lot before I do interviews or like
have any type of fan interactions. But I do feel
really strongly about that, about how how beautiful it is
to have that mutual respect towards a fan, and I
(24:19):
don't know, it just feels it feels real.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
Well, it's interesting, though, do you feel like, I mean,
have you heard from people then already about how much
that means to them? Because look, the reality is is
like people, I mean, especially now in this day and
age social media, where everybody thinks everybody else has it
together and they'll work more fucked up now than it's
ever been. Yeah, you know, like that's such a service
(24:45):
to say, Nah, I don't actually have my shit together,
you know, so you don't need to either.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Yeah, exactly, That's exactly how I feel about it. Like
I love sharing my shitty spray tnds on my story
or like my extensions falling out like, yes, just because
I have the money and the resources to like have
it all together, I do not Like, it's just not
it's not human and I'm a human and I'm just
a girl. So yeah, No, people have shared like how
(25:13):
how cool it is to see something that's seemed so
much bigger than life on the media and online or whatever,
But then just it's just very normal. It's a very
normal thing. So yeah, it's I don't I'd like to
keep building off that as kind of like my core messaging,
but I don't know. It's just something I think about
a lot.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
So it's funny for you. Has there ever been that moment,
whether there's a lyric or whatever, where you're like, I
don't know about this one, but fucking I'm gonna do
it anyway. What's so funny is from talking with thousands
of artists, oftentimes, the more vulnerable you are, no, not oftentimes,
I'm going to correct that every time, the more vulnerable
you are, the more people are like, yes, I get.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
It, yep, yep, one hundred percent. And it's funny because
it's way harder to write those lyrics and it is
like the generic filler lyrics of that song you know,
like getting the ones that are just like cut little
harder because you can hear someone saying that, or you
can hear yourself saying it. It's it's weirdly difficult. But
(26:16):
I think we over complicated as songwriters because we want
it to be poetic and art and you know that
whole thing. But really, like, my favorite art is the
shit that's just so cutthroat, real, just vulnerable as fuck
and there's no there's no sugarcoating on anything like that
is my favorite stuff.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
So it's funny. Willie Nelson told me the cheap greatest
country songs ever written were George Jones. He stopped loving
her today, And there was a Ronnie Krawll song you
picked so for you since you love that raw stuff.
And I agree with you. The more honest the song is,
the better it is. And like, I love John Lennon
for the simplicity of his writing. So what are your
favorite songs in terms of simplicity.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
One of them is here we Go Again, Dolly Parton.
It's just I The melody too, is just it hits
me hard? Oh God, Okay, Casey Musgraves, God, there's so
many good ones like her first album, same trailer, different park.
(27:25):
That whole album is the way it's written inspired the
way I write songs for sure. Shane McAnally, who is
a songwriter I now work with. He wrote all of
the early Casey Musgraves stuff, all of Sam Hunt's early stuff.
I did a report on him in sixth grade. This
is kind of a weird fact, but I did report
him in sixth grade, and I was just obsessed with
(27:46):
him because I thought it was so cool that he's
this gay guy who's writing all these country hits about
like body, like a back road, and like all these
love songs and shit. But the way he writes songs
is just so fucking real in converse and good, and
I remember just clocking it as a kid. And then
when he and I finally got to write for the
(28:07):
first time, like nine months ago, I was so nervous.
He's my idol in the songwriting world. And then we
wrote like bread and Butter. It was crazy because my
brain was developed off of his songwriting. So I'm kind
of like a prodigy of his in a way that
he had no connection to because I just studied everything
he wrote. So I guess my answer to that would
(28:29):
be a lot of things that he writes are my
favorite from early country era.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
So I love your sharings about being a little one
and the light and the performing love like you've been
in this since you can probably remember. I'm curious, has
there been an aspect that has really surprised you about
this whole process that you've fallen in love with that
you didn't really know that that was going to be
(29:00):
a part of this all.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Oh, that's a fun question. Also girl Crush, Girl Crush
written by the Love Junkies. That's that's my favorite, I
think all time country song. But so falling in love with.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
You know what?
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Okay, I think something that I really have learned to love.
I mean I've always loved that I wasn't expecting is
the feeling in the community of teamwork around like what
it takes to be an artist and to have this
whole business going there takes so many people, a whole label,
(29:37):
a management team, publishers, PR fucking anything, agents like crazy stuff,
glam team, stylist, support team, friends, family, and the camaraderie
that I that has formed around Dasha has been the
most beautiful thing ever because we're all such good friends
(29:59):
and we care so much, and I feel like at
the very beginning, I cherry picked a very specific team,
like a very small nucleus of people that I'm like,
you guys are my people. You're staying with me no
matter what. Now we can slowly expand and like get
the label on and get what whoever else we need.
But I feel like the camaraderie of the whole team
has been like really special and like a family of
its own. And I you know, you growing up, you
(30:22):
hear so much shit about the business side of the
music industry. You know, like, oh, they'll take all your
money and you'll never have a dumb and you know
all this crazy shit. But it's just it's just not
that way. If you don't make it that way. You know,
at the end of the day, you as the artist,
are in charge. And so I mean, obviously I got lucky.
I kept my Master of Austin and I had a
(30:44):
hit to sell to the record label, where a lot
of people are just kind of selling the idea of themselves.
So I got lucky in that way. But the team
camaraderie is like really special, very cool.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
Well, we're gonna run out of time in a few minutes.
So is there anything that you want to add? I
don't know, since you know, Wells Fargo did kind of.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
Bring it right, I should say their name, okay?
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Or do you have like is that your bank or
if not, we'll leave it out.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
But you know it's it's not my bank personally. But
I will say I'm very much looking forward to playing
the Wells Fargos Autograph card exclusive series because playing small venues,
having opportunity for fans to come to a small venue
and hear me sing these songs, It's just gonna be
an electric night. It's very special. I don't get to
do this very often, so I'm very grateful to be
(31:31):
a part of it. And it's gonna be super.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Fun, awesome. What do you want to add? If we
didn't ask you about.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
No, you guys, those questions were incredible. I feel like
we got everything we needed to out of that. I
touched on the whole Anna product. Oh here's a fun thing.
So Anna the EP came out. Now the next next
step is Dasha, Part two of the EP. It's gonna
be a self titled album. Anna Dasha in the end,
But Dasha is gonna come out soon and so kind
(32:00):
of tell the story of like now that now that
you all kind of know where I come from and
who I am at the core, like this is what's
up now. So I'm excited to share that project for
the world soon.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Awesome. When does it come out?
Speaker 4 (32:11):
Do you know?
Speaker 3 (32:13):
No? I don't. It's next year, earlish next year.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
I'm curious asari written me yet or now.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
It's written eighty percent? I think they want me to
beat a couple of songs, but I think it's written
but not quite so. Well.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
No, the reason I asked I'm going to let you
go is because it's interesting though, because you know, the
great thing about songwriting is so much of it a
subconscious so you learn something about yourself. So who is
now Anna versus Dasha that you now realize that from
writing about it?
Speaker 3 (32:47):
Yep, precisely, That's exactly what happened. It's wild. I feel
like I kind of manifest things through my songs, and
like I'll say things and then a few months later
I'm like, oh my god, this actually happened, or it's
actually how I feel now or something. Yeah. So with
Oana and Train and all these songs on the Anna EP,
(33:07):
I was like, oh, this is who, this is why
I am Dasha Now I don't know. Kind of made
me backtrack a bit, and it was really cool to
see that'll kind of come to together in my brain.
So excited.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Very cool. We'll let you go. But what I will
say quickly is it's funny because I always quantify this
by saying, I'm not that smart, but I've been fortunate
it talk to people who are way smarter than me,
Sinshinead O'Connor, who was a genius for telling me. Then,
as a songwriter, everything you write can come true. You
have to kind of be careful what you write because
(33:41):
you do have the power to make songs come true.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
Yep, I agree with that, and I've witnessed it and
it freaked me out, and yep, I could talk about
it for hours. It's really scary, all right, but it's
also cool. It's really cool, you kidding me. It's like
the most magical manifestation power that only writers get. It's crazy,
especially when you're the artist singing it too. You're just
(34:04):
like blasting it to the universe. But then you do
have to be careful about what you write because shit
will happen.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
Yeah, and you're writing parties and stuff, and then all
of a sudden you're like, uh, huh.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
All of a sudden. Yep, all of a sudden, it
is two am, and his boots are on my bed,
and I'm like, oh boy, okay, here we go.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
Or you have to be careful not to get really
mad at somewhere because you know, it's like putting hacks
on them.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
That's very true. Oh my god, like writing those secret
murder songs. It's like, what if they actually get fucking
acts in the night, it's your fault.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
Cool. Well, it was great talking with you. This was
a lot of fun, and it's funny to me. I
feel like we got to I think we'd been talking
for hours.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
Thanks for having me, Steven Stage. Great to meet you, guys.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
Yeah, great to meet you. Thanks,
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