Dasha's "Didn't I" Is a Pop-Country Treasure
Pop-country’s latest darling, Dasha, has released her latest single, “Didn’t I,” a moment of inner turmoil captured in a twangy earworm of a song.
“Didn’t I” taps into Dasha’s country roots, laying down a bright banjo as the foundation of the track. A string arrangement – likely a fiddle – shines as it duets Dasha’s vocals, countering the sharpness of her lyrics with a lilting counter-melody. It coaxes the adoration out of her voice, while the organic beat composed of claps and door-slamming samples urges the resolute side of the song.
On our podcast episode with Dasha, releasing July 23rd on Spotify and YouTube, we dive deeper into her influences, especially the significance of country music on her songwriting. Though it might get a wrongful reputation for silliness to undedicated listeners, country music fans know the unparalleled storytelling found in the genre. We cite legends like Keith Urban, Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood, early Taylor Swift, and recent Noah Kahan as masters of storytelling – capturing a moment in song form unlike any other musical community.
It’s clear that Dasha absorbed this talent at a young age – and we also get the full scope of her music journey in the episode – as “Didn’t I” is a full-fledged songwriting treasure. Listeners dance through a kaleidoscopic range of emotions as Dasha walks us through this tale of letting go and holding on. In just 3 minutes we feel her bitterness and determination to walk away, but also the lingering love that keeps her voice sweet and earnest.
The vocal performance also plays a part in painting the rich emotional landscape of “Didn’t I.” Dasha knows how to infuse certain words with the grit of anger, while letting the rest of the phrase trail off into longing. It’s a complexity that seasoned performers lean into best, and with recent appearances on the CMT Awards and Jimmy Kimmel, it’s safe to say Dasha is experienced. On our forthcoming episode of Chef’s Choice we talk more about these surreal TV debuts, and her upcoming US tour.
Check out “Didn’t I” below, and our episode of Chef’s Choice releasing on July 23 to hear more about Dasha’s journey.
