d4vd releases two-pack single Withering, includes first new tracks of 2024 ‘Leave Her’ and ‘2016’
PRAISE FOR d4vd
“the 18-year-old singer-songwriter taking Gen-Z by storm with his paradigm-shifting music”
“thrives on subverting expectations and rewriting the rulebook, one DIY hit at a time”
“It’s impossible not to drown in his alternative indie rock cauldron, making emotionally immersive music that showcases the dexterity of his vocals.”
“He's somehow made it even more of a gut-puncher, if you can believe”
“Primed to be one the biggest breakout acts this year”
“Here is a very contemporary kind of budding star. d4vd has already cracked the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot Alternative/Rock charts — though that probably undersells how famous he is.”
“d4vd is writing a new kind of love story”
“Don’t let his age fool you. The musician is mature beyond his years (both in the personal and artistic sense). He has a unique ability to make the most inexpressible emotions palpable.”
“Loads of star power…melds genres to fit his vision, with a bit of emo, Y2K retro-rock, and classic soul. Let’s keep a close eye on d4vd.”
“The sounds he creates – often worlds apart from each other – are an exercise in dramatics, a kind of stagecraft where his imagination dictates the weather, the narrative and emotion of it all.”
“Crafts emotive indie-leaning gems, breaking through to the mainstream”
Withering is out now, buy/stream it here.
Today, 18-year-old superstar d4vd unveils his first release of 2024, a two-pack single titled Withering which features two brand new tracks – ‘Leave Her’ and ‘2016’. LISTEN HERE.
‘Leave Her’ is an upbeat yet wistful reflection on the glamorisation of relationships. d4vd croons about being in love with someone who doesn’t feel as strongly over a guitar loop dripping with reverb and a rock-inspired drum beat.
Meanwhile, ‘2016’ sees d4vd lean even further into his pop-rock sensibilities. The nostalgic track encapsulates the feeling of growing up and longing for simpler times as d4vd considers who he was eight years ago, singing over a powerful electric guitar hook: “I’m not the same kid I was in 2016″.
On ‘Leave Her’, d4vd shares, “‘Leave Her’ is based on a friend’s relationship and how I saw it turn out. It touches on the imbalance of love in their relationship and how he loved her way more than she loved him, resulting in him ultimately leaving her. I’m excited to be sharing this song with the world because I feel like a lot of people are experiencing this in their relationships just because of how over-glamorised relationships are made out to be nowadays, and how people think everything has to be perfect for it to work out.”
On ‘2016’, d4vd elaborates, “‘2016’ is a song that I wrote to take a little break from my subconsciously relationship-driven songwriting habit. In my generation, 2016 is regarded in culture as one of the best years in the last decade because of the trends, technology, and overall vibe of that year. So I wanted to write something that reflected how grungy and gritty growing up feels – from the punk rock instrumentation to the unique vocal approach that I took on the track. Something that felt nostalgic to the early 2000s but still felt new and fun.”
d4vd has currently embarked on an Australian leg of dates, appearing nationally at Laneway Festival, along with a run of sold-out headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne. In May and June, d4vd will bring his electric live set to highly acclaimed festivals in the US including Governor’s Ball, Bonnaroo, and Boston Calling, with additional tour dates to follow.
d4vd kicks off this new era following a monumental year that saw him soar to new heights. His career-defining single ‘Romantic Homicide’ – which resonated with millions worldwide upon release last July and has amassed 1 billion streams across platforms – peaked at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is part of d4vd’s debut Petals To Thorns EP which debuted at #1 on Billboard Heatseakers albums. He also performed the song on Jimmy Kimmy Live! marking his late-night television debut – watch the performance HERE. d4vd also joined SZA on her SOS Tour and performed at some of the hottest festivals including ACL, Tyler The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, and more.
Just over a year ago, d4vd began making music on the app BandLab after multiple copyright strikes on his popular Fortnite YouTube channel. He has since released two successful EPs (Petals to Thorns & The Lost Petals), sold out two headlining tours, and performed during the entirety of the Valentino Men’s SS24 Fashion Week show in Milan. His efforts were recognised as part of Billboard’s 21 under 21 and Variety’s Young Hollywood Impact Report lists, and he received a Streamy Award Nomination for ‘Here With Me’ in the Rolling Stone Sound of the Year category.
d4vd, born David Burke, emerged as a visionary artist only one year after he began writing and recording heart-piercing tracks alone in his sister’s closet in Houston, Texas. d4vd developed his eclectic taste in rap and indie music from internet wormholes and fan-made Fortnite videos on YouTube, which he also started creating as a homeschooled teenager. As an avid player who has amassed over fifty thousand subscribers on his gaming channel, he noticed that the songs in his game montages were getting copyright strikes, and his mother suggested that he write original music as a solution.
This motivated d4vd to start recording his own tracks after discovering an easy-to-use music-making app called BandLab. He’s released a smattering of singles touching everything from indie-alternative to pop to R&B, and the 18-year-old scored a breakout hit in the summer of 2022 with the now RIAA Multi-Platinum certified melancholic indie rock song ‘Romantic Homicide’. Recorded entirely on an iPhone, the track reached No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and led to d4vd signing to Darkroom/Interscope before graduating high school. His slow-building beachy ballad, ‘Here With Me’ followed, breaking into the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2023 and now RIAA Platinum Certified. d4vd’s debut EP Petals To Thorns established him as a genre-defying newcomer and one of the best new emerging acts, corroborated by his recent Billboard 21 Under 21 and Variety Young Hollywood honors. His intuitive command of lyricism stems from his years of scribbling raps and poems in his journal since childhood and his versatile interests shine in his music, drawing primarily from manga and anime.
Following on the heels of his spring headline The Root of it All debut tour, which sold out immediately upon going on sale, and a successful run of sold-out European tour dates, d4vd brought his Petals To Thorns tour to larger stages in the US than ever before. Amid his European run, d4vd put on a show-stopping performance at the Valentino Men’s SS24 Fashion Week show in Milan. He recently followed up his debut EP with The Lost Petals EP – a collection of five songs that fit into the world of Petals To Thorns and serve as a continuation of that project before d4vd moves into his next phase of music. d4vd recently joined R&B powerhouse SZA on the second leg of her North American S.O.S. tour.
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