Dasha Reveals the Secret Sauce Behind Her Viral Hit ‘Austin’

Dasha is winning the internet with her viral hit "Austin," which comes with its own dance routine, but surprisingly, the digital flash mob was not in the original master plan. Speaking with Taste of Country at the 2024 ACM Awards, the singer revealed the jig was just an extension of her creativity that caught fire.

"I posted the first line dance video, and literally 24 hours later it was at a million views, and I was like, 'Oh, I'm gonna post another one,'" she explains.

"I work at this horse barn in Franklin, Tenn., and I like posted just a random video of me dancing in the barn and that one did like five million," Dasha continues. "And so I started posting five videos a day and just went at it."

Five videos a day may sound like overkill, but the country newcomer knew she had something big on her hands.

"I mean, it was like my shot and you gotta take your shot when it presents itself," she states.

Where Did Dasha's Viral Line Dance Routine for "Austin" Come From?

Dasha is no stranger to tearing up the dance floor at honky-tonks everywhere — it's one of her favorite hobbies. So when she crafted the song "Austin," it only made sense to create a routine to go alone with it.

"I love going line dancing, so I — just over the years — I know a bunch of random line dances," she shares. "I kind of just pieced together parts of other line dances I like. I wanted it to go with the lyrics so it's easy to sing while you do it."

Having the song garner so much attention online was an unexpected outcome for someone who was just trying to get her song played at her favorite dance halls.

"People just caught on and loved the dance so much, and it started getting played in honky-tonks, which is like the reason we did the line dance in the first place," Dasha reveals. "We were like, 'If we can get it in rotation at honky-tonks every Friday night, we're chilling — we're good.'"

"The trend started and we weren't expecting that," she adds.

The popularity of both the song and dance led to Dasha performing the song on stage at the 2024 CMT Music Awards.

What Is Dasha's Song "Austin" About?

Despite the fun, light-hearted dance moves, "Austin" is kind of a sad song. Dasha sings of a woman having her hopes of running off with her lover dashed. She tells the story of showing up to her lover's house only to find that he isn't there and none of his stuff is packed to leave. Realizing she's been duped, her heart quickly becomes calloused, and she leaves without him. She makes her was to Los Angeles, leaving him in Austin.

Here Are the Lyrics to Dasha's Song "Austin"

We had a plan, move out of this town, baby / West to the sand, it's all we talked about lately / I'd pack the car, bring your guitar and Jane for smokin' / First thing at dawn, you'd cue the songs and we'd get goin'

But you weren't home, waited on the porch for ya / Sat there alone, all throughout the morn 'til I / Got a hunch down in the gut and snuck around the back / Empty cans, and I'll be damned, your sh-t was never packed

Did your boots stop workin'? / Did your truck break down? / Did you burn through money? / Did your ex find out?

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

Was the whiskey flowin'? / Were you in a fight? / Did the nerves come get you? / What's your alibi?

I made my way back to LA / And that's where you'll be forgotten / In 40 years you'll still be here / Drunk, washed up in Austin

A hell of a bluff, you had me believin' / How many months did you plan on leavin'?
What happened? Bad habits? Did you go back? Go batsh-t? / I loved you, how tragic, oh-oh

Did your boots stop workin'? / Did your truck break down? / Did you burn through money? / Did your ex find out?

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

Was the whiskey flowin'? / Were you in a fight? / Did the nerves come get you? / What's your alibi?

I made my way back to LA / And that's where you'll be forgotten / In 40 years you'll still be here / Drunk, washed up in Austin

Did your truck break down? / Did your ex find out?