For the last couple of years, Dasha has barely stopped moving.
Now she’s about to spend two weeks not even talking.
The 26-year-old singer behind “Austin” announced Tuesday that she is stepping away temporarily to undergo surgery for nodules on her vocal cords. People.com
The procedure is scheduled for October 22 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.
Then comes the part that may be even harder for a singer:
Two weeks of complete vocal rest.
No singing.
No talking.
Nothing. People.com
Dasha says the problem is essentially the result of the last two-and-a-half years finally catching up with her.
And when you look at what’s happened during those two-and-a-half years, that makes sense.
“Austin” exploded.
Suddenly came interviews.
Festivals.
Radio visits.
Flights.
Tour buses.
Meet-and-greets.
Opening slots.
Headline shows.
More interviews.
More travel.
More talking.
More singing.
Repeat.
Dasha said the strain didn’t necessarily come from singing incorrectly.
It was the entire lifestyle surrounding the singing.
Little sleep.
Constant conversation.
Late nights.
Performing.
Then doing it all again the next day. Country Now
That’s something fans probably don’t think about very often.
A singer’s voice isn’t only working during the 75 minutes they’re onstage.
They may have spent the entire day talking before the show even begins.
Dasha says she’ll also need rehabilitation afterward, essentially learning how to manage her voice differently once she’s cleared to use it again. People.com
One person helping calm her nerves is Jordan Davis.
Jordan previously underwent the same type of procedure with the same doctor at Vanderbilt.
Knowing another country singer came through it successfully has made the whole thing considerably less frightening for Dasha. People.com
She does have two final performances planned before surgery, in California and New Mexico.
Then she’s stopping.
And strangely enough, the timing may give her something she hasn’t had since becoming famous:
An actual holiday break.
Dasha says she expects to have roughly two months off around Christmas and plans to travel—including a trip to Europe—while recovering. Headline Society
She isn’t exactly slowing down before surgery, though.
Dasha is racing to finish her third studio album, which she plans to release in early 2027.
She’s already shared several songs connected with the project, including “Memo,” “Mad About It” and “82 Chevy.” People.com
And she has big expectations for the record.
Dasha says she wants this to be the album people remember her by—the project that establishes what the next part of her career sounds like. Headline Society
She also still intends to attend the CMA Awards in Nashville on November 18, although she expects the after-party portion of the evening will be considerably quieter than usual. People.com
Then comes 2027.
New album.
Bigger tour.
And, hopefully, a completely healthy voice.
There’s something almost ironic about the situation.
Dasha spent years trying to get the world to hear her.
Then “Austin” became a massive hit and suddenly everybody wanted her to sing.
And talk.
And perform.
And travel.
And promote.
Eventually the voice that made all of that possible finally said:
Enough.
So for a couple of weeks this fall, one of country’s fastest-rising singers is going to do something she’s probably very bad at.
Absolutely nothing.
Vocally, anyway.
