Today a viral phenomenon under the stage name El Dasa, Mexican singer-songwriter Dasahev López Saavedra first went by his real name for his musical exploits, dating back to his mid-teens. Born on July 27th, 1989 in Hermosillo, Sonora, he quickly cut his teeth in the local banda scene, assuming the role of frontman of Banda Costa Azul at the age of fifteen. A few years on, he raised his profile as a competitor in the 2008 TV talent show La Academia 6, although ultimately failed to progress past round two. After relocating to California, he began to strategically seek work as a roadie, eventually establishing a fruitful partnership as the driver for famed ranchera singer Vincente Fernandez. Showcasing his vocal talents on the road, he impressed Fernandez, who brought him onstage in 2010 for a wholesome duet of “Amor de los Dos” which promptly circulated the internet. Adopting the pseudonym El Dasa in the wake of the clip’s success, Saavedra promptly signed to Universal imprint Fonovisa and reemerged with a debut album, Pa’ La Raza, in 2012. Racking up substantial airplay and receiving a nomination for Best Banda Album at the Latin GRAMMYs, the LP paved the way for his further commercial breakthrough with the sophomore album Alegre y Enamorado (2014), which reached second place on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and peaked at #153 on the Billboard 200. After filming an autobiographical 2016 documentary series for NBC entitled El Vato, Saavedra returned in 2017 with his third LP, El Hijo del Desierto, which entered the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart at #6.
