Houstonian alt-rocker d4vd (pronounced “David”) had an impressive breakout in 2023 with his songs “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me,” which both tapped into Gen Z and Alpha nostalgia for millennial alt-rock aesthetics and turned him into a star with two Interscope EPs. d4vd carries that momentum into a new year with his next release, a double single consisting of “Leave Her” and “2016.”
“Leave Her” is upbeat but mellow and dance floor-ready — like something you’d hear on any given Tuesday on the WB in 1998, probably during a club scene where the underage stars of the show (played by thirty-year-olds) would somehow be inexplicably hanging out. Meanwhile, “2016” is more pop-punk, giving off that vibe of suburban slacker/rebel skating in an empty backyard swimming pool. Think a Sum41 or Offspring video, only slightly more chill. None of this is a bad thing, by the way. I grew up on this stuff. I love this kid so much, even if I was a grown man with bills and a pile of wedding invitations in 2016.
d4vd was added to SZA’s SOS Tour as an opener last summer and it’s clear he’s taken plenty of inspiration from her as a musical mentor. Her own music has begun to employ that millennial nostalgia factor, tapping into that part of 30-year-olds’ brains that wishes we could all go back to being 13 again — y’know, before the housing crisis and 9/11 borked our chances at ever having a normal life. So, yeah, give us more, d4vd — it’s the only thing keeping us going at this point. Thank you for your service.
You can listen to “Leave Her” and “2016” below.
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