The singer D4vd has been everywhere this past fortnight – particularly in circles who have never heard of him before. D4vd is currently in the conversation surrounding the grim discovery of the body of 15 year old Celeste Rivas Hernandez inside a Tesla – revealed to be registered to the singer. The news that a body has been found decomposing inside the vehicle of a rising artist is one that is naturally full of intrigue given the circumstances, and many people have learned who D4vd is because of this developing story and investigation. If you’re only learning of D4vd because of this deeply sad story, here’s who he is and how he got famous and successful as the investigation continues.
Who is D4vd?
David Anthony Burke, known professionally as d4vd (pronounced “David”), is an American singer and songwriter whose career has been shaped by social media and online culture. He comes from Queens in New York, but he later moved with his family to Houston, Texas.
Before he started releasing his own music, Burke was active online in other ways. He gained a following for making Fortnite gameplay montages on YouTube. When copyright strikes began affecting his videos, he decided to create original music to use as background audio. That decision led him to experiment with writing and recording songs, which he began uploading to SoundCloud.
D4vd
He had a breakthrough in 2022
The turning point in his career came in 2022. In July of that year, he released Romantic Homicide, a lo-fi track that resonated with listeners on TikTok and spread quickly across the platform. Its viral popularity helped it climb the charts, reaching number three on Billboard’s Hot Alternative Songs and giving him his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100. A follow-up single, Here with Me, also found success on TikTok. In September 2022, he signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records, the label also home to Billie Eilish.
In 2023 he released a few EPs and opened for SZA on her tour. In 2025, he released his album Withered and had been on his Withered tour up until current events.
He also had just released a collaboration with Fortnite – a single that was pegged as the game’s official anthem including a music video using skins from the game. All this momentum was derailed however, by the discovery of 15 year old Celeste Rivas Hernandez in a Tesla register to him at the start of September. The body was grimly revealed to be heavily decomposed and dismembered.
There is currently no suspects officially and no arrest made, and when it came out that the Tesla was registered to D4vd a spokesperson said he was co-operating with police and the investigation. He continued to perform on the Withered tour until her body was identified – and now all tour dates have been cancelled.
The Tab has approached representatives of D4vd for comment.
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