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D4vd‘s rise to fame — and infamy — has been pretty meteoric, as the performer went from internet notoriety to real-life success.
However, the singer’s career has been clouded by the recent discovery of a dead body in his car, and subsequent revelations about his alleged connections to the deceased individual.
Here’s a look at how the performer made a name for himself before he became involved in the case.
He Was Born in NYC and Moved to Texas
D4vd — legal name David Anthony Burke — was born in Queens, New York City, and he later moved with his family to the Houston, Texas area, where he was raised.
The singer mainly listened to gospel music growing up, and he was homeschooled in his younger years, according to DIY.
The performer began his musical career after his Fortnite gaming montages were demonetized on YouTube for copyright violations.
D4vd’s mother encouraged him to start making his own music for the clips, and he later began recording songs in his sister’s closet using apps on his phone.
His Tracks Gained Popularity on TikTok
D4vd began sharing tracks on SoundCloud, and he released breakout single, “Romantic Homicide,” in 2022, after clips from the track gained popularity on TikTok.
He later signed with Darkroom/Interscope, and he released his debut EP, titled “Petals To Thorns,” in May 2023, and he started his first tour the same month.
D4vd quickly rose to fame in the music industry, as he went on to release several other singles, make guest appearances on other artists’ tracks, and embark on multiple tours, both as a headliner and a supporting act.
The performer eventually released his debut album, “Withered,” in April 2025, though it was preceded by the release of multiple singles.
A Chopped-Up Body Was Found in His Car in September 2025
D4vd was enmeshed in controversy in September 2025, when a chopped-up, decomposed body was found in the front trunk of a Tesla that was abandoned in the Hollywood Hills … the Tesla was registered under his name. The car was impounded and taken to a Hollywood tow yard, where a smell emanating from the vehicle prompted the discovery of the body.
Although the singer began cooperating with authorities after they started looking into how the body ended up in the car, he was removed from an ad campaign for Hollister.
The investigation into how the body ended up in the car didn’t stop D4vd from performing, however, as he kept touring and played a show in Minneapolis just a day after the body was found in the car.
The case turned even more mysterious when the body was identified on September 16, though not publicly, pending notification of next of kin … the next day it was revealed it was a 15-year-old girl named Celeste Rivas who was reported missing in 2024.
D4vd’s Since Been Linked to Celeste for Multiple Reasons
Connections between D4vd and Celeste began popping up after she was identified, and her mother told TMZ her daughter, who’d been missing ever since April 2024, had a boyfriend named David. We also revealed Celeste and the singer had matching tattoos.
We later learned the singer was seen in the area where Celeste had lived prior to her disappearance, and a photo began circulating online showing him posing next to a girl with a resemblance to the deceased individual. He also professed his love for someone named Celeste in a leaked demo track from December 2023.
D4vd ended up pausing his world tour after the girl’s body was identified. LAPD officers subsequently began speaking with residents of the area where the Tesla was abandoned to find further information in the case.
Cops searched a house in the Hollywood Hills on the night of September 17 and took several items from the residence, according to ABC7.
