D4vd in 2026: Net worth, Age, Ethnicity, Albums, Songs, and FAQs

Who Is d4vd?

d4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, is an American singer and songwriter born on March 28, 2005. He was born in Queens, New York, and later moved with his family to Houston, Texas, where he spent most of his growing up years. He was homeschooled from the seventh grade, which he has said in interviews shaped his quiet, introspective personality and pushed him deeper into online communities.

His stage name, written in lowercase as d4vd, is pronounced exactly like the name David. He picked the spelling partly because it was easier to find on search engines, a small detail that says a lot about how he understood the internet from the start.

How d4vd Started His Music Career

Long before he was on the radio, d4vd was a Fortnite kid uploading montage videos on YouTube. The problem was that the music he used kept getting flagged for copyright. He has told the story many times in interviews. He went to his mother in tears about the constant strikes, and she casually told him to just make his own songs and stop bothering her. That throwaway advice changed his life.

He downloaded BandLab on his phone, set up shop in his little sister's closet to keep the noise out, and started recording with iPhone earphones. The setup was tiny, the budget was zero, and the process was completely self-taught. Songs like You and I and Take Me to the Sun went up on SoundCloud first, building him a small but loyal listener base.

d4vd's Breakthrough with Romantic Homicide

Everything shifted in July 2022. He posted snippets of a track called Romantic Homicide on TikTok, and the platform did what TikTok does best. The song spread fast, climbed to number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100, and earned him his first major label attention. By September 2022, he had signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records, both under the Universal Music Group umbrella.

Right after that came Here with Me, another emotional, slow burning track that found its audience just as quickly. Both songs went multi-platinum, and together they have pulled in well over three billion streams across platforms. For a kid who started making music to dodge YouTube copyright strikes, the jump was almost unreal.

d4vd's Albums and EPs

d4vd has released two EPs and one full studio album so far. His project list looks like this:

Petals to Thorns (EP, 2023) - charted in six territories.

The Lost Petals (EP, 2023) - a follow up to Petals to Thorns.

Withered (Studio Album, April 25, 2025) - his debut album, peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200 and number 3 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart.

A deluxe version of Withered, titled Marcescence, was planned for late 2025 but was shelved after the controversy that hit him in September of that year.

d4vd's Most Popular Songs

Some of his standout tracks across his short career include:

Romantic Homicide (2022)

Here with Me (2022)

You and I (2022)

Placebo Effect (2023)

Feel It (2024, written for the Invincible animated series)

Where'd It Go Wrong? (2024)

One More Dance (2025)

Crashing with Kali Uchis (2025)

What Are You Waiting For (2025)

Remember Me (2024, from the Arcane Season 2 soundtrack)

d4vd's Net Worth in 2026

Icon Polls estimates that d4vd's net worth in 2026 sits between $3 million and $5 million. The figure is based on streaming revenue from his catalogue, royalties from chart hits like Romantic Homicide and Here with Me, his completed portion of the Withered World Tour, soundtrack placements on shows like Invincible and Arcane, plus brand work he had picked up before 2026.

It is worth pointing out that his earnings curve has flattened sharply. After his arrest in April 2026, multiple brands cut ties, his Interscope deal had already ended in late 2025, YouTube demonetised and suspended his channel, and a number of collaborators removed joint songs from streaming services. So while the catalogue still earns, the active income streams that pushed his peak years are largely gone.

d4vd's Ethnicity and Family Background

d4vd is African American. His mother is African American and his father is of African descent. He has spoken in interviews about growing up in a religious household where, until age 13, the only music allowed was gospel. His shift toward indie and R&B happened later, after he discovered artists like XXXTentacion and Members Only on a school laptop.

He has a younger sister, the same one whose closet became his first recording booth. His parents have generally stayed out of the public eye, though both have been described as supportive of his career, especially in the early days when nothing about it looked like a sure thing.

The 2025 Investigation and 2026 Arrest

There is no clean way to write a 2026 bio of d4vd without addressing the case that has reshaped his public life. On September 8, 2025, the dismembered body of 14 year old Celeste Rivas Hernandez was discovered inside an abandoned Tesla registered to him in the Hollywood Hills. The girl had been reported missing in April 2024.

After months of investigation, d4vd was arrested on April 16, 2026, in Los Angeles. On April 20, prosecutors charged him with first degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and is being held without bail at L.A. County Men's Central Jail. Prosecutors have said they will consider seeking the death penalty.

His legal team has denied the charges. The case is ongoing as of April 2026, and Icon Polls will continue to track verified developments as they come.

Career Impact After the Charges

The fallout from the case moved fast. His Withered World Tour was cut short in September 2025. The deluxe reissue of the album was shelved. EA Sports pulled What Are You Waiting For from Madden NFL 26. Epic Games refunded Fortnite players who had bought items featuring his music. Kali Uchis pulled their joint song Crashing from streaming. Holly Humberstone removed superbloodmoon, and Damiano David reissued his album without the d4vd feature.

Strangely, his Spotify streams briefly doubled during the early stages of the investigation, and in 2025 he became the most searched musician and overall most searched person on Google, a reflection of public curiosity rather than artistic momentum.

d4vd Murder Case Update: What Has Come Out So Far

The d4vd case has become one of the most talked about criminal cases in music in years, and the details that have come out since his arrest are heavy. This section pulls together the most recent verified updates as of late April 2026, so readers can follow what is actually happening in court versus what is just floating around on social media.

The Cause of Death Has Now Been Released

For months, Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s exact cause of death stayed sealed because her body was so badly decomposed that the medical examiner needed extra time. On April 22, 2026, the report was finally unsealed by L.A. Superior Court Judge Theresa McGonigle. According to the document, completed by Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Ansel Nam in December 2025, Celeste died from two penetrating wounds to her torso. One wound went into her liver, the other damaged her ribs near her left chest. The medical examiner described them as sharp force injuries.

Prosecutors Say He Killed Her to Protect His Career

L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman laid out the prosecution’s theory at the April 20 press conference. According to the filing, d4vd had been engaged in what the DA called substantial sexual conduct with Celeste from September 2023 to September 2024, when she was 13. Prosecutors allege he killed her for financial gain to protect his very lucrative music career, which she was reportedly threatening to expose. The charges include special circumstance allegations of lying in wait, murder of a witness, and murder for financial gain, all of which open the door to the death penalty.

The Last Time Celeste Was Seen Alive

According to LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, Celeste was last known to be alive on April 23, 2025, when she arrived at d4vd’s home in the Hollywood Hills. She was 14 at the time. She was never heard from again. Five months later, in September 2025, her dismembered body was found inside the front trunk of his abandoned Tesla at a Los Angeles tow yard. Her head and torso were in one bag, her arms and legs in another.

What His Defense Team Is Saying

d4vd is being represented by attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter. They have denied the charges firmly. In their public statement after the arraignment, they said the actual evidence will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and was not the cause of her death. They have also asked for and been granted a quick preliminary evidentiary hearing, which is unusual. The defense has said in court they want all the secret evidence collected during the investigation to actually be seen.

Investigators Believe More Than One Person May Be Involved

LAPD investigators have suggested that multiple people may have been involved in disposing of Celeste’s body. They have also been looking into a trip d4vd took to Santa Barbara County in spring 2025 and whether it connects to the case. A grand jury was convened in November 2025, and executives at his record label were among those questioned during that process. No additional suspects have been publicly named.

Why His Own Music Has Become Part of the Conversation

One of the most uncomfortable parts of this case is how closely some of d4vd’s own visuals echo what investigators have described. The music video for Romantic Homicide features a bloodied woman and a blindfolded figure. The video for One More Dance shows a person being stuffed into a car trunk. Fans and commentators online have been picking apart his lyrics for what they believe are confessions, though courts and prosecutors have not pointed to any of the videos as evidence. Icon Polls notes this remains public speculation, not part of the official case file.

Where the Case Stands Right Now

As of late April 2026, d4vd remains in custody at L.A. County Men’s Central Jail, held without bail. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. A preliminary evidentiary hearing has been scheduled, and prosecutors have publicly said they are eager to move toward trial. Celeste’s parents, Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez, have asked for privacy through their attorney and described their daughter as a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance.

Frequently Asked Questions About d4vd

1. What is d4vd's real name?

His real name is David Anthony Burke. The stage name d4vd is just a stylised way to write David.

2. How old is d4vd in 2026?

d4vd is 21 years old in 2026. He was born on March 28, 2005.

3. Where was d4vd born?

He was born in Queens, New York City, in the United States.

4. Where did d4vd grow up?

He grew up in Houston, Texas, after his family moved there when he was young.

5. What is d4vd's net worth in 2026?

Icon Polls estimates his net worth in 2026 is between $3 million and $5 million, based on his catalogue, streaming income, tour earnings, and past endorsements.

6. What is d4vd's ethnicity?

d4vd is African American. His mother is African American and his father is of African descent.

7. How is d4vd pronounced?

It is pronounced exactly the same as David. The 4 simply replaces the letter A.

8. What was d4vd's first viral song?

Romantic Homicide, released in July 2022, was the song that broke him into the mainstream after going viral on TikTok.

9. What is d4vd's debut album?

His debut studio album is Withered, released on April 25, 2025. It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200.

10. How many albums does d4vd have?

He has one full studio album, Withered, plus two EPs called Petals to Thorns and The Lost Petals.

11. How did d4vd start making music?

He started making original music in 2021 to avoid copyright strikes on his Fortnite gameplay videos. His mother told him to make his own songs, and he has been recording ever since.

12. What record label was d4vd signed to?

He was signed to Darkroom and Interscope Records, both under Universal Music Group. Interscope ended the relationship in late 2025.

13. What genres does d4vd make?

His music blends indie pop, R&B, lo-fi, and indie rock. He has often said he wants d4vd to feel like its own genre.

14. Is d4vd in jail?

Yes. He was arrested on April 16, 2026, and is being held without bail at L.A. County Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles, California.

15. What was d4vd charged with?

He was charged with first degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. He pleaded not guilty.

16. Who is Celeste Rivas Hernandez?

She was a 14 year old girl from Lake Elsinore, California, whose dismembered body was found in September 2025 inside a Tesla registered to d4vd. She had been missing since April 2024.

17. What schools did d4vd attend?

He was homeschooled from the seventh grade onward, so he did not attend a traditional high school.

18. Who are d4vd's musical influences?

He has named SZA as a major influence, and he has also credited XXXTentacion, Members Only, and anime soundtracks as shaping his early sound.

19. Has d4vd won any awards?

Yes. He won BMI Pop Awards in 2024 for Here with Me and Romantic Homicide. He was also nominated for Favorite Male Breakout Artist at the 2025 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

20. Is d4vd still releasing music in 2026?

As of April 2026, no. His major label deal has ended, his channels have been demonetised or suspended, his tour has been cancelled, and he is in custody awaiting trial. Icon Polls findings show his catalogue is still streaming, but new music is not currently being released.

21. What is d4vd's most streamed song?

Romantic Homicide remains his most streamed song, with well over 1.7 billion plays on Spotify alone.

22. Did d4vd act or appear on TV?

He has not acted, but his music has appeared on major shows, including Feel It on Invincible and Remember Me on Arcane Season 2.