Not long after graduating from Maggie Walker High School, Dacus’ smart and catchy indie rock debut, “No Burden,” was praised by national critics.

The singer and songwriter’s music not only made fans and helped shine light on the Richmond scene, but through her work and interviews, Dacus clearly sounds like a role model for young women in music.

As her tour schedule has filled, she is giving back by choosing local charities to raise money for in each of the cities where her band is playing in 2017.

“The issues differ — environmental stewardship, trans rights, youth programs, scholarships for low income women to name a few,” she explains via email while on tour. “But I try to do research about how each charity spends its money and how active and hands-on they are in their communities.”

Dacus is superexcited about her next record, calling it her proudest moment so far. She’s working on a couple nonmusic related creative projects and just bought a house in Richmond, so much of her time is spent doing home improvement lately.

“I have tons of mottos and maxims, but it all boils down to believing that people just want to die content,” she says. “Remembering that is helpful when I’m trying to understand others and myself. It guides my actions and simplifies my goals.”