Vermilion Parish's Dustin Dale Gaspard has become celebrity since landing on ‘The Voice’

Since being selected for the NBC TV show “The Voice,” Dustin Dale Gaspard’s life has been turned upside down.
Gaspard, a native of Cow Island, has done numerous interviews with local and national media. Additionally, he has taken more than 100 photos with anyone who wishes to have a photo taken with him.
Almost every night for the past two weeks, Gaspard has been playing his music in Lafayette, Kaplan, or Abbeville. On Thursday, he will give a free performance at Sounds on the Square in Abbeville.
Despite the hectic schedule, Gaspard, 33, would not change a thing. He is doing what he loves — playing Cajun music for those who enjoy it.
“The biggest way that my life has changed has been when people approach me; they feel a genuine connection,” said Gaspard. “They talk about the audition, and they tell me that when they heard I was singing in Cajun French, they said that it changed some things. They felt represented and were on stage. At first, they would say they were proud of me. Now, they are saying they are proud of us. That is really, really cool.”
Since appearing on “The Voice,” simple things like going grocery shopping in Abbeville or Kaplan are different. People recognize him and approach him, hoping for a photo or an autograph.   
“It’s really awesome. It’s beautiful to see people’s eyes light up. They feel seen through me. Just embracing them. I’m like, ‘Wow, it means so much to people. That’s all I ever wanted, to give a voice to my people here,” Gaspard said in a recent KPLC TV interview.
His music journey began in 2010, when his father purchased him his first guitar. He described his first 10 years as “trial and error.” 
Before appearing on The Voice, Gaspard spent the beginning of 2025 touring across Canada and the western United States.  In 2024, he left Louisiana and moved to Nova Scotia to live and play.
The Vermilion Parish native admits he does not enjoy playing cover songs of other popular musicians in bars and venues. He would rather play Cajun/French music to a small crowd that enjoys his music and storytelling. He purchased a van, hit the road, and played at small venues throughout the western United States, Canada and Ireland. 
In his first appearance on “The Voice,” singing a Sam Cooke song, he threw in some Cajun French words in the song, which got a 4-chair turn.  Promoting Cajun music is his priority when he performs. 
“My goal since I started has been to raise awareness of my heritage,” he said.
Gaspard’s singing is gaining national attention, and his dress style is becoming a trendsetter, too. Some locals have even compared his outfit to that of Belizaire from the 1986 local film “Belizaire, the Cajun.”
He mentioned that he derived his dressing style from various places he has played throughout the years. He was comfortable with the comparison to Beliziare.
“I have dreams of collecting a style and look. It comes with a collection of time.”
One of his iconic features is the fedora that he enjoys wearing when he performs. He purchased the hat in Memphis in 2021 and it has taken on a shape of its own, Gaspard added. 
“The hat has been with me with every show since 2021,” Gaspard explained. “I have only one hat. When I look at my hat, it is so iconic and it has so many stories. In the future I was thinking about auctioning it off, depending on what happens on ‘The Voice.’ I would be on to the next chapter.”
Gaspard mentioned that he’s unsure about what the next chapter holds for him. However, he is committed to embracing his Cajun culture and sharing it with the world.