As a first-generation American by way of Ethiopian roots, DA Yirgou’s background fuses a collision of cultural experiences — as a musician and writer, as a creative director at award-winning agencies, and as a director of commercials, TV & film.
Originally from Austin, Texas, DA developed his love of storytelling as a diehard sports and music junkie. The passion and obsessions from artists and athletes alike shaped a lens for highlighting self-reflective growth and the surreal means of the creative spirit.
Today, his work explores how to blur the line between genres to create tension, always striving to uplift authentic stories and unique characters with a raw cinematic grit. With talent, he takes care to celebrate their pursuit and heritage, rather than their persona — creating soulful, emotive moments that share heart unexpectedly.
“I enjoy the parts that are messy and in-between, actively challenging the visual conformity that’s become redundant,” Yirgou explains. It’s chaotic and more fun to subvert how we want to find value from an ending that’s always ‘to be continued’, constantly out of reach. That’s both organic and meaningful.”
His documentary about LeBron James, “Long Live The King,'' was shortlisted at Cannes for Best Film Direction and has garnered over 60 million views across various channels. Additionally, he has helmed an array of commercial, editorial & branded content projects that reflect his approach for clients such as Nike, Adidas, Peloton, KITH, 1800 Tequila (Future), Moschino, Balmain, Vogue (Joan Smalls), The Los Angeles Lakers, and ESPN. In a previous life as an editor, he worked under director Terrence Malick on ‘To The Wonder’ and ‘Song to Song.’