• The eldest of three children born to David and Sable de la Costa in Sleepy Hollow, New York. The family home would always remain in the same place, a four bedroom, two-story little pastel green home not far from Sleepy Hollow High School. desi spent hours upon hours strumming his guitar with his father out on the upstairs porch, come rain or shine. David co-owned a small music supply store in the area, and looked forward to one day passing it on to Desi, but not long after his fifteenth birthday, there was a fire that took down much of the block the store was located on, and there just wasn't the funds to rebuild it. David took up the profession of teaching music to children in wake of the disaster, taking his clients from the shop and instructing them from that same patio in his home.

• Desi was an average student. He managed to fly under the radar from bullies for the most part, aside from the occasional comment toward the latter years over his bohemian apperance, but it never became too severe. He was a friendly guy albeit band and theatre geek who enjoyed being involved, and believed some years later that it worked as a shield from teasing. During the last two years, he worked much harder in his classes in wake of his father's shop's disaster, wanting to please him in a time of darkness. The result: he was accepted into a good college, his own mother's alma mater.

• Graduated from NYU in 2004 after completing a dual degree bachelors and masters of music in music technology over the course of five years. He had played guitar since the tender age of six, piano since the age of ten, and trumpet since twelve. He didn't know what to study when he arrived, but settled into what he knew. Sometimes regrets not focusing on business or something other than his favorite hobby, but looks back on his years at NYU with purely positive memories.

• Spent the next few years traveling the United States essentially barefoot with various traveling companions that he met along the way. He resided in Portland, OR; San Francisco, CA; Denver, CO; Austin, TX; New Orleans, LA; and finally a short-lived New London, CT. Each city only saw him as a resident on average for six months, with some stints as long as a year and others only three months. He considered staying full time in San Francisco after his travels ended, but the cancer diagnosis of his mother in 2013 brought him back to his roots full time.

• Cancer stole his mother from him in mid 2014 and while Desi's first response was to flee, his family implored him to stick around so they could all grieve together. While the wounds have healed for the most part, he just doesn't have the heart to leave them again. After so much exploring and running from home, he owed it to his father, still visibly shaken by the loss, to stay closeby. Now resides in his own modest home in Sleepy Hollow.

• As for employment, Desi's resume is a mess of various occupations; He sold his acrylic paintings in San Francisco, played as an accompanying guitarist in Portland, OR, served drinks at the bar in Austin, TX, tried his hand at stand-up comedy in New Orleans... Currently, he hosts a weekly music and somewhat comedy-oriented podcast that's a mixture of interviews, reviews, his two-cents on current events, and is very open ended. Taking up his father's business of instructing students in the art of guitar, he has a handful of clients he works with each week. He can be found at any open mic night, playing tunes of old and new and just looking for some new faces to bring into his friend circle.

facts • cares deeply for the planet and believes there is power in green living. relies on public transit (although that is partially due to getting his license late in life and feeling uneasy behind a wheel), recycles religiously, and maintains a vegetable and herb garden in his backyard. currently an omnivore, but has spent years at a time as a vegetarian and/or vegan. He prefers to use his own home remedies over going to a doctor/hospital any day (and as a result may have developed a slight phobia of such environments).

• of english(p), irish(p), algerian (m), and dutch(m) descent. follows no religion, though born into a catholic household, occasionally attends church when he feels disconnected from the world.

• formerly vocalist, lyricist, and guitarist of 'backlit self image', a band formed by Desi and his college friends which lasted for six years including three during his time as an undergraduate. disbanded due to creative differences and the death of their drummer and co-founding member as a result of drunk driving.